Ag Secretary Vows To Work For All Pa, Farmers (Continued from Page A 1) eminent and public institutions. He has served on various agen cies at local, state, and federal levels. In fact, he seemed remarkably relaxed when he shared with Lancaster Farming his views on agriculture and his new job of managing a department with 6SO employees and a $2OO million op erating budget. Boosting profitability for Penn sylvania farmers will be his top priority one that will be ap plied all types of farmers, Wolff promised. “In the ag world today, there are two ways to continue to farm stay at the size you are and be as efficient as you can, or grow and expand,” he said. “We’ll work with all farms. Farmers should have either option. They should have equal rights to do those things.” Wolff said there are various ways to enhance the livelihood of fanners in the state. These in clude promoting domestic and foreign markets for Pennsylvania products and educating the non farm public about modern agri culture. Some areas in the ag depart ment will be redefined in order to organize new local marketing ini tiatives, according to Wolff. Wolff said he supports free trade under the condition that agricultural products coming into the U.S. are not subsidized by foreign governments and meet the same sanitary standards that are required here. A better term for that is “fair trade,” he said. “I’m in favor of tariffs (on im ports), as long as they are used to Dennis Wolff, newly-appointed Pennsylvania ag secretary, ties up some loose ends at his farm office this week prior moving to the Department of Ag building in Harrisburg. generate money and do not dis criminate against the product,” he said. Educating the public about farming is another of Wolff’s major concerns. “With under two percent of the population being farmers, we have less people who can relate to what a modem farming opera tion is like.” Wolff said he will work to en hance public relations by increas ing programs in which the public can visit working farms. He also said he would encourage more agriculture in elementary and high school classes. He supports Gov. Ed Rendell’s initiative to make low interest loans available to farmers under the small business program. “This administration wants to continue to follow through with the Concept of farmers as small businesses,” he said. “We want to treat farmers like we treat the rest of the businesses in Pennsyl- vania.” Wolff said he supports the con cept behind the now-expired Sen ate Bill 1413, which would have allowed farmers to be reimbursed for legal fees when successfully suing townships for ordinances that curb expansion of livestock operations. He is also in favor of lowering property taxes as well as continu ing to preserve Pennsylvania farmland. Wolff is the third generation of his family on Pen-Col Farms. His parents, Chris and Pearl, and his grandparents moved from Quar ryville, Lancaster County, to the farm near Millville in the early 19505. The family kept a herd of Guernseys until the mid-1970s when they switched to Holsteins and began to focus on developing purebred genetics and marketing bulls. Wolff and his father began doing embryo transfer work in 1978, when this technique was still in its early stages. Today, Wolff markets Holsteins to coun tries around the world, with France, England, Japan, and Holland at the top of the list. “Production and functional type” are the goals of the breed ing program on Pen-Col Farms, Wolff said. He employs seven workers to manage the 700-acre, 500-cow operation, including a 100-cow milking herd. Since 1987, Wolff has been en gaged in a joint venture with American Breeders Service, Inc., Madison, Wis., where he is in volved in sampling and market ing Holstein genetics internation ally. He also partners with Grosvenor Farm, U.K., in devel oping Holsteins for the interna tional market. In appointing Wolff to the sec retary of agriculture post, Gov. Rendell referred to Wolff’s histo ry as a professional fanner and his experience in the state, na tional, and international ag com munity. “Dennis will be a good manag er who will help to accomplish the threefold mission of preserv ing Pennsylvania farmland, in creasing profitability for farmers, and helping farmers export their products,” Rendell said. Wolffs involvement in public service include: •From 1997 to 2001, he was a member of the USDA’s Farm Service Agency committee in Pennsylvania. Skuf the Skd sod smme SiuMny Matemfa Distributors 0f... Equus Horse Stall Systems Equus Dutch Door Systems Plyco Sliding Door Components Fabral Metal Roofing and Siding issr; psisai Richland, M 17087 Wolff is preparing this 2-year-old Holstein, Pen-Col Aaron Cindy, for her first type classification this week. • Since 1999, Wolff served on the agriculture technical commit tee of the World Trade Organiza tion. • From 1988 to 1998, Wolff was on the Pennsylvania Animal Health and Diagnostic Commis sion instrumental in launching the Pennsylvania Animal Diag nostics Laboratory System. • Wolff joined Pennsylvania Dairy Stakeholders board of di rectors in 2002. • He has served with the Penn State Board of Trustees since 200 L • S|tfce 1986, he has been pres ideptSidf the Nicholas Wolff ‘Foundation and Camp Victory, a Grandrib 3®PLUS Complete Building Packages, Trusses And Glue-Laminated Timbers I « > um; Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 25, 2003-A23 'f& - (frt * t f non-profit summer camp for handicapped and chronically ill children. • From 1986-1992, he served on the Greenwood Township Planning Commission. • Wolff served on Northern Central Bank board of directors from 1981-1996. • Since 1986, he has served on the Millville Mutual Insurance Company board of directors. Wolff is the father of five chil dren and has been divorced for eight years. His oldest son, Corey, runs a Holstein export business near Mount Joy, Lancaster County. The Best Metal Warranty 10 Layers of Protection Up to 50% Stronger Thicker 29 Gauge Steel 25% - 50% More Galvanized Coating I FABRALI tRUSS PLATE INSTITUTE \r n\T MFMBtJt 301-334-3977 1283 Joni Miller Rd. Oakland, MO 21550 '>*mi> n t t m . t*»*i i \ ♦ * »*tt * ♦ ♦
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers