(Continued from Page 25) the two counties’ overall economies, and “fiscal im pacts” are how the dairies affect funding of local governments and school districts. The study did not examine environmental or social impacts resulting from the dairies, Roe said, which are two other important issues communities need more information on. Other researchers in the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences are examining those aspects. Economic impacts uncovered in the study in clude: • Each year, the seven dairies create a total of nearly $23 million in economic impact in the two counties. That includes a total of 83 jobs generated because of the dairies, with about 58 of those jobs on the dairies themselves. • these seven dairies were constructed, the local dairy industry contributed only one-tenth of one percent to the area’s total economic activity. Now, the dairy sector accounts for about 1 percent of all economic activity in these two counties. • The average wage at the dairies, including both hourly workers and salaried personnel, is $467 a week, which is similar to government workers ' Dairy Facilities • Large or Small, Contact King Construction For Design and Construction Ohio Study Charts 3 Row Freestail Barn King Construction 601 Overly Grove Rd., New Holland, PA 17557 ($480) and construction workers ($510) in the two counties. Local workers in the wholesale or retail sector and service sector generally get paid less ($316-350), while workers in manufacturing, trans portation and the finance, insurance and real estate industries generally get paid more ($560-637). • The economic impact of these dairies could be greater if the dairies purchased more of their inputs locally. Total input costs for all seven dairies total $9.9 million per year, of which 39.5 percent, or about $3.9 million, is spent locally. For example, pre-mixed feed is the highest indi vidual cost for the dairies, the researchers found. In total, the dairies spend about $2.5 million a year on pre-mixed feed, accounting for about 25 percent of their total input costs. However, currently the dair ies buy only 1 percent, or about $25,000, of that feed locally. “They told us they are interested in doing more local purchasing, but I’ve found in other re search that it can take a while to establish local busi ness relations,’’ Roe said. “New farms in an area are just less likely to buy locally. As they establish them selves, they’ll find the local supply chains they need.’’ (Turn to Page 28) State-of-the-Art 1,000 Cow Milking Facility M iH •' r wWHMWWWWWi '• Free Stall Milking Center V'VSU If W*
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers