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Vol. 48 No. $
Well-Drilling Plan Ignores Ag Security Area
Farmer Opposes Township Proposal
DAVE LEFEVER
Lancaster Farming Staff
EPHRATA (Lancaster Co.)
A local township’s plans to drill a
well on a dairy farm are unlaw
ful, according to a Pennsylvania
Farm Bureau (PFB) attorney.
Flags mark the spot where the East Cocalico Township Water and Sewer Authority
plans to drill a well in this alfalfa field on the Paul B. Zimmerman farm near Ephrata.
The farm is part of 500 acres on eight farms in the township that applied for Ag Security
Area protection in 2000. According to John Bell, attorney with the Pennsylvania Farm
Bureau, the Ag Security Area was automatically approved by law 180 days after the ap
plication. Photo by Dave Lefever
Landisville Research Farm Hires New Manager
DAVE LEFEVER
Lancaster Farming Staff
LANDISVILLE (Lancaster
Co.) Pennsylvania native Dr.
Dave Johnson has returned to his
home state to manage Penn
State’s Southeastern Research
and Extension Center in Landis
ville.
Johnson will serve as scientist
in charge and manager at the
center, filling the position left by
John Yocum on his recent retire
ment. Yocum served 41 years at
the research farm.
A Delaware County native,
Johnson first developed an inter
est in agriculture as a boy, spend
ing summers on the Westmore
land County dairy farm of his
grandfather, Calvin Pollins.
Johnson was graduated from
Penn State with a bachelor’s de
gree in agronomy in 1984. He
went on to earn a doctorate at the
University of Arkansas in 1992.
After completing his university
education, Johnson went to work
developing herbicides for Ameri
can Cyanamid, now BASF, a
multinational chemical firm. He
was employed with the company
for 10 years before accepting the
position at Landisville.
Johnson is experienced in both
the laboratory and the field. He
spent his first four years with
American Cyanamid in its New
Jersey laboratories, then traveled
to Minnesota to perform research
in the field for six years. His
focus has been on controlling
weed? in row crops.
Johnson said this season’s re-
www.lancasterfarming.com
Paul B. Zimmerman and his
wife Lena are owners of the dairy
farm near Ephrata where the
drilling site for a test well has
been marked. The Zimmermans’
son, Paul Jr., manages the herd
of 65 cows known as Cocalico
Holsteins on the farm.
search at Landisville will include
working with corn that has been
genetically altered with a Bt (Ba
cillus thuringiensis) gene to con
trol corn rootworm. While Bt
com targeted at European corn
borer has been on the market
since 1996, Bt com for rootworm
was only recently registered by
Monsanto.
According to Matt Antos, a
Pennsylvania Corn Growers As
sociation director and Pioneer
representative, much remains to
Dave Johnson, right, is the new manager at the Penn
State’s Southeastern Research and Extension Center in
Landisville. John Yocum, left, served there for 41 years
and is retiring. Photo by Dave Lefever
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The Zimmerman family owns
about 50 acres of cropland, plus
pastureland and land on which
buildings are situated.
If the proposed test well is
judged successful and put into
(Turn to Page A2l)
be seen about the overall benefits
of Bt com for rootworm.
While the “efficacy looks out
standing” for the new com,
Antos said there are still ques
tions about income advantages,
how hybrids will perform with
the gene, and what refuge re
quirements will be necessary for
the new genetically engineered
com.
For Bt com designed to control
Saturday, May 10, 2003
(Turn to Page A 23)
Lancaster Farming’s Boarder & Trainer section is
included this issue. The horse section provides a
preview of the Devon Horse Show, updates on the
West Nile virus, a breed profile, and a look at a horse
farm’s impact on the local agri-industry.
Senate Confirms Wolff
As Ag Secretary
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) Early this week, Gov. Ed
ward G. Rendell commended the
Pennsylvania State Senate for
confirming Dennis C. Wolff as
agriculture secretary.
“Dennis brings a lifetime of
agriculture and business experi
ence to the Pennsylvania Depart
ment of Agriculture,” Rendell
said. “He is an asset to our agri
cultural community and is com
mitted to the pursuit of economic
development and education as
we strive to build a new Pennsyl
vania.”
“Agriculture is vital to Penn
sylvania’s economy, and I am
honored and excited to serve as
STOP Group Gains
Ground Against
Property Tax
DAVE LEFEVER
Lancaster Farming Staff
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) Decrying property taxes
as harmful and unfair, a group
called STOP (Stop Taxing Our
Property) has gathered 87,000
signatures and written a proposal
to abolish taxes on homesteads in
Pennsylvania.
This week, nine state senators,
(Turn to Page A3l)
$36.00 Per Year
the secretary of agriculture,”
Wolff said. “I have always been
interested in public service and
being an advocate for agriculture.
It’s definitely beneficial to have
been on the receiving end of pro
grams and regulations for a num
ber of years, because I have a
greater understanding of how
some of these programs actually
impact the rural community.”
Wolff said agriculture faces
many challenges in the 21st cen
tury. However, he said he is con
fident that, with the assistance of
the agriculture community,
Pennsylvania General Assembly,
(Turn to Page A3l)
Inside The
Farmer
✓ New price informa
tion for hogs, other commo
dities page Al 5 and else
where this issue.
✓ New Ag Economic
Opportunities page A4O.
%/ Cornell University
News page A 36.
✓ Focus On Dairy
Forum page A2B.
$l.OO Per Copy