Hershey, Pa. – Voting delegates at Pennsylvania Farm Bureau’s 52nd annual meeting re-elected Guy Donaldson of Ortanna as president and adopted policies on a wide range of issues for the statewide farm organization during the three-day annual meeting that closed Nov. 20.
Donaldson, an Adams County fruit farmer, has headed the organization since April, 1996.
Gilbert elected. Delegates also filled eight vacancies on the farm organization’s board of directors. Newly elected to the board is Douglas Gilbert of Guys Mills, president of the Crawford County Farm Bureau.
Re-elected were current state board members Arland Schantz of Zionsville, Lehigh County; Kent Shellhamer Jr. of Berwick, Columbia County; Marlene Reese of Port Matilda, Centre County; William Buser of York, York County; Jay Witmer of Liverpool, Perry County; Leon Kriner of DuBois, Clearfield County; and Richard Ebert of Blairsville, Westmoreland County.
Policy positions. In other action, voting delegates approved policies on farm and farm related issues recommending the following:
* A mandatory federal animal identification program to assist with animal disease control efforts.
* Standardized testing and health requirements for interstate and international transportation of livestock.
* That, if gambling is legalized in Pennsylvania, a portion of the proceeds be used to improve the horse industry in the state.
* That the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service and National Veterinary Service Lab at Ames, Iowa, be retained within USDA during the Homeland Security reorganization.
* That the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program be limited to highly erodible land on 6 percent or more slope, and not exceed more than one-half of the cultivated farmland.
