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
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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
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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