A3O-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, October 11,2003
pennState
Land And Community e 9 e
UIU A Penn Slate focus AgilCUltUral
on rurallurban issues Sci6DC6S
FARM, COMMUNITY
SUSTAINABILITY ARE
LINKED
Winifred McGee
Lebanon County
Extension Director
Did you ever dream about how
your farm could be different? If
only you had the time? If only
you had the equipment? If only
you had the money? If this rings
a bell with you, there may be a
state loan program that will
make your dreams a reality.
For some time, the Pennsylva
nia Department of Community
and Economic Development
(DCED) has offered loan pro
grams for equipment, land, and
working capital but agricultur
al businesses were not often eligi
ble, because the dollars were tied
to creating jobs. As many people
know, farmers can use new
equipment, add land, or diversify
production without creating ad
ditional jobs.
However, within the last year,
the rules have changed to exempt
farmers from the job creation/
retention clause. This change
opened the Machinery and
Equipment Loan Fund (MELF)
or the Small Business First loan
program to farmers and agricul
tural enterprises.
The first program, MELF, is a
source of low-interest loans for 50
percent of the cost (up to
$500,000) of purchasing machin
ery and equipment that is direct
ly related to the farm operations.
The costs covered by MELF in
clude purchasing, delivery, and
installation. Interest rates are 3
percent to 5 percent, and the
term of a loan will be 7 years or
the life of the machinery or
equipment, whichever is less. A
lien position on the machinery or
equipment serves as the collateral
in many cases.
The second source of funding,
the Small Business First (SBF)
loan program, is designed to pro
vide low-interest loan financing
for a portion of costs of land,
buildings, machinery, and equip
ment, and working capital to
businesses unable to finance these
projects with the usual bank fi-
Winifred McGee
nancing and equity. Agricultural
enterprises businesses that
make value-added products from
agricultural commodities, and
agricultural producers (those
who produce, harvest or prepare
for market poultry, livestock,
field crops, timber, flowers, fruits,
vegetables, shrubs, fish, and
plants grown in water) are eli
gible, as long as they have more
than 10 contiguous acres of land
or have an anticipated yearly
gross of at least $lO,OOO from
farming operations.
SBF loans for land, buildings,
machinery and equipment can be
up to $200,000 or 50 percent of
the eligible project cost (whichev
er is less). Working capital loans
are limited to $lOO,OOO or 50 per
cent or the project. Like MELF,
SBF requires that funds from
other sources must be at least
half of the cost of the project. The
interest rate for standard SBF
loans is 3.75 percent but agri
cultural loans to farms in natural
disaster areas may qualify for
2-percent loans.
To apply for a MELF or SBF
loan, contact DCED at (800)
379-7448, or through their Web
site at www.inventpa.com . You
may also contact your local eco
nomic development agency. They
will supply you with a Single Ap
plication for Financial Assistance
a seven-page strategic business
plan. Filling it out will help you
put your dream down on paper
the first step to realizing your
dream. Of course, not all ideas
will work out, but MELF and
SBF may help make your “if
only” into a “why not?”
Pa. Department Of Agriculture Hosts
1,500 Children For Farm-City Day
HARRISBURG (Dauphin
Co.) The Pennsylvania De
partment of Agriculture (PDA)
hosted 1,500 school children
from the central Pennsylvania
region at the state Farm Show
Complex during the seventh
annual Farm-City Day cele
bration.
“Agriculture is Pennsylvania’s
leading economic enterprise.
Farm City Day provides children
"with an opportunity to experi
ence agriculture and learn how it
impacts their daily lives,” said
Agriculture Secretary Dennis C
Wolff. “We have put together a
program that will keep children
entertained while they leam
about livestock, dairy, horticul
ture, aquaculture, Pennsylvania
grown foods, and other aspects of
production agriculture.”
Children from schools in Dau
phin, Cumberland, York, Perry,
and Clinton counties witnessed
an active beehive and the hatch
ing of baby chicks in addition to
a livestock pettira zoo. They also
tasted honey, milk products, pop
corn, candy apples and cotton
candy, and sampled Pennsylva
nia snack foods.
The Agriculture Education
Lab was open for tours, in addi
tion to the Wood Mobile and Bug
Mobile. The Farm Safety Robot
also entertained. Amuse
ment rides were offered.
More than 12,000 chil
dren have attended Farm
City Day since the Depart
ment of Agriculture began
hosting it in 1997.
dUG
Clean, Easy Water
Water. No slime. No algae growth. The Feed
Trap prevents debris from entering the reservoir.
water. No balls, lids, or flaps. Perfect for
the litdest lamb or the biggest bull.
water. The JUG stays open even during
the coldest winters. Low/No electric use.
approved. Water can't back-siphon. Won't contaminate your water supply.
The JUG meets approvalfor finding through conservation programs
check your local agency for available programs and requirements. Safe
to use with any water supply system.
ft JUG
\\ iu 1 1' >ui \\ !■' |,s-> • .'(. ' ■ I !,1•M H t -> '.s V 1 1i 1 . 'fi.l iii-'.lSi
Chyanne Goodwin, B&B Preschool, Oxford, with Becky
Hedges, FFA state vice president, western region.
Winner Selected
EPHRATA (Lancaster Co.) selected during a drawing
Dustin Olden, Boonsboro, Md., at the recent Keystone In
has been selected as the winner temational Livestock Expo
of a free one-year subscription to in Harrisburg. Congratula-
Lancaster Farming. Olden was tions!
Hot Air Circulator
(Needs NO Electricity)
• Special top-vents create a
natural draft
• Bums coal
• Cast Iron Doors & Grate
• Exterior handle for clean
shake-down
D.S. Machine Shop
Stoves 8C Chimneys
2388 Old Leacock Rd., Gordonvllle, PA 17529
717-768-3853
QQ
Your local distributor is:
Reinecker Ag Products
David Reinecker
7270 Old Harrisburg Rd.
York Springs, PA 17372
717-528-8428
Fax: 717-528-7065
E-mail: daragprod@supernet.com
INDUSTRIES, INC.
Rt. 3, Box -
Williamsport, PA 17701
570-745-2391
Even calves adapt quickly