Bedford highlights new feed project
Trending
CURRYVILLE -- Blair County Farm Bureau's annual legislative farm tour gave the Bedford Farm Bureau Co-op a chance to highlight its new $4.5 million feed manufacturing project.
"This is the main location for feed. We just opened our new facility in January. This is our new baby to show off," said Jim Shade, general manager.
The co-op was formed in 1942, and today is owned by 614 area farmers who do business with the bureau. The members elect 12 directors who provide the direction for the company, Shade said.
"The main goal of the co-op is to combine buying power. Collectively we can buy products cheaper than you can as an individual farmer," Shade said.
The co-op has between 38 and 40 employees, depending on the season.
"We have a very diverse group of employees, one or two people in every skill set. I am very blessed, 35 of my employees are farmers. That has helped us grow; they understand who we are trying to serve and take care of," Shade said.
The co-op, which also has locations in New Enterprise, Bedford and Rockwood, does business in 18 counties in three states and earns between $26 million and $28 million a year in gross revenue, Shade said.
"Agriculture is our main driver, without farmers we do not exist; we are 100 percent agriculture driven," Shade said.
Shade said the Curryville location was an Agway from the 1960s until 2004 when the co-op purchased the location after Agway went bankrupt and was sold.
After the tour, farm bureau members discussed several topics of interest.
Agritourism is a growing industry in the state. "People are getting more and more interested in going from their home to farm and market to get a lot of their food," said Dave Sollenberger, a Williamsburg farmer.
Sollenberger said agritourism's No. 1 culprit is liability, as far as having accidents on the farm.
Pennsylvania Farm Bureau supports Senate Bill 820, introduced by Sen. Ryan Aument of Lancaster County. That bill would provide limited liability protection to farmers operating agritourism enterprises on farms provided that the farmer is not acting recklessly or intentionally in causing injury or damages.
The Farm Bureau also supports amendments to the vehicle code that will increase maximum width allowances for local operation or movement of farm equipment in farm areas.
Legislation soon to be introduced in the Senate would increase the maximum width that implements of husbandry (farm machinery) may be driven, hauled or towed under the vehicle codes special width provisions from 16 to 18 feet, said Gary Long, Blair County Farm Bureau president.
"Combines with dual tires can't get under 16. This will help the local farmer go from Point A to Point B on his farm," Long said.
Another concern of farmers is immigration.
"Immigration is very important to agriculture. It is not just cheap labor. There is a shortage of American labor. There are things Americans will not do. We need to get people from other countries here legally," said Laverne Nolt, owner of Laverne's Produce Supply.
"Immigration is a major issue; immigrants are not taking jobs away from American people," Long said.
Mirror Staff Writer Walt Frank is at 946-7467.