Read it Again: Week of May 8, 2003.

80 years ago this week. Prince’s Emma of H.S.F., owned by the Hartman Stock Farm, Franklin County, Ohio, earned the title of world champion Jersey. She finished her year’s record with 18,437 pounds of milk and 1,109 pounds of butterfat.

Ohio farmers are facing the most serious labor shortage since the war and may be forced to reduce acreage and let the land lie idle this year. The farm labor supply is 76 percent of last year’s level, while demand is 105 percent, according to the state-federal crop statistician in Columbus. An employment agency in Cleveland says there are many offers for men at $40 to $50, and some for as high as $60 to $75 a month. Stark County extension agent O.R. Keyser says the condition is the worst in the county’s history. In Youngstown, 50 calls have come in for help in the last month. Young men in Summit County are going to Akron to work in rubber factories, despite the wage inducements farmers are offering. “Tractors are helping solve the problem in Marion County.”

50 years ago this week. Gov. John S. Fine today issued the following statement:

“Production of milk is the greatest single phase of Pennsylvania agriculture.”

“This Commonwealth ranks first among all states in the manufacturing of ice cream, third in the amount of milk consumed and fifth in the production of milk. We have more than 55,000 dairy farmers producing about 6 billion pounds of milk per year. In 1952 milk brought in a farm cash income of nearly $280 million or about one-third of all state farm income. In this respect, Pennsylvania stands fourth in the nation.”

Last month was the first month in the history of the Trumbull County Dairy Service Unit that there has been 130 herds on test. Last year at this time there were 112 herds on test in Trumbull County. With the milk price situation, it is now more important than ever that we keep production records and eliminate the low-producing cows from our herds.

25 years ago this week. According to Russell Kiko, chairman of the Ohio Auctioneer’s Association, House Bill 845 has passed both the house and the Senate and awaits the signature of Gov. Rhodes. When signed into law, the requirements for new auctioneers will become more stringent. It will help protect and safeguard the public’s interest. Under the new law, any person wishing to become an apprentice must be sponsored by an auctioneer and must serve as an apprentice for 12 months before taking the final examinations.

The relatively new Ohio Bull Test station near Belle Valley saw its second year of use with 213 bulls completing test. The top bull over all breeds was an Angus consigned by Summitcrest Farms of Summitville, Ohio. The bull sold to Curtis Breeding for $6,900 and half interest and possession after his show career.