f Buffalo Industry Preparing New Meat Labeling Program DENVER, Colo. Consumers may soon find a new label ap pearing on meat packages that verifies that the products came from animals that were Ameri can raised, and produced without added growth hormones, subthe rapeutic antibiotics, or animal based feed. They won’t find the label on beef, pork, poultry, or lamb. This new label will appear only on buffalo meat products. The National Bison Associa tion recently began the final stages of testing on a new animal tracking program that will allow products in the retail case or res taurants to carry a new “Certi fied American Buffalo” logo that will be process verified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Meanwhile, segments of the major meat industries prevailed NCGA Sees No Setback For Ethanol In Ruling WASHINGTON, D.C. The National Com Growers Association (NCGA) said last week the ruling by the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco substantiating U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) actions support ing ethanol is not a setback for the renewable fuel. The same court ruling also requires EPA to reconsider a portion of Cali fornia’s request for a waiver from federal fuel additive re quirements. “While some may see this de cision as a loss for ethanol, in reality, the EPA’s original deci sion was reaffirmed,” said NCGA vice president of Public Policy Jon Doggett. “The court said EPA should have also looked at the impact on nation al ambient air quality stan dards. .. We are on the verge of obtaining a national renewable fuels standard and we don’t view this as a setback.” According to court docu ments, “The EPA abused its 0% FINANCING FOR 36 MONTHS Or Choose A FREE Bonus Package! Now there’s no reason to settle for anything less than a GRASSHOPPER Zero- Turning Radius mower! Offer applies to most models including: Gas or Diesel • True Zero Turn Mid Mount and True Zero Turn Front Mount mowers • Air-cooled and liquid-cooled models. Better hurry! 0% Financing For 36 Months ends August 29, 2003. iiCP MANCHESTER l|S)QßrxLp H HARDWARE & AUTO PARTS Hardware y Qur hometown hardware place! &=» 4335 N George Street Extd • Manchester, PA 17345 • 717-266-3664 1-800-311-1517 MON - FRI 7 30AM-8 00PM, SATURDAY 7-30AM-6 00PM 3JJ ££ 0% Financing lor 36 Months is available with approved credit through Sunflower Bank, N A Minimum 10% down payment required Otter not available on government, ncnprofrt entities or national account sales Other interest rate programs may be offered to non-qualifiers of 0% interest Payment of documentation and UCC tiling tees required at signing of loan contract Bonus Packages are available in place of 0% Financing Value of Bonus Package depends on model Bonus package may be applied to the retail value of a PowerVac™ Collection System or other implement Minimum amount financed with this program is $5,000 Models 218 & 220 are excluded from 0% Financing Program is available at participating dealers only Program is offered through August 29,2003 on Congress this week to elimi nate funding for a program that would have required all beef, pork, lamb, and seafood products to be marked with the country of-origin by Sept. 2004. “The major segments of the beef and pork industry are fight ing legislation that would require them to inform consumers about the country-of-origin of their products,” noted Dave Carter, National Bison Association exec- utive director. “But buffalo ranchers are willing to stand be hind their products. Our new la beling initiative will assure cus tomers that we can track buffalo meat back to American ranches that do not use growth hormones, subtherapeutic antibiotics, or feed with animal byproducts.” The Bison Association’s new program will use a special animal discretion by refusing to evalu- the EPA with instructions to ate the effect that an oxygen give full consideration to the ef waiver would have on Califor- feet of a waiver on both the nia’s efforts to comply. We ozone and pollutant stan accordingly remand this case to dards.” Sustainable Ag Grants Available For Northeast Farmers MONTROSE (Susquehanna Co.) Farmers in the North east who are interested in con ducting innovative production and marketing projects are en couraged to apply to the Sus tainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) pro gram for grant funds for proj ects starting in the spring. Applications can address a broad range of agricultural is sues such as pest management, soil and water conservation, aquaculture, marketing, graz ing, bee health, no-till, pasture management, agroforestry, and other sustainable farming tech niques. Northeast SAKE defines sus tainable agriculture as agricul ture that is profitable, environ mentally sound, and good for the community. In 2003, the av- tracking system to verify that all meat carrying an authorized “Certified American Buffalo” label meets specific production practices and protocols. The association is working with the U.S. Department of Ag riculture to develop the proce dures for the “USDA Process Verified” program. Once approved by the USDA, the program will allow partici pating ranchers and marketers to use the “Certified American Buf falo” label that will verify that the products were pro- duced from American raised animals that were not fed antibiotics or ani- mal byproducts, and were not administered growth hormones. erage grant was about $5,200; grants are capped at $lO,OOO. Any full or part-time farmer in the Northeast SARE region can apply. The region is made up of Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylva nia, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia, and Washing ton, D.C. Applications and more in formation about the require ments of the Farmer/Grower Grant program are available on the Northeast SAKE web site at www.uvm.edu. You can also call (802) 656-0471 to request a printed application. The pro posal deadline is December 8, 2003. YOUR NEXT MOWER Maryland Dairy Pasture Walk Set CARROLL COUNTY, Md. A dairy pasture walk is sched uled for Thursday, July 31 from 10 a.m. until noon. Glenn Shirley will be hosting the event. Shirley’s 80-cow herd is grazed on 80 acres of permanent pasture and is moving toward a seasonal calving program. The purpose of the pasture walk is to allow livestock produc ers a chance to learn more about the use of rotational grazing as a way to increase agricultural prof MID-ATLANTIC, agn systems Liquid Waste Equipment Specialists LIVE DEMOS IN THE FIELD WILL INCLUDE: Cadmon Drag Hose System wi‘ VISIT OUR DISPLAY BOOTH AT EAST STH STREET TO SEE: Feed Equipment from VaimETOU BALE MASTER Stationary Bale Chopper. Chops round or square, small or large bales for TMR Mixers. AGRI-CHOPPER Round Bale Chopper. TMR FOUR AUGER MIXER w Both mobile and stationary models available for true, total mixed feeding, Built energy-efficient and rugged for heavy-duty use. CHaSI Spreaders and Pumps liability and improve a farm fam ily’s way of life. The farm is located at 149 Barnhart Road. From Westmin ster, go north on Rt. 97 to Union Mills. Turn right onto Old Hano ver Rd. Go about 3Vi miles to Barnhart Road. Turn right and go about 'A mile to farm on right. Watch for pasture walk signs. For more information call (301) 631-3578 or e-mail sf2B@umail.umd.edu. Join Us for AG PROGRESS DAYS! AUG 19™-21 st Yetter “Avenger" Injector iid-Ationtic griSystems 800-222*2948 717-529-2782 4019 Ashville Rd Quarryville, PA 17566