PROGRESS SENTINEL
vol. XXXXVII NO. 5 USPS 162-860 1 KENANSVILLF., NC 28349 FEBRUARY 3. 1983 if- pat.pc tuiq ia/cew mrcuTc m nc r* v
I Farmers Angered
(Over Tobacco Program
By Emily KlUette
Tobacco poundage leasing
I prices have raised fears and
I anger among local farmers
I planning their 1983 crop.
? Duplin farmers say they are
I facing a cut in their .tobacco
I allotments, plus an esti
?ated 10-cent jump in leas
g costs.
More than nine million
I pounds of Duplin's tobacco
I quota was leased in 1982.
I This season only six million
? pounds will be available for
I lease and transfer in the
I county, said David English,
I Duplin Agriculture Stabiliza
I tion and Conservation
I Service director. ASCS
ll-Agures indicate 2.5 million
UBJounds of tobacco had been
'leased Jan. 28 and farmers
I are eligible to lease and
| transfer poundage until April
15 for the 1983 crop.
"Leasing prices are too
high," Dennis Smith, a
farmer from Smith Town
ship, explained. "Sixty cents
I Is the tops I'll pay for tobacco
poundage this year. My
| operation is set up to house
: J00 acres of tobacco, but this
>? Qear it will be cut to 30
acres." Smith owns a 35,000
pound allotment, an equi
valent of 15 acres; he leased
the remaining poundage for
a 100-acre tobacco crop
during past seasons. The
1982 crop yielded Smith a
market average of about
SI.67 a pound.
The Duplin Tobacco Ad
visory Board and county AES
agent, J. Michael Moore,
determined local farmers
spent about $2,439.50 to
produce an acre of tobacco.
The acre brought a market
price of $3,749.76, and an
average profit of 62 cents per
pound. The figures compiled
by the Duplin Tobacco Ad
visory Board, a panel of 15
farmers, and the Extension
office, were for farmer
owned allotments; lease
prices were not included as a
production expense.
"Ninety percent of the
allotment holders are looking
for the high dollar," Al
bertson farmer and member
of the Duplin County Board
of Commissioners, C.C.
Turner said. "Farmers are in
competition bidding higher
and higher against each
other. It's all gone crazy."
Turner's 1983 allotment is
down and he expects to raise
onjy as much as 75.000 of his
usual 100.000-pound crop.
He leases all but 28.000
pounds of the tobacco crop
and estimates his leasing
costs to rise as high as 65
cents a pound this year. Last
year's leasing costs peaked
at 55 cents, he said.
Duplin has 4,190 tobacco
allotment holders. Only an
estimated 1.200 farmers
actually produce the county's
tobacco crop. The remaining
2,990 lease their poundage to
producers, ASCS director
David English said. Tobacco
farmers in Duplin explain the
increased costs of leasing,
1983 allotment reductions
and the increased
assessment tax make the
tobacco stabilization
program unattractive to tl
producer.
"I voted for the tobacco
program last year, but if 1
had it to do again today
1 won't," Dennis Smith said.
"I think the program should
get production prices back in
line with what we're being
paid for our tobacco."
Farmers feel they do not
have control 01 the stabili
zation program because of
the ratio of allotment holders
to the number of actual
producers, the farmers ex
plained.
"They (Congress) should
let the farmers know in the
fall what the program will be
so we can plan for the coming
year," Turner said. "I am
one vote against 10, because
I lease from 10 different
allotment holders. If 1 had to
vote on the program today,
I'd vote against it."
"The non-active allotment
holder is pricing himself
right out," Dempsev Smith,
retired farmer from Smith
Township, said. "1 have to
have more money for my
expenses, but the farmer
needs an equal amount for
his costs; there has to be a
happy medium." The retired
farmer leased his 1983
poundage at a lower price
than many allotment holders
and expressed hope for the
continuation of the tobacco
program. "Many tobacco
farmers are paying a price I
know they can't afford to
lease poundage."
Crop-Swap Plan
A Hit With Area Farmers
? -
' ^ it Southeastern North
' Warolina farmers are a rep
resentative sample, farmers
across the nation are signing
up for the corn and wheat
diversion and payment-in
kind (PIK or crop-swap) pro
grams in large numbers.
The Duplin County Agri
cultural Stabilization and
Conservation Service office
? was crowded all day last
week on Monday, the first
?lay of the new PIK or crop
"wap sign-up. with farmers
either signing up or seeking
information to determine
what they should do. The
ASCS administers the crop
production control programs.
David English, county
ASCS director, said at least
75 farmers sought explana
tions of the program and 23
signed dp for the basic PIK
^erogram. Twelve entered
"ids of a percentage of their
crop they would accept to
idle all of their corn land this
year. The county ASCS com
mittee will determine what
bids, if any. to accept. March
18.
Under PIK farmers can
reduce acreage and receive
payment in grain. The sign
up period will continue to
^^iarch 11. English estimated
more than 100 farmers came
to the office Monday.
"Same of our farmers may
have thought it was just a
one-day thing after hearing
the newsbroadcasts this
morning." he said, "but
they have until March 11 for
the corn and grain
programs."
While talking with ASCS
staffers. James Sauls Jr. a
Duplin farmer and real estate
man. observed. "Whatever
you do. I want to leave as
much of it (acres) idle as 1
can." His comment brought
nods of agreement from
several farmers standing at
the clerk's counter in the
office lobby.
Sauls added. "A good
thing about this PIK program
is it might reduce the grain
surplus and that will reduce
costs. It costs the taxpayers a
lot of money to pay for grain
storage."
The PIK program is aimed
at reducing the govern
ment's huge surplus of grain
and bringing supply in line
with demand.
Under the program,
farmers must agree not to
grow up to half of their base
acreage of corn. rice, wheat.
sorghum grain or cotton.
They will receive certificates
for a specified amount of
these grains in return.
They can sell the grains or
use them, but the grains
won't be released until the
normal harvest period of the
crops involved. English
noted.
By the end of fiscal 1983,
the nation will have nearly
5.5 billion bushels (150 mil
lion tons) of surplus grain,
the U.S. Department of
Agriculture estimates.
Farmers must agree to
participate in the regular
diversion or set-aside pro
grams before becoming eli
gible for the PIK program.
English pointed out.
Duplin County has one of
the largest acreage bases of
corn among Southeastern
counties, with 87,523 acres.
It has a county average yield
of 74 bushels per acre.
Under the regular pro
gram.English said, partici
pating farmers must reduce
planted acreage of corn by a
minimum of 20 percent.
He explained: Assume a
farm had a corn base of 100
acres and the farmer took the
minimum 20 acres out of
production. The farmer
would receive a deficiency
payment of 21 cents a bushel
times the yield (assumed at
70 bushels for the example)
times the acreage planted ?
21 cents times 70, tims 80 or
a total of SI. 176.
The farmer would receive,
on diversion of 12.5 percent
of the planted acreage (10
acres in this case, or half of
the diverted or idled acres), a
payment of SI.50 per bushel
times the yield times 10
percent of his base acreage,
totaling, in this example.
SI.050, in addition to the
deficiency payment of
SI,176, English explained.
Under the P1K program
the farmer could agree to
take an additional 10 to 30
percent of his base com
acreage out of production.
He would receive certificates
worth 80 percent of his
normal yield. English added.
In the example, English
said, the average yield of 70
bushels per acre times 80
percent would equal 56
bushels per acre of PIK
diversion.
Farmers are being offered
a similar program for wheat
with different diversion
figures.
NEW BUILDING AT JSTC - James Sprunt
Technical College has an attractive new
addition to its campus, a 2,400-square-foot
general purpose storage building. The 60x40
facility is a pre-engineered building by
_Pascoe and was built by Jackson Builders,
^Inc. of Goldsboro. The Duplin County
commissioners allocated the $43,875 over a
two-year period to construct the facility.
Robert Lee. business manager at JSTC,
stated tnat tnis building is providing
much-needed storage space which allows the
college to store equipment and supplies
which in the past took up space in the
instructional area. Lee further stated that
the new building has improved security and
improved the appearance of the campus.
Matthew Merritt (left), JSTC building
maintenance superintendent, and Robert
Lee (right), JSTC business manager, inspect
the new storage fncilitv at JSTC.
>
DUPLIN COUNTY ARTS COUNCIL CELEBRATES ITS
FUND DRIVE MONTH - *s Leigh Howard Stevens
demonstrates his marimba to Arts Council board members
and fund drive chairman, the Duplin County Arts Council
revs up for its month-long fund-raising campaign. Wendell
Murphy is this year's over all chairman of the drive. Area
chairpersons will be announced next week. "All of our
n onies raised go towards programming and visiting artists
in our county," stated Merle Creech, executive director.
The fund drive KicK-otl will be Sunday. heb. Id in the
courtroom of the Duplin County Courthouse in Kenansville
at 3:30 p.m. Left to right are: Stevens (CART artist visi. ing
Duplin), Merle Creech. N.C. Representative Wendell
Murphy, fund-drive chairman, and Cindy Watson,
residency director for CART.
Brother-ln-Law
Of Kenansville
Women
Beaten In
Theft Dies
Of Injuries
JACKSONVILLE - The
owner of an auto repair shop,
beaten in a robbery Wed
nesday .night, died early
Thursday of head injuries.
Authorities said Harry
Fountain. 56. owner of
Harry's Wheel Alignment,
was found in the shop by his
son-in-law about 10:30 p.m.,
after Fountain's wife called
to say he hadn't come home.
Onslow County Sheriff
Billy G. Woodward said
Fountain was conscious
when found but was so con
fusted that he could not talk
auuui wnat happened. He
was taken to Onslow Me
miral Hospital, where he
died at 3:36 Thursday morn
ing.
Woodward said the
robber, who took Fountain's
wallet, apparently entered
the shop through the back
door.
Authorities hjtve put to
gether a composite drawing
of a man wanted for ques
tioning in connection with
the murder.
Fountain is the brother
in-law of Macy Brinson of
Kenansville.
Kenansville Area
Chamber Of
Commerce Sixth
Annual Meeting
A positive approach to
improve community service
through economic progress
and cultural growth was the
theme of newly-elected
Chamber President Douglas
Judge at Friday's sixth
annual Kenansville Area
Chamber of Commerce
meeting held at The Country
Squire.
Judge charged the new
officers, directors and
members with maintaining
and continuing the excellent
record of continued growth in
the Chamber's membership
and to progress in other
areas. He named project
chairpersons and committees
for the coming year.
Speaker at the banquet
was State Representative
Wendell Murphy. Murphy
gave details on the Safe
Roads bill, better known as
the "Drunk Driving Bill."
He stated he believed there
may be changes in some
areas of the bill, but believes
there will be a Safe Roads
Bill enacted this year.
Leigh Howard Stevens was
also on the program. He
entertained the Chamber
members and guests with
classical music on the
marimba. The marimba is a
musical instrument similar to
the xylophone or vibraphone.
Stevens was in Duplin
County under the program
CART (Community Artist
Residence Training)
sponsored by the Duplin
County Arts Council.
Master of ceremonies was
Robert L. Worthington.
John Gurganus, executive
director of the Duplin De
velopment Commission, told
the group that in 1982 in
Duplin County there was $23
million of new or expansion
of industry announced,
which will mean 600 jobs.
Gurganus also stated that if
the economy will improve
"just a little." there will be
much more to happen in
Duplin in 1983.
Truck operated by Dill Smith
Car driven by Lloyd Hamilton Photos by Lynda Stroud
Head-On Hurts Two,
v 9
One Faces DUI Charge
An Albertson man was
charged with driving under
the influence and carrying an
unsealed liquor bottle in his
car after a Thursday morning
head-on collision on N.C. 11
left him and the driver of a
lumber truck in critical con
dition.
According to Highway
Patrol trooper Randy Ham
muuus, a 1978 Mercury
driven by Lloyd Ransom
Hamilton of Route 1, Albert
son, veered left of the center
line approximately four miles
south of Pink Hill.
Hamilton's car struck a
1%2 Ford truck driven by
George Dillon Smith. 40. of
Pink Hill. The truck went 30
feet down an embankment
and hit an oak tree. The
trqck's load of lumber
crushed the cab and pinned
the driver and his two
passengers.
Smith is in critical condi
tion in the intensive care unit
of Duplin General Hospital.
Hamilton is in critical but
stable conditon.
The truck's passengers.
Frank Gordon, 46, and
James King. 46. both of Pink
Hill, were treated and re
leased.
Duplin Man Convicted In Rape, Assault Case
Russell Holden, 27 of
Warsaw, was convicted of
rape and assault on a female
by and Duplin County
Superior Court jury last
Wednesday.
Holden was sentenced to
1J years in prison on the rape
charge and two years on the
assault charge by Judge
Bradford Tillery. The sen
tences will be served con
currently.
Holden appealed and was
returned to the Duplin
t
County Jail in lieu of $50,000
bond. He was charged witfT
raping a 19-year;old .woman
in Warsaw Sept. 16. She
testified that she thought
Holden was a policeman
because he had a portable
red light in his car.