A4O-Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 13, 2003 Farming On The Edge (Continued from Page A 24) 1996. The farm value rises only slightly over those 26 years, while the marketing share shoots to the heavens like a steep ski slope. Both graphics serve as con stant reminders of what's wrong with this picture and what farmers can do about it. What can farmers do? Simple. Start capturing a much larger share ot the food dollar. How? The answer is two sim ple words: Direct marketing. The more farmers sell directly to consumers, the more money is going to go into producer’s pock ets where, 1 believe most of us would agree, it rightfully belongs. That's easier said than done, 1 know. But it can and is being done on more and more farms throughout the region and the country. A few of the more obvious wavs include: • Farmers' markets, especially producer-only farmers’ markets. • Roadside stands. • Buying clubs, whether you call it Community Supported Ag riculture (CSA), a subscription service, or a “members only” on farm market. Many efforts are also under way to supply school districts, colleges, hospitals, restaurants, government, and even corporate cafeterias with fresh, local farm products. (More about that in the next column.) Farmers in Pennsylvania. Mar yland, Virginia, New York, and New Jersey live within just a few hours driving time of more than 25 million people in some of the biggest cities and richest markets in the entire world. 2004 Pa. Holstein Convention STATE COLLEGE (Centre Co.) The Pennsylvania Holstein Asso ciation’s annual convention is scheduled for Feb. 19-21 at the Four Points Sheraton, Greensburg. Holstein breeders from southwest Pennsylvania are planning this convention for the statewide mem bership of Pennsylvania Holstein breeders. The convention’s theme “We have what you are looking for in 2004” is to bring Holstein enthusi asts from across the state together to share their experiences and ideas, and to enjoy themselves. In addition to the adult conven tion, the junior convention will take place at the Four Points Sheraton from Feb. 6-8. County Dairy Bowl teams will com pete for the honor to represent Pennsylvania at the National Junior Holstein Dairy Bowl Contest. Distinguished Junior Member and Holstein Scholarship re cipients will be named. The seventh public speaking contest will also be conducted. There will be work shops and activities for the approximately 400 youth that attend. This convention encourages and provides opportu nity for our youth. Convention sponsor ship categories have been assigned as fol lows • Partner than $ 1,000 more • Sponsor $4OO-$999 • Contributor $lOO-$399 Up to • Friend $99 Commercial exhibi tor space is available at the following rates: • $225 Adult and Junior Conventions Looking at the bigger picture, Pennsylvania farmers are within just one day’s drive of half the population of the U.S. and about 60 percent of the population of Canada, Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture Dennis Wolff said at the sth Annual Future of Our Food and Farms Summit last week in Wilmington, Del. Wolff said that his family's dairy farm has been actively en gaged in direct marketing for 30 years. The challenge facing farm ers today, he stressed, is “getting more of the consumers’ dollar." How can we do that? For start ers, by changing what we pro duce. how we produce it, and when we produce it, not just how we sell it. More and more con sumers want locally grown often organic fruit, vegetables, meat and dairv products, as fresh from the farm as they can possibly get them, throughout as much of the year as is possible. They are will ing to pay, and pay well, for what they want. Consider vegetable consump tion in the U.S. It has increased about 20 percent since the 19705, yet vegetable imports are up about 180 percent. “U.S. agricul tural imports in 2002 totaled $4l billion, up 5 percent from the previous year,” reports USDA. Farmers can capture more of the food dollar there simply by diversifying growing more of what Americans eat today ex tending our growing season with high tunnels and planting differ ent varieties. Pennsylvania leads the nation in preserving farmland. The next step, Wolff told the gathering in Wilmington, is figuring out how • $175 ONLY • $lOO ONLY If you have a commercial exhibit and also make a monetary dona tion, the combined amount of money will be used to determine your sponsorship category. Please make your checks pay able to “2004 PA Holstein Conven tion’’ and mail before Jan. 20 to 2004 PA Holstein Convention, c/o Bailey Herring, 433 Gibbon Glade Road, Farmington, PA 15437. FIBERGLASS FARM GATES David S. King Manufacturer of Church Bench folding hinges. 873 S. Railroad St Myerstown, PA 17067 717-866-6556 Contact Dealer Near You. Paul B Zimmerman Inc , so WoiKinimer Rd I phut i pa Holtwood Supply. IOUi kDr Mplhvwl PA AB Martin Roofing, mo situ Hci tpinata ia Zimmerman Farm Service, Bethel pa D & J Farm Store, Hes Rd Quairy\.:llf [A Huber's Animal Health, My i,town pa Umbergers of Fontana, in . Aiumiip pa Rovendale Ag, Watwntomi pa Valley Road Hardware, rtinsiiana 1; a Terre Hill Farm Supply, uott union unw lid tim iiiii ia Cedar Grove Farm Store ivoHnintr Hn» Muppensburg pa Gideon K King, [idm Rond Km pit, pa WATERLESS TOILETS Composting Toilets Several models available including non-electnc • NO Septic System • NO Chemicals Save the Environment 1 Recycle Back to Nature l FREE: 12 Page Color Catalog We Perform Septic Inspections & Certifications ECO-TECH Call Today 717«r57«9525 Adult Convention Junior Convention 717 738 7350 717 284 0883 717 445 6885 717-933 4114 717 866-2246 717 867 5161 570 538 9564 610 593 7285 717 445 6885 717 532-7571 iQurp Distribution of food expenditures /hi ,/inf *-1 \i; ' FBiMfon dol i's 600 600 40n JOi *'}(< 100 70 72 74 76 78 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96 Data Iff ‘ooda ot L & ia’m origin u oy cr t'- r rvnsun urn to 1 co* sumption i nth at ru "v and #v. Irom home to preserve farmers by making farming more profitable. Putting more of the food dollar in producers’ pockets is a perfect place to start. Editor’s note: With his wife, Pennsylvania Farm Bureau mem ber George DeVault raises certi- Finished with a zinc rich under coat & polyester top coat. With Kverneland Forged Steel Spears • Electrically Heat Treated These spears are stronger & allow easier bale penetration Combination Bale Mov COM COMQU PR02538 3PT252 Single Spear PR02548 SSL SSL 253-338 PR02548 > N %„gR02538 Paul B. Zimmerman, Inc. 295 Woodcorner Road • Lititz, PA 17543 717/738-7365 1 mile west of Ephrata Call or write for additional information Hours. * add the name of ytjur nearest dealel *•' * Mon - Fr> *7-5 i , tarn fied organic vegetables near Em maus. He is a Food and Society Policy Fellow with the Thomas Jefferson Agricultural Institute and Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy in a program funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation (www.foodandsocietyfellows.org). p au l 0 ■% 7/BBmai7iaaa Heavy Duty Bale Movers • Available with either quick attach (specify make or model) or 3PT hitch/loader boom mounting hardware • Easily change spear configi • Designed to move either round or 3 FT Hitch Bale Movers • Easily change spear configuratioi Bucket Mounts For Front End Loaders Er (< i"keting • 2500 lb. capacity • 1500 lb capacity The DeVaults’ articles on dm sification, high-value crops, a flowers and direct marketing a available on the Rodale In: Website, tute’s m.org. Front End Loader Forks PLF PLF 2500 (for compact tractors) www.newfi
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers