AlO-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 12, 2003 OPINION State Of CWT Is the strange and loopy program to thwart drastically low milk prices losing ground with producers? To make the producer self-help program Cooperatives Working Together (CWT) succeed, the National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) strongly noted that dairy farmers would have to not only cut back production voluntarily, but pay 17.9 cents per each hundred weight of milk sold to make it work. Last week, the self-help program was cut to less than a third, at 5 cents per hundredweight. This comes at a time when milk futures are starting to look a lot better, as reported by Penn State. Ken Bailey, professor, noted last week that Class 111 futures were topping $l3 per hundredweight. Penn State and USDA economists fail to take one thing into consid eration: when they were studying Economics 101, there were no Cost cos and Wal-Marts. The market was a lot more diversified then, with a lot more parity in food retailing. Now, large multinational corporations (most didn’t exist even 10 years ago) claim a drastically large segment of the con suming public retail dollar. When will the economists realize their formulas aren’t working? We read in the National Farmers Union (NFU) News this month about “parity.” Parity is the price farmers would receive for a product if farm prices had increased at the same rate as expenses. NFU uses 1910-1914 as a base period. Did you know that, if using parity, milk producers today should be getting about $33 per hundredweight (all categories) rather than $11.10? It’s alarming how much a dairy farmer has to endure. This brings us to an amusing, sometimes maddening, yet true story. A few years ago, a Twin Valley FFA member and young farmer spoke to a group of Conrad Weiser elementary school kids. The ITA’er spoke about how a dairy farmer worked 16-hour days, seven days a week. Following the presentation, one of the kids, not from a farm, raised his hand. He had a question: Why would anyone do that? The teacher, adviser, and kids had to chuckle. We can smile for a while, but you have to appreciate the gutsy stick-to-itness that is part and parcel of a dairy farmer in these trying times. Saturday, July 12 Ohio Florists’ Association Short Course, Columbus, Ohio, thru July 16, (614) 487-1117. Westmoreland County Cattle men’s and Mason Dixon Red Angus Field Day, Swank Fami, Lower Burell, (724) 837-1402. Bedford County Jackpot Show, Bedford County Fairgrounds. Fair Winds Farm and Wil-Den Farm Field Day, Jackson Cen ter, Mercer County, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Pa. Ayrshire Field Day, Don and Pam Gable Farm, Conebella, Elverson, 10 a.m., (610) 286-2967. Md. Jersey Field Day, American Auctions, (301) 639-8871. Berks Wool Pool, Reading Fair grounds, 8 a.m.-2 p.m., (610) 488-9726. How To Reach Us To address a letter to the editor: • By fax: (717) 733-6058 • By regular mail: Editor, Lancaster Fanning P.O. Box 609,1 E. Main St. Ephrata, PA 17522 • By e-mail; farming@lancasterfarming.com Please note: Include your full name, return address, and phone number on the letter Lancaster Farming reserves the right to edit the letter to fit and is not responsible for returning unsolicited mail. Sunday. July 13 Cumberland Co 4-H Open Horse Show, Long Acres, Carlisle, (717) 486-7427. Pa. Holstein Association Summer Picnic, Blair County Ballpark, Altoona, 4 p.m. Jefferson County Fair, thru July 19, (814) 265-0640. Pa. Ag in the Classroom Work shop, Penn State Main Cam pus, thru July 18, (742) 458-6108. “Work to Ride Program,” Cha mounix Equestrian Center Stables, (215) 877-4419. Monday, July 14 Hatfield Fore FFA Golf Tourna ment, Foxchase Golf Course, Stevens, (814) 867-9230. Dairy Pricing and Supply Meet ing, Salem First United Meth odist Church, Salem, Ohio, 8 p.m., (330) 424-7291. Adams County 4-H and FFA Livestock Show and Sale, South Mountain Fairgrounds, Arendtsville, 8 a.m. Eastern Shore Championship Holstein Show, QA’s 4-H Park, Centreville, Md. Beef Quality Assurance Chute side Training Session, Beef Bam, Large Show Arena, Wayne County Fairgrounds, Honesdale, (570) 253-5970, ext. 239. Tuesday, July 15 Nutrient Management Plan Writ ing Workshop, 118 ASI Build- (Turn to Page A 42) To File Your Crop Insurance Acreage Report Producers are reminded that they are required to file acreage reports by July 15 for most spring-planted crops. Reports must be filed with both the county office of the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the crop insurance agent of the producer. It is critical that producers file their re ports with each organization by the deadline. Otherwise, you might be without protection this year. The very wet spring has created an environment that is resulting in crop stress on much of the spring-planted acreage. Therefore, it is important that you follow all of the required steps to make sure that the insured crop acreage is accurately reported on each farm. Be sure to get a copy of your signed acreage report from your agent for your records. After the normal planting deadli nes (6/10 for com and 6/15 for soy beans), remember that your choices are to file a prevented planting claim or continue planting for up to an ad ditional 25 days, knowing that the protection declines 1 percent per day. ICANNOT COME DOWN Background Scripture: Nehemiah 6. Devotional Reading: Isaiah 49:13-18. Bennett Cerf tells of a lad named Tommy Noonan who, during his va cation months, carried on a success ful lawn-mowing business. One after noon his mother noticed that Tommy seemed to be taking his own good time in getting started. When she questioned him, he replied, “I’m waiting for them to start themselves. I get most of my work from people who are halfway through.” “Halfway through” is the sad epi taph of many good works. If it is dif ficult to inspire and challenge people to begin a good work, it is even hard er to keep them going until the proj ect is finished. It was this ageless human experience that led Sir Fran cis Drake to pray; “Lord God, when thou gives! to thy servants to endeav or any great matter, grant us also to know that it is not the beginning but the continuing of the same until it be thoroughly finished which yielded the true glory.” Why is it so hard to finish good works? The people of Jerusalem Lancaster Farming An Award-Winning Farm Newspaper • PDA Friend of Agnr 1 ilture Award 2003 • Keystone Awards 1993, 1995 • PennAg Industries 1992 • PACD Media Award 1996 • Berks Ag-Busmess Council 2000 • Recognized for photo excellence throughout the years by the Northeast Farm Communicators Make sure that such acreage is re ported for each date that you plant ed; otherwise the insurance guaran tee will be understated, based on the last date that you completed plant ing. Acreage of the crop(s) that you were prevented from planting be cause of adverse weather also needs to be reported separately by farm and by crop, in order to preserve eli gibility to file a prevented planting claim. If you are in this situation, discuss with your agent the requirements to remain eligible for a prevented plant ing claim and obtain a copy of a no tice of damage/loss (for your records) for a prevented planting claim. Find out how soon you can expect an ad juster to visit your farm if you are eli gible to file a claim. Make sure that commitment is kept. To Renovate Strawberry Fields Conventional strawberry fields can be productive for several years if one renovates them properly. Renovation should begin as soon as possible after harvest is finished. The first step is to apply 2,4-D (Formula 40) for broadleaf control, if necessary. Wait four to seven days for the weeds to absorb the herbicide. Then mow off the strawberries as close to the ground as possible with out damaging the crowns. Next, nar row the rows to 6-12 inches wide with a rototiller or cultivator. Allow one inch of soil to cover crowns. Fertilize with 40-50 pounds of actual nitrogen per acre and apply phos phorus and potash according to soil test requirements. A strawberry grower should also apply herbicides for summer weed control as suggested in Penn State’s “Commercial Berry Production Pest Management Guide.” This guide is available from your county extension office and has a wealth of informa tion for the commercial berry pro ducer. Sinbar or Devrinol are two pre emergent herbicides commonly used for summer weed control. Irrigate to incorporate the’fertilizer and herbi- began with a vow, “Let us rise up and build” and we are told “they strengthened their hands for the good work” (2:18b.). Later, in Nehe miah 4, we find that their commit ment to the task has not diminished, despite the opposition and threats of their neighbors. “So we built the wall; and all of the wall was joined together to half its height. For the people had a mind to work” (4:6). “A mind to work” is essential to any commitment. Enemies Within And Without Another reason that good works are not finished is that there are fears that distract us from the work. The Jerusalem Jews under Nehemiah had their fill of threats and intimida tion. Jerusalem and Judah were sur rounded by enemies. Sanballat was the leader of the Ho rites who lived in Samaria where once the people of Israel had ruled. Tobiah, on the other hand, was a governor of the Ammonites and he allied himself with Sanballat in op posing the work of Nehemiah. Again and again they tried to trick Nehemi ah in meeting them in a place where they could lay an ambush for him. * Their reasons for meeting with Ne hemiah sounded reasonable enough, but Nehemiah rebuffed them with these words: “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” (46:3). One of the greatest sermons I have ever heard was preached by Bishop Gerald Kennedy on that text: “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down.” That was not only a good retort for Nehemiah to give his enemies, but a principle for us to steer by. We may not think we can identify with what the Jews felt because their obstacles were living, breathing, scheming enemies without. But there cide. Late in August, the strawberries will form buds for next years fruit crop. Fertilize again at this time with 20 pounds of actual nitrogen per acre. To Use Penn State’s New Agribusiness Website Agribusinesses and others with a stake in the food and fiber system have a new place to turn for informa tion on issues affecting the industry, new research, professional develop ment opportunities, and other topics. “Partners in Progress,” which can be found at http:// collegcrclations.cas.psu.edu, is a Website developed by Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences to provide informational and educa tional resources for the diverse agri business community in Pennsylvania and beyond. “The site was designed specifically with our business and industry col leagues in mind,” said Mary Wirth, director of college relations. “It con tains links to pertinent college in formation and programs and organ izes them in a user-friendly format.” Visitors to the site will And links to technical information and programs, fee-based services, research, continu ing and extension education, publica tions, events, international programs, and other offerings. “Information on biosecurity, drought, food safety, pesticides, and other important topics are just a click away,” Wirth said. “Several of the resources found on the site, such as AgMap, offer businesses the op portunity to list their goods and serv ices in searchable databases, linking supply with demand.” For more information on College of Agricultural Sciences programs for business and industry, contact Mary Wirth by phone at (814) 863-9646 or by e-mail at mfwlO@psu.edu. Quote Of The Week: “Excellence demands competi tion. Without a race, there can be no champion, no records broken, no excellence in education or any other walk of life. ” Ronald Reagan were also, as with us, inner enemies as well. The enemies without Am monites, Horites, and others caused them to experience enemies within fear, uncertainty, and anxi ety. There were probably some peo ple who tried to reason with them to persuade them to give up on this monumental project. They sowed the seeds of doubt. Your Own ‘Great Work’ Make a list of your own enemies, both within and without, who at tempt to keep you from finishing your good works. Consider some of the following; poor self-esteem, bad work habits, an unrealizable perfec tionism, procrastination, self-indul gence, juvenile rebellion or resis tance, super sensitivity to criticism, distraction, resistance to self-disci pline the list goes on and on. Each time any of these appeal to you to give up or slow up or wise up, give them Nehemiah’s classic response: “I am doing a great work and I cannot come down.” Yes, rebuilding the walls of Jerusa lem was a great work, but not neces sarily greater than being a good hus band, wife, father, or mother. Just think: When you are tempted to put something else before your commit ment to family memtrers, this is a great work and you cannot come down. Maybe it is working with a local boy scout troop, or raising funds for someone in the community whose house has burned down or who is facing surgery for which he or she cannot pay. Lots of voices will ask you to “come down” but re member, you are doing a great work and you cannot come down. Lancaster Farming Established 1955 Published Every Saturday Ephrata Review Building 1 E. Main St. Ephrata, PA 17522 —by— Lancaster Farming, Inc A Sleinman Enterprise William J. Burgess General Manager Andy Andrews, Editor Copyright 2003 by Lancaster Farming
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers