pSSfITTie Lxmcaster tmmt Chamber LL-jdjJ (/Oinminrt'6* Industry LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND AGRICULTURE Daniel Heller Flintrock Farms Member of The Lancaster Chamber Ag Committee Agriculture and Lancaster County have been so intricately tied together, it is hard for us to imagine a Lancaster County without our rolling farms. How ever, for those who think they are in a cozy cocoon where farms Wolff To Create Dairy Task Force HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) In an effort to improve the competitive position of the state’s dairy farmers, on Thurs day Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Dennis C. Wolff an nounced that he will form a statewide Dairy Task Force to re view and strengthen Pennsylva nia’s dairy industry. Wolff, a dairy farmer, said that Pennsylvania’s dairy industry is the largest segment of Pennsylva nia agriculture, and its success is critical to the economic health of the state’s economy. However, he said the industry has been experi encing a 25-year low on dairy prices. “Launching this initiative now is important because of the cur rent milk price concerns and the troubling dairy farm trend lines,” Wolff said while announcing the task force at a meeting of the Dairy Farmers of American Northeast Area Council and High Pressure Produce Sprayers Zimmerman’s manufactures several different model sprayers designed for produce spraying. They are built for the small farmer that cannot justify a large expensive sprayer. Trailer models are available with a 200 or 300 gallon tank and 3pt hitch models with a 110, 150, 200 or 300 gallon tank. The 25’ single sided boom has 7’ plus clearance and requires a minimal amount of drive rows because of the wide span. It also has a hydraulic cylinder that allows the operator to level the boom from the tractor seat. A Hypro high pressure diaphragm provides up to 290 p.s.i. and non-drip nozzle bodies keep chemical loss minimal. Stop or call Zimmerman’s today to see how we can help you with your spraying needs and improve your profit margin. Paul B. Zimmerman Inc. * 50 Woodcorner Rd. * Lititz, PA 17543 ■ (717) 738-7350 Phone (717) 397-3531 and farming practices will always be protected, allowed and under stood, the winds of change are blowing. Local municipalities are be coming increasingly involved in regulating, controlling, and re stricting agriculture. Being in volved in what is happening at your local township is vitally im portant to the future of your farm and the generations to come. The regulations being imple Dairylea Cooperative Board of Directors in Wilkes-ftarre. “Pennsylvania needs its 9,000 dairy farms. We simply cannot permit this trend to continue. I want to work with this Task Force to explore what the indus try and the Department can do to steiq the decline in dairy farms. “Pennsylvania is the fourth largest dairy producing state, and we want to grow the industry, not shrink it. To do this will require the collective efforts of all of us government, industry and con sumers. We have the right ingre dients for success —productive, hard-working farm families, a strong animal genetic base, fertile soil, a supportive state govern ment, cooperative extension serv ice, a diversified agribusiness community, food processors, and 12 million consumers. We need to leverage our strengths and co operate to advance the dairy in dustry.” Trailer or 3 Pt. Hitch Models mented today will have a pro found impact on the future direc tion of farming. Local governments that restrict agricul ture are becoming more common than ever before. Even in some of our most rural areas, agriculture is becoming a target of a new wave of restrictive ordinances being purported by groups and individuals without a full under standing of modem farms. We in agriculture recognize that we are faced with challenges that require innovative changes to allow our farms to stay com petitive in the marketplace. How ever, we must not lose sight of the fact that those around us may not know the needs of a compet itive modem farming operation. Public perceptions have been shaped by historical views of the proverbial “Old McDonald Farm.” We must be willing to be acti vely involved in our commu- Wolff said the Dairy Task Force will be comprised of dairy producers, education and agricul ture organizations, state and fed eral government agencies, and other industry stakeholders. It will develop a Dairy Action Plan that will address the social and economic issues facing Pennsyl vania’s dairy industry and our rural communities. “The Rendell administration believes that the future of dairy farming in Pennsylvania depends on the decisions that will be made in the next several years,” Wolff said. “The Dairy Action Plan will focus on increasing cooperation between farmers and various farming interests, and enabling them to work toward goals mutu ally beneficial to the industry and the commonwealth.” Wolff said the plan includes the establishment of a Dairy Assistance Program to coach farmers on ways nities, communicating agriculture to those around us who are unfa miliar with farming operations and the value they bring to our society by providing a safe and secure source of food to our local, national, and global commu nities. We must also stay tuned to the actions of our local municipali ties. As ordinances are updated and changed, many have been fraught with unreasonable and extremely restrictive regulations that prevent or substantially hin der agriculture and the future growth of it. Extremely large set backs, odor emissions, water usage, and even ownership struc ture have all been issues that have come up recently in local township ordinances. Many times no one in agricul ture is involved or providing feedback in the process. Therefore, we in agriculture must answer the call to protect what we hold on to. to increase efficiency and profita bility. The Dairy Task Force also will work with government agen cies to offer economic develop ment incentives, loans, and grants for Pennsylvania dairy farms. It also will build upon Ohio Field Day Aug . BOWLING GREEN, Ohio Get the scoop on the latest in the green industry at an upcoming Ohio State University Extension-spoijsored field day. The 6th annual Northwest Ohio Summer Field Day will be conducted Aug. 6 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Fire Science and Law Building on the Owens Community College cam pus in Bowling Green, Ohio. “The event is geared for those working in the (green) industry. Past participants have worked in garden centers and greenhouses; maintained turf, trees and landscapes; or served Automatic Headgate Finished with a zinc rich undercoat & TGIC polyester topcoat Call or Write for Additional Information & the Name of Your Nearest Dealer Paul B. Zimmerman, Inc. 295 Woodcorner Rd. • Lititz, PA 17543 • 1 mile West of Ephrata 717/738-7365 Hours: Mon. thru Fri.: 7-5; Sat 7-11 Lancaster Farming, Saturday, July 19, 2003-A35 If you encounter a proposed ordinance in your township that is unfairly restrictive of agricul ture, a good place to start is your local county conservation district. Shelly Dehoff, agriculture/public liaison for the Pennsylvania Con servation Districts, is able to pro vide effective assistance in navi gating the complexities of some of these proposed ordinances. She can be reached at (717) 808-0848. Other agriculture associations such as The Farm Bureau, Penn Ag Association, and The Lancas ter Chamber Ag Program are ac tive in assisting in these areas. The Lancaster Chamber re cently conducted a symposium with township officials from all over the county to discuss and promote agriculture friendly planning. For more information on The Lancaster Chamber’s Ag Program, visit www.lancasterchamber.com/ag. existing programs by such organ izations as the Dairy Stakehold ers, Professional Dairy Managers, and the Dairy Alliance. The Dairy Task Force is ex pected to conduct its first meet ing in early August. as members on tree commissions or other volunteer organizations like the Ohio State University (OSU) Exten sion Master Gardener Program,” said Amy Stone, consumer and urban horticulture Extension agent in Lucas County. This year the field day will offer 16 concurrent landscape, garden center, arboriculture and turf-care educa tional sessions presented by local in dustry professionals and OSU Exten sion staff from across the state. For more information, contact Amy Stone at (800) 358-4678 or stonea@ag.osu.edu. Advantages: Durable 2 coat finish that stands up to daily use. Full roof cover for outdoor protection. Heavy duty latch for positive locking. Double linkage for extra stability. 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