Submitted by Editor on Fri, 09/11/2009 - 11:46am.
 Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
New York Correspondent SYRACUSE — Considering the importance of dairy to New York’s economy (it’s the top ag industry in the state), it’s little wonder that the New York State Fair’s Dairy Products Building is always packed during the fair. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Dairy Products Building. Who can attend the fair without stopping by to view the annual butter sculpture? Sponsored by the American Dairy Association and the Dairy Council, hundreds of pounds of creamy, yellow butter are sculpted into a new display each year.
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 09/11/2009 - 11:43am.
Chris Torres
Staff Writer It’s been well publicized that Ohio agriculture is in a “fight” with animal rights group Humane Society of the United States over animal welfare standards.
Greg Hubbard, who lives near State College, Pa., expected to see how serious the fight was at a recent visit to the Ohio State Fair in August. Of course, different ag groups mobilized to get the word out on animal agriculture and how they were addressing it. Volunteers handed out fliers and educational materials, trying to educate consumers on the animal welfare issue and how agriculture was on top of it. But what surprised him most was the effort farmers gave to tell their side of the story.
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 09/11/2009 - 11:36am.
Andrew Jenner
Virginia Correspondent HARRISONBURG, Va. — Nearly a week after numerous national media outlets reported that the Brazilian meat company JBS SA was poised to purchase Pilgrim’s Pride, officials with the poultry company continued to remain silent on the rumored deal. “We are not commenting on the reports,” wrote Ray Atkinson, Pilgrim’s Pride director of corporate communications, in an email to Lancaster Farming.
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 09/11/2009 - 11:34am.
Charlene M. Shupp
Espenshade
Special Sections Editor MESHOPPEN, Pa. — Two young farmers and newcomers to the Kiwanis Wyoming County Fair Dairy Show beat out a field of 220 cows to capture this year’s supreme dairy banners. Chris Schuler of Meshoppen earned the Bent Cook Memorial Youth Supreme blanket with his junior 3-year-old Jersey WF Signature Lorelei.
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 09/11/2009 - 11:29am.
 Laurie Savage
Maryland Correspondent TIMONIUM, Md. — A full schedule included seven open class dairy breed shows and two futurities Thursday and Friday, Sept. 3 and 4, at the Maryland State Fair. Pomp and circumstance surrounded both the Brown Swiss and Holstein futurity shows.
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 09/11/2009 - 11:25am.
Chris Torres
Staff Writer Dennis Wolff is staying in Harrisburg. This time, as a lobbyist. Wolff has joined Versant Strategies as its newest partner after spending the last six and a half years as Pennsylvania’s secretary of agriculture. Reached by phone Wednesday, Wolff said he has been in discussions about joining the lobbying firm for about a month. But the idea of Wolff joining the firm started some time before that, according to John Barley, CEO of Versant, through mutual, casual discussions with the firm’s third partner, Dr.
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 09/11/2009 - 11:21am.
Carol Ann Gregg
Western Pa. Correspondent GROVE CITY, Pa. — Steve and Joe Paxton, owners of Irishtown Acres, escorted legislators, county commissioners, aides and fellow farmers around their farm while they explained how it operated with the help of 11 employees and their families.
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 09/11/2009 - 11:17am.
 Dick Wanner
Lancaster Farming Staff WILLIAMS GROVE, Pa. — Tons of metal, thousands of people and truckloads of good country eatin’ came together here Labor Day for the annual steam show sponsored by the Williams Grove Historical Steam Engine Association. The WGHSEA’s featured tractor this year was the Oliver Super 99/990 Series. The Williams Grove steamers invited the national Hart-Parr/Oliver Collector’s Association and its 8,000 members to show off their stuff, and they did.
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 09/11/2009 - 11:14am.
 Lou Ann Good
Reporter ALLENTOWN, Pa. — Lorissa Lazarus, 19, wrapped up her 4-H career of showing steers, sheep, hogs, rabbits and goats at the Allentown Fair Livestock Auction last Saturday when she sold her prize-winning animals. “I’m shedding some tears for selling my steer,” Lorrisa said.
Submitted by Editor on Fri, 09/11/2009 - 11:11am.
Tracy Sutton
Regional Editor EPHRATA, Pa. — On Labor Day weekend, Slow Food USA hosted nationwide “Eat-Ins” — potlucks and networking events where concerned folks got together to rally for school lunch reform and to raise awareness of upcoming hearings and voting on the Child Nutrition Act. Slow Food USA spokesperson Brian Sinderson said the nationwide school lunch awareness-raising event went very well and surpassed its goals — achieving more than 300 Eat-Ins across 50 states, with thousands of petition signatures that Slow Food USA intends to present to Congress later this month. Of the more than 20,000 people who attended the Eat-Ins, some were legislators and food policymakers, others were more hands-on, holding cooking demonstrations for school kids.
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