2003: A Year Of Big Changes (Continued from Page A 1) The wet weather brought planting and harvesting chal lenges as farmers scrambled to get seeds in the ground between showers, and later contended with soggy harvest conditions. High winds also complicated har vest, with Tropical Storm Isabel flattening cornfields in some areas. Meanwhile, farm milk prices began to climb out of a long slump, market cattle prices broke records, and fourth quarter egg prices rose to about 70 percent higher than a year ago. A lot happened in the public agriculture arena this year as well. Following are some month-by month highlights: January The much heralded 86th Penn sylvania Farm Show was launched in the newly expanded facility. An estimated 800,000-900,000 people attended the weeklong expo, which offered new incentives for the agricultur al community, including three Farmer Days. Middleweight Champions AGCO LT Series tractors are designed to knock out all competitors with more standard features and value, including: • Turbocharged Cummins® B Series 3.9 L engines • Quiet, spacious cabs or folding ROPS • 24x24 Power Shuttle transmission • 2WD or PFA • 540 and 1000 RPM PTO Standard Stop in today. Take off your gloves. Grab the wheel. You’ll see why power to power, feature to feature, dollar to dollar, AGCO LT Series tractors are the undisputed champions.. - laocoJ AGCO* is a registered trade in at k ot AGCO Corporation, FARMERS EQUIPMENT HERNLEY’S FARM & SUPPLY EQUIP., INC. Airville, Pa Elizabethtown, Pa 717-862-3967 717-367-8867 WERTZ FARM & POWER EQUIPMENT, INC. PA Rt 516, Glen Rock, Pa 717-235-0111 B. EQUIP, INC. Waynesboro, Pa 717-762-3193 B.H.M. FARM EQUIP., INC. Annville, Pa 717-867-2211 WITMER’S INC. Columbiana, OH 330-427-2147 During the Farm Show, new Governor Ed Rendell announced Dennis Wolff, a dairy farmer from Columbia County, as the state's new secretary of agricul ture. Wolff pledged to work for the well-being of all Pennsylvania farmers. February Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) became a hot topic local ly, as cattle feeders met with a USD A representative in Lancas ter to discuss the issue. “True Security” was a theme at the annual Pennsylvania Asso ciation of Sustainable Agriculture conference. Keynote speaker Mark Ritchie spoke on the inse curities created by the loss of small farms and local food sup plies in the U.S. Presidents’ Day brought the biggest snowfall in years to the region, with accumulations rang ing from 20-30 inches. Volunteers gathered at the Jonas Click farm, Leola, to quickly rebuild a dairy barn roof that collapsed from the snow. Milk haulers throughout the area worked overtime to serv- (Turn to Page A 24) After the President’s Day snow blizzard in February, more than 50 volunteers gath ered quickly to rebuild the dairy barn roof on Jonas Click’s farm, Leola. The roof col lapsed when snow from the higher roof slid onto the lower one, which was already weighted with snow. The cows “all walked out with scratches,” Click said. Photo by Michelle Kunjappu SEE YOUR LOCAL DEALER TODAY! | STANLEY’S FARM SERVICE Klmgerstown, Pa 570-648-2088 MANOR MOTORS On Rte 553 Penn Run, Pa 724-254-4753 GRUMELLI FARM SERVICE Quarryville.Pa 717-786-7318 ,"r f .V 1 I 1 dinner fufuegattidfimme: C.J. WONSIDLER BROS Quakertown, Pa 215-536-7523 New Tripoli, Pa 215-767-7611 Oley, Pa 215-987-6257 LEBANON VALLEY IMPLEMENT CO., INC Richland, Pa 717-866-7518 Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 27, 2003-A23 n>r" 1 * * y v ws» mv ws» ms* wm we* *o® wss ns» 1 #*■ j| Horse Hay l/ ( - l Dairy Hay fe m J Germansville, 7O lb Douole 1 t 1 -888-422-5243 \ / Compressed « Toll free 35 lb Half Cut ® www.baleinabag.net 800 lb 3x3xB « FILL-RITE PUMPS Fa rm/C onstru ction 7t)INK ■ MODEL FR7OO MODEL FRII2 IISVOIT HANDPUMP 10GPM W27 -" 0 $112.62 ALL MODELS AVAILABLE aPjjjiWTV CALL FOR V I *•" DETAILS fll 1 WE SERVICE Wl I ALL unnu S c AND MODEL FRI2IOC MODEI S I V q[ T COMPLETE TANK PACKAGES AVAILABI E VIV,W Certified Petroleum Technologies, Inc. 75 South 13th Avenue Lebanon, PA 17042 717 , 270*8910 Big accept Master Card & Visa (Tax & shipping not included in prices! * n> WJ j * j At-'.' *