ADADC, Upstate Farms Conduct Media Training SYRACUSE, N.Y. The American Dairy Association & Dairy Council, Inc. and Upstate Emms Milk Cooperative recently teamed up to train area staff and farmers on media and crisis com munications. The training took place at the Upstate offices in Leßoy, N.Y. on April 4. T.J. Walker of Media Training Worldwide trained the group on crisis communications, basic media skills, and how to de velop key messages. All trainees had the opportunity to go on camera to be interviewed, as well as view the interview for cri- tiquing. Pa. Third In Ice Cream Production HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) Ice Cream Production Up six Percent: Pennsylvania manu facturers produced 56.0 million gallons of ice cream in 2002, third nationally. Lowfat ice cream production totaled 12.0 million gallons, down 46 percent from 2001. Milk sherbet produc tion, at 2.2 million gallons, is 8 percent lower than the previous year. Butter Production Increases Eight Percent: The state’s proces sors churned out 80.6 million pounds of butter during 2002, an increase of 8 percent from 2001. Production of all cheese, ex cluding cottage cheese, totaled 374.1 million pounds in 2002, up 2 percent from 2001. Production of all types of Italian cheeses de creased slightly to 251.7 million pounds. Production of Swiss cheese, at 9.0 million pounds, was up 14 percent from last year. Source: National Agricultural Statistics Service ' " ' • Kitchie ” waters 'em right. -t V $ Water Master 1200 • Built for rugged feedlot and dairy conditions. • Industry’s fastest value. • Easy access - Easy to clean. • Finger-lift service cover - no tools, springs or clips Call For Information & Dealer Nearest To You! Products 0f... 539 Falling Spring Road Chambersburg, PA 17201 888-464-6379 Fax (717) 263-5573 info@rydersupply.com [Ryder supply] “The training was excellent. Everyone was pleased and en joyed the interaction. We found out things about ourselves good and bad,” said Bill Young, director of member services for Upstate Farms. “We learned how to improve our messages when dealing with the media.” Various issues were mentioned dealing with the dairy industry. Whether it was environmental or animal health issues, the group was trained to develop three to four key messages that will help them when being interviewed. They were also trained on tech niques that will help them in in- (Continued from Page A 37) own prices. We don’t take any thing to the auction. We don’t wholesale. In the long run, we firmly be lieve, road frontage is much more valuable for a roadside market than for housing lots. But how do you diversify something like a dairy farm? Cows still have to be fed and milked at least twice a day, every day. It may be easier than you think if you start small and go slow. You probably already have a garden. Make it bigger this year. Build a hoophouse or high tunnel to extend your growing season in spring and fall. For about $l,OOO you can build a simple structure that can earn twice that amount the first year, ;ta 'rJP • -*Jr - ,> - WaterMasttr'72 ' murMvtrfWt,: ; * Co / terviews such as asking the re porters what the focus of the interview will be, and letting them (the fanners) know that they have the option to stall an interview to prepare. Fanners are urged to alert ADADC to any media stories that could negatively affect dairy at (315) 472-9143. There is a staff member on call 24 hours a day to answer any media questions. The American Dairy Association and Dairy Council, Inc. is an adver tising and promotion agency rep resenting farmers in New York, northern New Jersey, and north eastern Pennsylvania. depending on your crops and markets. We have three high tunnels now. They produce crops and income from early March through Christmas. They work so well that a friend of ours farms only in the winter months in high tunnels in Maine! Until your own crops come in, partner up with your neighbors and “direct market” their pro duce. Sure beats taking it to the auction and selling it for whatev er a middleman will give you. That way you can set your own prices and make sure that more of the food dollar ends up where it rightfully belongs in your pocket. But where do you start? How do you “direct market?” How do you reach consumers? How do you know what to charge? (One veteran farmers’ market vendor I know always takes the super market price and adds at least 5 percent!) How do you sell at a farmers’ market? Where do you buy a high tunnel? How do you build one? What do you grow? That’s only natural. We wres- Water Master Livestock Tanks , X * *5 « 'f VChterMaster% Upstate Farms members John Gould and Ron McCor mick field questions from T.J. Walker at the media train ing workshop. tied with those and many other questions not long ago. One thing we quickly learned is that there is no magic formula. One size does not fit all. What works for us may not work for you. The answers are as varied as individ ual farms and farmers. Whatever you do, advised USDA’s Dorr, don’t be in a big hurry to build an expensive new bam (keep digging the hole deep er, as Hightower would say) and fill it with a few thousands sows. Hog prices are already low enough. The law of supply and demand is brutally clear: In creasing production eventually drives prices even lower. And this isn’t a Sears bam from the turn of the last century that will remain in service for up to 75 years, added Dorr. The life span of a new livestock confine ment facility, he said, is five years, tops. Then what do you do? Many farmers around the country are finding a less expen sive option with a quicker and higher return in pastured poultry, chickens, and even Call For Skid Pallet Prices 6-BAR pr I IFt FARM GATES Galvanized -1 -5/8” Tube 4’.. $36.99 8’ $51.99 12’ $59.99 16 $82.99 6’ $42.99 10' $54.99 14' $66.99 18’ $97.99 Painted Heavy Duty -2” Tube 4’. .$47.99 8’ $74.99 12’ $94.99 16’ $114.99 6'. .$55.99 10’ $84.99 14’ $109.99 18' $139.99 Lancaster Farming, Saturday, June 7, 2003-A39 ducks for meat. It seems a natu ral for dairy farmers who already have plenty of pasture and tem porary electric fencing. Yes, once you stop digging that hole and take a good look around, you’ll quickly discover a lot of new, profitable possibilities in just about every direction. So greet newcomers with smiles and lots of good things to eat, rather than “no trespassing” signs. Remember, just like you, each and every one of them likes to eat at least three times a day. They’re going to buy their food from someone. It might as well be you. Editor’s note: With his wife and 25-year-old son, George De- Vault raises certified organic veg etables near Emmaus. He is a Food and Society Policy Fellow with the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy in a program funded by the Kellogg Founda tion. The DeVaults’ articles on diversification, high-value crops, greenhouse growing, and cut flowers are available on the Ro dale Institute’s new Website, www.newfarm.org. Safemark Brazilian High Quality Baler Twine 9000 Sisal Sisal 7200 Sisal 16000 Poly Poly 9000 20000 $15.49 $15.49 $17.49 $16.49 $15.49
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers