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Vol. 48 No. 19
Pa. Ag Secretary Calls
Rendell Budget Workable
DAVE LEFEVER
Lancaster Farming Staff
and
ANDY ANDREWS
Editor
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) Pennsylvania Gov. Ed
Rendell’s proposed ag budget re
ductions for 2003-2004 will keep
a workable amount of funds
available for farm programs until
the economy recovers, according
to Dennis Wolff, acting Pennsyl
vania secretary of agriculture.
Rendell’s proposa l cuts the
state’s total ag budget to $70.7
million, compared to last year’s
level of $76.1 million.
A large part of the decrease
comes from taking about $3 mil
lion for plum pox indemnifica-
Council Of Farm Organizations
Hosts Meeting, Reception
MICHELLE KUNJAPPU
Lancaster Farming Staff
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) Legislators and members
of the agriculture industry gath
ered at the capital building this
week to attend an annual meet
ing and roundtable discussion.
The event also included an eve
ning “Taste Pennsylvania Recep
tion” to showcase Pennsylvania
agricultural products.
The Pennsylvania State Coun
cil of Farm Organizations
(SCOFO) sponsored the annual
event.
See this life-size topiary senorita, fantastic garden dis
plays, and much more at the world-famous Philadelphia
Flower Show, 12th and Arch streets, Philadelphia. The in
door 33-acre show remains open today and tomorrow.
Turn to page 856 for a preview of show photos and de
tails about tickets and hours. Photo by Lou> Ann - Good,
food and tan>Uy*featura» editor ....
www.lancasterfarming.com
tion costs out of this year’s bud
get because the plum pox
outbreak is largely under control,
Wolff said.
The Pennsylvania Fair Fund
will have $1 million less in the till
for capital improvements,
according to the Rendell’s pro
posal, and the general operating
budget for the ag department
would be cut by $250,000.
Under the budget proposal,
many programs are set to receive
the same level of funding as they
did last year, Wolff said. These
include longstanding events such
as 4-H state club shows, the All-
American Dairy Show, and the
Keystone International Livestock
(Turn to Page A 36)
At the luncheon sixty-five at
tendees represented some of the
more than 60 agricultural and
agriculture-related organizations
that are members of the council.
Officials expected attendance
at the reception to be approxi
mately 135.
During Monday’s meeting,
council members elected new of
ficers.
Susan Fox, executive director
at the Pennsylvania Association
of Conservation Districts, Inc. for
(Turn to Page A2l)
Five Sections
Lancaster Farming Introduces A New Component Of Grower & Marketer
We introduce a brand-new component of the Lancaster Farming Grower & Mar
keter section this issue. It’s called Aqua Country. Pages include reports on trout
hatcheries in Monroe County, calendar events, a suppliers listing, and advertising
from major aquacultural suppliers.
PFGC Recognizes Forage, Grassland Innovators
Group Honors Memory Of Educator Bill Stout
DAVE LEFEVER
Lancaster Farming Staff
GRANTVILLE (Dauphin Co.)
David Fink knows that hay
has been and still is a cor
nerstone of civilization.
Fink received this year’s Spe
cial Award from the Pennsylva-
The PFGC honors outstanding contributors to Pennsylvania’s forage and grassland in
dustry. Accepting awards Wednesday evening are, from left, Kathy Soder, for the late
Pr. William Stout, research/education; David and, Sonia Fink, Special. Award; and Jim
< Cropper,<oonservation.<P/iote by Dav e Leftover
Saturday, March 8, 2003
nia Forage and Grassland Coun
cil (PFGC), presented at its
annual conference here this
week.
The PFGC honored Fink for
his support of the organization
over the years, and for his inno
vative achievements in growing,
processing, and marketing hay.
$36.00 Per Year
Fink operates Heidel Hollow
Farms near Germansville, Lehigh
County, with the help of his wife
Sonia and. sons Travis and Mike.
They market 5,000 tons of hay
per year, about 75 percent of it
harvested from 900 acres of timo-
$l.OO Per Copy
(Turn to Page A 23)