Producers Discover Methods To Help Make Family Dairy Farms Profitable (Continued from Page A 1) farm also provide sufficient in , , come to the person retiring, farm to the next generation so “if y o u have a master plan, it they can afford the farm and the is like putting together the pieces Extension agent Beth Grove and Ron Bare, financial adviser, spoke at a family dairy farm seminar conducted this week. The PA Crop Insurance Assistance Program has been extended for crop year 2003. Benefits include: To receive these insurance agent www.rma.usda.gov Enrollment Deadline: March 15 - Spring Planted Crops Pennsylvania encourages growers to have crop insurance protection as part of their farming risk management plan. AH policy fees and approximately 20 percent of net premium costs are paid for growers. Sponsored by the PA Department of Agriculture with cost share support from RMA/USDA. FREE “CAT” Coverage Discounted Premiums & Fees (Paid for “Buy-Up” Coverage) of a puzzle,” said Bare. “All that (plan implementation) falls into place when it comes together and it can help you accomplish your goals.” Beth Grove, dairy extension agent, discussed using records to improve a dairy herd. “One of the best ways to be successful is to look at record-keeping, and look at records can do for you,” said Grove. “One of the secrets of success on any farm is not only financial planing but looking at records, and seeing where your herd can improve. Records show what is going on with the herd, identify strengths and weaknesses, predict what money could be saved in im provements, and provide bench marking or comparison informa tion. To monitor herd performance. Grove advised using a herdbook clinic form, available at Lancas ter’s extension office, which “gives you an idea of benchmark ing and where your herd needs to Pennsylvania Crap Insurance Program benefits, contact a crop today. List available at be,” she said. The form compares the herds in Lancaster County. Another tool is the spreadsheet developed by a University of Minnesota professor. The spread sheet takes into account many factors to help estimate the cost of mastitis for the producer’s farm. It is available at www.uwex.edu/milkquality/ bank/. To see what other, similar dairy herds are achieving, pro duces can use the Dairy Metrics Passing On The Farm Workshop Slated For Manheim MANHEIM (Lancaster Co.) Pennsylvania Farm Link and Penn State Extension will conduct a Passing on the Farm workshop at Kreider’s Restaurant south of Manheim February 19 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The program is targeted to farmers seeking ideas for successfully passing their farm to family members, or those interested in locating interested, unrelated farmers to take over an operation. Beginning farmers are also welcomed to participate to glean ideas for building their businesses. Lancaster Farming, Saturday, January 25, 2003-A27 program, which costs $5 a month and www.drms.org/ dairymetrics.html. Producers se lect information to display about their individual herd in compari son to herds which meet criteria that they select. Extension agents will also run the program free of charge. Also speaking at the Lancaster meeting were Vinton Smith, dairy extension agent, and Dr. Charles Gardner, Agway. Topics covered will include: • Bringing the next generation into the farm business. • Business planning for a farm transfer. • Financing for new farmers. • Crop insurance. • Estate planning and legal implications. • Farmland preservation. The workshop will conclude with a panel of local farmers discussing how they transferred their own farms. Lunch will be served in the restaurant and res ervations are required. Mail payment of $lO per person to Pennsylvania Farm Link, 2708 N. Co lebrook Rd., Manheim PA 17545 no later than February 10, to make your reservations. Call (717) 664-7077 for more information. Large dames often require a huge labor force How do dairies deal with communication management issues involving Hispanic labor? What are the challenges other producers have faced and what are their suggestions? See the next issue of Lancaster Farming's Dairy Plus, geared toward large-scale dairy operations in the Feb 15 issue Also scheduled news from the Penn State Hispanic Workforce Management Conference and what s required for the survival of the Northeast dairy industry January 22,2003 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PENNSYLVANIA CHRISTMAS TREE MARKETING AND RESEARCH PROGRAM Notice is herby given that a public heanng in accor dance with the Agriculture Commonditinn Marking act (3Pa C S 4501-4513) will be helu on Tuesday, January 28. 2003, commencing at 9 00 a m at the Department of Agriculture Building, Room 309, 2301 North Cameron Street, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania The hearing will be held foi the purpose of receu mg testimony in relation to a proposed marketing and research program for Pennsylvania Christmas trees The proposed Christmas Tree Marketing and Research Program would apply to producers who make an initial sale of 200 or more Pennsylvania-grown Christmas trees during the October I to December 31 marketing season. That producer shall owe the program a produc er charge of ten dollars ($lO 00) with respect to that 200-tree sale In addition, a producer shall owe the pro gram a producer charge of five cents ($O5) with respect to every initial sale of a cut Pennsylvania grown Christmas tree beyond the first 200 such sales in a marketing season A “balled and bagged" Christmas tree shall not be considered a “cut” tree for purposes of this order. Testimony will also be received as to other necessary and relevant matters, including rate of assessment, and with respect to the accuracy of producer lists on file at the Department identifying the names and addresses, Christmas tree acreage, and the number of Christmas trees cut and sold between October 1, 2002 and December 31, 2002 A copy of the proposed Christmas Tree Marketing and Research Program Order is on file at the Pennsyhama Department of Agriculture. A copy of the Program Order will be sent to any interested party upon request to the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, Bureau of Market Development, Pennsylvania Christmas Tree Marketing and Research Program, 2301 North Cameron Street, Harrisburg,, Pennsylvania 17110- available at
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