THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY
Volume $7, No.S
USPS 428-480
Hertford, Perquimans County, N.C., Thursday, January 29, 1987
25 CENTS
Amercian agricultural crisis causes financial problems and stress for county farmers
By STAN WIINSMJW
Co. Extension Chairman
Editors note: This is the first arti
cle of a four part series on the finan
cial crisis facing farmers in Perqui
mans County.
Perquimans County is deeply de
pendant on its farmers and farm
familes for most of the jobs, and busi
ness generated within its boundries.
Farm land and machinery make
up a high percentage of the tax base.
) Farmers, themselves, are heavily in
volved in the government and day to
day operations of our county. Yet our
farmers are finding themselves
caught in a financial squeese that is
driving them from the land; ending
farm businesses which have been in
the same family for generations;
driving up jobs and business in this
rural county; reducing our tax base
and robbing us of potential lead
ership.
) The stresses faced by all farmers
cannot be fully understood without
actually being in their shoes. How
many people begin each year know
ing that they will invest hundreds of
thousands of dollars in hopes of mak
ing a profit; invest this money in pro
ducing a crop which can be a success
or a failure based on one or two
timely rains; invest this money in
producing a crop which is priced by
the whims of the government, the
large grain companies and specu
lators on the futures market?
Farmers have been and continue to
be men and women of great faith.
They had to have this faith to take the
risks they have endured over the
years. However, present conditions
are testing their faith to the limit of
human endurance. Our farmers need
not just understanding from us; but
positive thinking which will help
them move toward the future.
Many people not associated with
agriculture do not understand the fi
nancial crisis our farmers are expe
riencing. I want to set the record
straight? The Primary Cause Of
Current Agricultural Financial Prob
lems Is Not Poor Management. Cer
tainly, careful management is cru
cial and some farmers are better
managers than others, but today
even the bes and most financially
solid farmers are feeling the pres
sure of losing money.
Followng is the historical overview
of the agricultural situation propared
by Dr. Charles L. Moore, Specialist
In Charge, N.C. Extension Econom
ics Department. This overview will
help put the current agricultural situ
ation into perspective.
The rapid growth in U. S. agricul
ture in the 1970's and early 1960's was
fueled by a large expansion in ex
Copeland receives
Distinguished service award
The Perquimans County Jaycees
held their Distinguished Service
Awards Banquet on Thursday, Jan
uary 22nd at the Hertford Fire De
partment.
Approximately 50 people were on
hand for the annual banquet which is
held during National Jaycee week
each year.
Mr. Lewis Evans of the Farm Bu
reau Insurance Company was the
guest speaker for the evening. Mr.
Evans who is a former Jaycee, and a
former winner of the Distinguished
Service Award spoke briefly on the
importance of each of the awards
given at the banquet. He also spoke
about the benefits of belonging to the
Jaycees.
j Each year the Jaycees select peo
ple and honor them for service to the
community, and service to human
ity. This year the Jaycees presented
nine awards to members of the com
munity.
The awards presented included:
The Joseph R. Rogerson Memorial
Award, Outstanding Young Educa
tor, Outstanding Person in Govern
ment, Outstanding Young Rescuer,
Outstanding Law Enforcement Offi
|cer, Outstanding Young Fireman,
Outstanding Teenager, Outstanding
Senior Citizen, and the Distinguished
Service Award.
The recipient of the Outstanding
Young Educator's award was
Daphne Higgins. Higgins is a special
education teacher at Central El
ementary School in Winfall. Mayor
Bill Cox received the award for Out
standing Person in Government, Mr.
Cox is the mayor and town manager
fvof Hertford, Todd Tilley received the
award for Outstanding Young Res
cuer. Todd is an EMT and a member
of the Perquimans County Rescue
Squad. He is a student at Perquimans
County High School. The award for
Outstanding Young Fireman was
presented to Mr. Billy Layden. Mr.
Layden is a member of the Hertford
Fire Department, and has received
several honors from the department
including Fireman of the Year. Out
standing Young Law Enforcement
Officer was awarded to Mr. Jack Sta
ley. Jack is a wildlife enforcement of
ficer here in Perquimans County.
The award for Outstanding Teenager
went to Sharla Tilley. Tilley is a stu
dent at Perquimans County High
School. She is a member of the Beta
Club, and is also active in other
school activities including student
government. The Outstanding Senior
Citizen's award went to Mrs. Lillie
Mae Yates. Mrs. Yates is 81 years
old. She is a native of Weeksville, NC,
a 1922 graduate of ECU Training
School, is a former school teacher,
and currently makes her home at
Morgan's Rest Home in Winfall.
The Joseph R. Rogerson Memorial
award which is presented to an out
standing male softball player each
year, in honor of Mr. Rogerson who
died in 1977, was awarded to Mr. Mil
ton Hunter.
The coveted award of the evening,
the Distinguished Service Award was
presented to Mr. Richard Copeland.
Copeland is a member of the Jay
cees, and is also a member of the
Winfall Fire Department. He is ac
tive in both organizations and has
held numerous offices since becom
ing a member. He has served as
President of the Jaycees, and is ac
tive in all of their community pro
jects.
Mr. Copeland is a Perquimans
County native, and is employed with
the Town of Winfall.
Winslow attends meeting
Nineteen local school board leaders
from North Carolina, including Clif
ford Winslow, Chairman of the Per
quimans County School Board, were
v chosen to represent local school
* boards statewide in Washington,
D.C. January 25-27.
Members of the North Carolina del
egation joined about 600 other school
board members from throughout the
nation. The event was the 14th annual
conference of the Federal Relations
Network, a component of the Na
tional School Boards Association.
the theme of this 1987 conference
was 'Making Local School Boards
k Count.' The primary purpose of the
conference was to discuss and con
duct briefings on key public school
issues pending before the 100th ses
sion of Congress.
Participants devoted the last day,
Robinson Joins
Commission
The Albemarle Commission recently
announced that Sharon Robinson has
J Joined the staff of the Aging Program
as Employment Developer.
She will be working the 10 county
area with individuals 55 years of age
and older who would like to find full
or part-time employment.
Mrs. Robinson will also be teaching
interviewing and Job seeking skills,
as well as placing individuals in area
Jobs.
Any employers interested in hiring
I older workers, or any adults 56 or
older seeking employment, pi? e
contact Mrs. Robinson at 426-6753 or
P. O. Box 646, Hartford, NC 27944
1
Tuesday, January 27th, to face-to
face meetings with their Senators
and Representatives on Capital Hill.
Issues discussed included
relationships between education and
the world economy, preparing stu
dents to compete successfully in an
increasingly interdependent global
economy, how to keep local boards
high on the federal agenda, local
boards recapturing the right to gov
ernance, changing demography and
its implications for education, major
federal education programs, and un
funded education mandates.
While this annual event provides a
certain order to the process of local
boards influencing federal legis
lation, most local school boards keep
contact with their congressmen be
tween each annual FRN Conference.
ports. Between 1945 and 1971 U.S. ex
ports increased a rather steady rate
from $2.3 billion to $7.7 billion. In the
next ten years exports jumped to
nearly $44 billion at an annual growth
rate of five times the rate prior to
1972.
There are several reasons for this
expansion of export demand. In the
early 1970's there was improved eco
nomic growth worldwide. In 1973 the
dollar value of U.S. exports doubled,
primarily due to a policy shift in the
USSR. The Soviest chose to buy grain
to make up for a production shortfall
rather than tighten their belts and
slaughter their livestock. Developed
countries followed a loose monetary
policy where officials were more
worried about maintaining economic
activity and growth than about con
trolling inflation. There existed low
(in some years negative) real inter
est rates and commercial banks'
lending to less developed countries
increased drastically. A cheat U.S.
dollar in foreigh exchange markets
gave the United States a very com
petitive position and resulted in the
United States realizing an increased
share of an expanding world market.
U.S. productivity increased rapidly
during this time. Even so, the rapid
expansion of export demand bid
nearly 67 million more crop acres
into production in 1981 than in 1971.
As a result of this expansion in the
production sector, we saw similar ex
pansions in agricultural support busi
nesses such as farm input suppliers,
machinery suppliers, banks, and
many businesses in local commu
nities. As the volume of agricultural
exports rose from 60 million tons in
1971 to a peak of 164 million tons in
1981, there were sharp increases in
all phases along the lengthy market
ing channel (storage, handling and
transportation) from farm gate to
the foreigh consumer. Very little at
tention was given at that time to the
stability or 'life expectancy' of this
sudden prosperity.
In 1982 U.S. agricultural sttarted
'paying the price' for this unchecked
expansion. The costs involved in this
increased dependence on exports
have become painfully apparent
since then. U.S. exports have de
clined from the $44 billion peak in
1981 to an estimated $26.5 billion in
1986.
Volume of exports dropped from
164 million tons to an estimated 108
million tons. The reasons for this de
cline are also many. An economic re
cession hit worldwide. The 1979 oil
price shock hit, and developed coun
tries responded by tightening mone
tary policies to counter inflation.
Real interest rates rose sharply, and
the price of the U.S. dollar rose to an
Pictured above are winners of Jaycee awards from left to
right they are: front row - Daphne Higgins, Sharla Tilley,
Mayor Bill Cox, and Lillie Mae Yates back row - Jack Staley,
Todd Tilley, Richard Copeland, Milton Hunter, Billy Layden.
Burn seminar held
On Wednesday, January 21, the
Hertford Fire Department in con
junction with the Perquimans County
Jaycees sponsored a North Carolina
Jaycee Burn Center Seminar
Dr. Hugh D. Peterson, Director of
the North Carolina Jaycee Burn Cen
ter at North Carolina Memorial Hos
pital, Chapel Hill, North Carolina
was tiie guest speaker.
During the seminar Peterson dis
cussed handling and treatment of
burn victims as well as the facilities
which are available to burn victims
at the center.
Peterson's talk concentrated on
prevention of accidents which occur
at home. Peterson stated that ap
proximately 90 percent of home acci
dents could be prevented if people
would use caution, and common
sense. Dr. Peterson offered the fol
lowing suggestions for accident pre
vention: 1. Be extremely careful with
water heaters. (Water heaters should
be set at 115 degrees) 2. Be careful of
loose or hanging wires, and high volt
age wires. 3. Be careful when re
pairing T.V. antennas on the roof. 4.
Use caution when pouring or working
with gasoline or other flamable liq
uids.
Dr. Peterson also discussed home
smoke detectors. Smoke detectors
should be installed carefully to en
sure they work properly. He also
stated that families should conduct
regular fire drills in their homes, and
have a designated place where fam
ily members are to gather in case of
a fire.
The North Carolina Jaycee Burn
Center opened its doors in 1981, and is
sponsored by the Jaycees as well as
other organizations; however, the
Jaycees provide the largest amount
of the center's financial support.
Each year the Jaycees raise
money for the burn center by selling
jars of jelly across the state. The
jelly sells for a $1.00 a jar, and all
proceeds go to the burn center. Jelly
sales are currently underway, and
will continue as long as the jelly
lasts.
Money which is raised by the Jay
cees for the burn center goes towards
research, education, equipment, and
other needs of the burn center.
For more information on the Burn
Center contact Parker Newbern at
426-5609.
Residents to study
incorporation of community
A group of Perquimans County resi
dents attended the county commis
sioners meeting on Monday, January
19th to inform the commissioners
they are looking into incorporating
Holiday Island.
The group led by Mr. Edward Allen
announced last week that they will be
conducting a feasibility study on the
question of incorporation, and noted
that they are just beginning to look
into the matter. The group added that
they were not formed by the property
owners association, but that the asso
ciation was aware of the group's exis
tence. They also stated that a mem
ber of the association is serving on
the committee.
They intend to report their findings
to the board at a later date.
Mr. R. E. Aiken was also on hand to
present the 19BS-M audit for the
county. Mr. Aiken reported that the
county is in good financial shape with
few problems. Those problems were
administrative, and are being han
dled by Randy Keaton, County Man
ager. Mr. Aiken also reported that he
feels the county is receiving a good
return on money reserves which are
invested.
The commissioners approved a one
percent land transfer tax. The pro
posed tax document will now be sent
to the general assembly for their ap
proval. If approved the tax will cover
all land transfers within the county,
and will go into effect on the first day
of the month following adoption by
the general assembly.
Keith Haskett was also on hand to
give a report to the board. Mr. Has
kett reported that as of January 17,
1987, 86 percent of the county's 1986
taxes have been collected. Mr. Has
kett and the board feel that this is a
good rate of collection. Mr. Haskett
also pre posed to the board the idea of
photo mapping the county. This pro
cedure is used in indentifying land
parcels, and is most helpful to the
register of deeds, and to attorneys.
The board will discuss the issue at a
later npeeting.
The commissioners voted to in
crease the co6t of residental water
taps effective February 1st. The new
rates are as follows: 3/4 inch tap -
$300.00, one inch tap - $375.00. and two
inch tap $750.00.
The board also appointed Jean
Umphlett to the Library board.
There being no further business the
meeting was adjourned.
V
all-time high in early 1985. The ex
pensive U.S. dollar, coupled with
U.S. farm programs holding commo
dity loan rates high under the pre
sumption of high inflation, caused
our competitive position around the
world to decline drastically. Import
ing countries shifted their purchases
to U.S. competitirs where the same
product could be bought at a reduced
price. Many importing countries im
posed very restrictive controls on im
ports, demanded price and credit
concessions of exporters, a nd imple
mented incentives for their farmers
to increase production and become
less dependent on imports. In fact,
this occurred and many countries ac
tually became exporters in direct
competition with the United States.
As Dr. Moore indicated there was
much demand for agricultural ex
pansion during the seventies. Our
farmers were literally encouraged to
prepare to 'feed the world.'
They responded with true patriot
ism and American spirit. Now, in
1987, our farmers are left 'holding the
bag.' Among the most independent
people in our nation; they are forced
to participate in government acreage
reduction programs just to survive.
Added to the humiliation of being told
what and how much they can plant is
the public opinion that many farmers
are getting rich from government
payments.
This simply is not true! Without
these payments many more farmers
would be out of business. Following
the fate of these farmers would be
more fertilizer and chemical dealers,
more agricultural chemical dealers,
rural banks and many other small
businesses in rural America. The ul
timate effect could be food produc
tion controlled by a handful of large
corporations. If that happens the
'cheap food' we are presently able to
purchase will suddenly become much
more expensive.
We have many farmers here in
Perquimans County who are experi
encing financial stress. We need each
one of them to stay in business. Some
will not be able to do so. These people
will experience great personal diffi
culties in going through this tran
sition.
All of us, friends, neighbors, and
fellow farmers need to be positive
with them and help them to realize
that there is hope; that there are op
tions and alternative for them and
most importantly that they are not
alone.
Next week's article will discuss the
stress associated with financial diffi
culties and some positive ways to
deal with these stresses.
Local students make bands
Seven Perquimans County band
students have been selected for the
North Carolina Bandmasters Asso
ciation All-Eastern District Bands.
Locally the district is made up of
all junior and senior high schools in
Eastern North Carolina.
In the Senior High School Sym
phonic Band Lynnette Riddick, a
clairnetist, was selected. Lynette is a
senior at Perquimans High School.
In the Senior High School Concert
Band, Tim Byrum was selected on
Baritone Saxaphone, Tony Boone on
Baritone Horn, and Tracie Brown on
mallet percussion. All three students
are sophomores at Perquimans High
School.
In the Junior High ( grades 8 and 9)
Symphonic Band, Damion Burke on
Tuba and Matt Matthews on Trom
bone were selected. Damion is a
freshman at Perquimans High
School, and Matt is in the eighth
grade at Perquimans Union School.
In the Junior High School Concert
Band, Chad Bundy was selected on
French Horn. Chad is a freshman at
Perquimans High School.
All of these students will take part
in a band clinic in Greenville at the
East Carolina University School of
Music on February 6th and 7th.
A concert by the All-District Band
will be given on Saturday night be
fore returning home.
Damion Burke, placed first on his
instrument in the district try-out and
will go on to try-out for the North Car
olina Honors Band in March.
Lane receives scholorship
Dean N. Lane has been selected to
participate in the Modern Farming
Short Course.
The Modern Farming Short Course
is sponsored by the NC Agricultural
Extension Service in conjunction
with the North Carolina Bankers As
sociation. The Agricultural Exten
sion Service provides the teaching
portion of the program, and the NC
Bankers Association provides finan
cial support for the program.
Mr. Lane received a $350.00
schlorship to the program which is a
two week school held at the McKim
mon Center at NC State University in
Raleigh.
Lane and the other students attend
ing the school will be exposed to a
general overview of the agricultural
situation facing farmers. The stu
dents will also have an opportunity to
study specific course which they
have chosen. Mr. Lane's electives in
clude courses in swine, peanuts,
corn, and small grains.
Mr. Lane is a self-employed
farmer in Belvidere, and a native of
Perquimans County. He was chosen
to receive this schlorship by the Per
quimans County Agricultural Advi
sory Council.
Writing to Read workshop
held for students' parents
On Tuesday, January 20th, parents of
kindergarten students from Hertford
Grammar and Central Elementary
Schools were orientated to the IBM
Writing to Read program
Expectations of the program were
outlined for parents, and they were
given an opportunity to operate the
new computers.
Students began working with the
program on Wednesday, January
21st. They will continue to work with
the computers throughout the year,
and hopefully by the years end many
students will not only be reading but
composing their own stories.
Team to participate
in quiz bowl tournament
On February 4th the Perquimans
County High School quiz bowl team
will compete in the quiz bowl tourna
ment at Creswell High School.
The tournament will be double
elimination, and winners from Cres
well will advance to the district com
petition on March 7th. State finals for
quiz bowl will be held in Raleigh on
April Uth.
*
This year's quiz bowl team mem
bers are Calvin Hobbs, Captain, Alan
Kirby, Bob Lube, Stuart Rayburn,
and the two alternates are Alex Ca
hoon, and Carl Terra nova.
Other interested students who have
been practicing with the team in
clude Richard Arneson, Kathy Wood,
Cindy Pierce, and Ernie Hobbs.