f U.S. Hog, Pig Inventory 2 Percent Below Year Ago WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. inventory of all hogs and pigs on March 1, 2003 was 58.1 million head. This was 2 percent below March 1, 2002 and 2 percent below December 1, 2002, accord ing to the National Agricultural Service (NASS). • Breeding inventory, at 5.96 million head, was down 4 percent from March 1, 2002, and down 1 percent from last quarter. • Market hog inventory, at 52.2 million head, was 2 percent below last year and 3 percent below last quarter. The December 2002-February 2003 U.S. pig crop, at 24.4 mil lion head, was 2 percent less than 2002, and 2 percent more than 2001. Sows farrowing during this period totaled 2.77 million head, 2 percent below last year. J-STUt Silo I nloader Technology lakes a (liant Leap Forward! BIG lluanlum CALL US TODAY FOR A VIDEO AND BROCHURE. The Silo Unloader Experts LEASE I I TODAY W ITH ONE PAYMENT DOWN! • CABLE ALLEY • WASTE HANDLING EQUIPMENT • FEED HANDLERS SCRAPER DUMPS - TANKS - TILLAGE APPLICATOR BELTS - FEEDERS - CONVEYORS See These Dealers For Details Now— FRANKLIN’S FARM SERVICE Laceyville, PA 570-869-2407 HARRYTROOP Cochranville, PA 19335 215-593-6731 HISTAND’S FARM & HOME SERVICE Rome, PA 570-744-2371 The sows farrowed during this quarter represented 46 percent of the breeding herd. The average pigs per litter was 8.81 pigs saved per litter for the December 2002-February 2003 period, com pared to 8.74 last year. Pigs saved per litter by size of operation ranged from 7.60 for operations with 1-99 hogs to 8.90 for operations with more than 5,000 hogs and pigs. U.S. hog producers intend to have 2.84 million sows farrow during the March-May 2003 quarter, 3 percent below the actu al farrowings during the same pe riod in 2002, and 1 percent below 2001. Intended farrowings for June-August 2003, at 2.79 million sows, are 3 percent below the same period in both 2002 and 2001. YOUR ALL-IN-ONE FARMSTEAD EQUIPMENT SOURCE SIMPLY THE BEST! You know tower silos are the best way to store feed. Now Jamesway® gives you the best way to fill and feed fast, with great reliability. Plus, you get: • Better Feed Quality • More Feed Storage • A Clean Chute The all-new industrial-design Big Jim QUANTUM System can be installed m any type of 20' to 30' forage silo conventional or oxygen limited. And since it requires little maintenance and has no door to change, you eliminate tops up and down the silo HOOVER EQUIPMENT ROVENDALE AG & BARN Tyrone PA 16686 EQUIPMENT 814-684-1777 Watsontown, PA 17777 570-538-9564 OR 570-742-4226 LAPP’S BARN EQUIPMENT SALES & SERVICE Gap, PA 17527 717-442-8134 The total number of hogs under contract, owned by opera tions with over 5,000 head, but raised by contractees, accounted for 35 percent of the total U.S. hog inventory, up from 31 per cent last year. Revisions: All inventory and pig crop estimates for March 2002 through December 2002 were reviewed using final pig crop, official slaughter, death loss, import, and export data in U.S. level balance sheets. Based on the findings of this review, ad justments of one percent were made to the September 1, 2002 inventory, two percent to the June-August 2002 pig crop, and one percent to the Dec. 1, 2002 inventory. 9" & 11" Single Chain Conveyors MOVE TONS OF FEED FAST & EFFICIENTLY Now get the best of Jamesway®, Van Dale® and Starline® in J-STAR'S high capacity single chain feed conveyors. Available in 9" and 11" models to match distances up to ISO', their belt and chain reduction drive is factory pre assembled for easy installation. The 9" conveyor has #62 steel chain with metal backed rubber flights; 11" has 667 H pintli Both models also' shutoff switch com located on convey' For high capacity feed conveying that offers you built-in flexibility, look no further than the one name that says it all J-STAR. SOLLENBERGER SILOS CORP. Chambersburg PA 17201 1-800-909-6909 JAMES L. HOSTETTER McVeytown, PA 17051 717-899-6386 SOMERSET BARN EQUIPMENT Somerset, PA 15501 814-445-5555 STAR SILOS Chamesburg, PA 17201 1-800-909-6909 MARYLAND GLADHILL TRACTOR MART Frederick, MD 21701 Ag Bankers Committee Meets In Hershey Pictured, from left, are Terry Hague, The Bankers Bank, Oklahoma City, Okla.; Michael Firestine, Fulton Bank/Lebanon Valley Farmers Bank; R. Scott Smith, Jr., Fulton Financial Corporation; and Roger Monson, Citizens State Bank of Finley, Finley, N.D. ■Out of Space?" B We have new and used B I walk-in and reach-in H J coolers and freezers! ■ ■ Rufus Brubaker ■ ■ Refrigeration, llc ■ B P: 717-665-3525 B ■ F: 717-664-4136 ■ LANCASTER (Lancaster Co.) R. Scott Smith, Jr., president and chief operating officer of Fulton Financial Corporation, recently ad dressed the American Bankers Association’s Ag ricultural and Rural Affairs Committee when the group met in Hershey. The Agricultural and Rural Affairs Commit tee’s members include banking representatives from 14 states. The group meets quarterly to dis cuss legislative, legal, and environmental issues that affect our nation’s farms and agribusinesses. Michael Firestine, senior vice president, from the ag department at Fulton Bank/Lebanon Val ley Farmers Bank, is a member of the Committee and acted as host for the meeting. The group discussed many topics, including the impact of the drought on farmers across the nation; prices of farmland; trends affecting crops, livestock, agricultural products and commodities; and the banks’ agriculture lending portfolios. Smith spoke to the group about Fulton Finan cial Corporation’s commitment to farms and ag ribusinesses. The volume of lending to farms and businesses related to agriculture through two Fulton Financial affiliate banks Fulton Bank and Lebanon Valley Farmers Bank makes Fulton Financial the 23rd largest Ag lender in the Unit ed States. The Committee also discussed agricultural patents and trademarks, patent infringement and the ensuing risks to ag lenders. In addition, the group developed some basic tips for begin ning farmers, which will soon be available on the American Banker’s Association website (www.a ba.com). The Committee’s next meeting will take place on July 12-14 in Park City, Utah. FIBERGLASS FARM GATES Paul B. Zimmerman Inc., sowoodcometßd Ephraia pa HoltWOOd Supply, 1010 Susquehannock Dr Hollwood PA AB Martin Roofing, 150 slate Rd Ephraia pa Zimmerman Farm Service, Bethel pa D & J Farm Store, Mess Rd Quarryville PA Huber’s Animal Health, Myersiown pa Umbergers of Fontana, ri 322 Annviiie pa Rovendale Ag, Waisontown pa Valley Road Hardware, Christiana pa Terre Hill Farm Supply, 1360 Union Grove Rd Terre Hill PA Cedar Grove Farm Store 1120 Rdtner Hwy siuppenstturg pa Gideon K. King, Elam Road Kmzers PA ■a; 13 io: 'Ol 21 I David S. King Manufacturer of Church Bench folding hinges 873 S, Railroad St. Myerstown, PA 17067 717-866-6556 ier Near You: 717-738-7350 717-284-0883 717-445-6885 717-933-4114 717-866-2246 717-867-5161 570-538-9564 610-593-7285 717-445-6885 717 532-7571 i 3 v 3:
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers