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Show Page 6A Lakeside Review Wednesday, August 21, 1985 Dj Forum Set On Farm Profitability Mail Carrier Says People Make Job Fun ning early in the morning, Mrs. Rice is responsible for sorting FARMINGTON The peo- her mail in a travel order. Then ple keep Judy Rice, rural route she takes care of the mail admail carrier for the U.S. Post dressed to people who have Office, traveling through excesmoved and sorts the magazines sive heat, freezing temperatures and packages. battle with car and the Concentration is a must, she maintenance. said. It is really more compliPeople are fun. I have a lot of cated than people realize. The neat people on my route, said carrier must make sure an indithe optimistic mother of four vidual gets all his mail, magaand native of Farmington. If I zines, postal customer mail, have a flat tire. Ill have two or packages, in order--yo- u dont more people out there helping want to have to back up to corme change the tire. rect mistakes. To many who only see the Rural carriers supply their outward result of mail delivery, own delivery transportation. driving a mail car seems a cushy Even though Mrs. Rices husjob. That idea couldnt be fur-- . band is a mechanic, one of her ther from the truth. main concerns on the job is the Mrs. Rice works six days a weather and my mail jeep and week and her jeep is at least 20 wondering if Ill make it degrees hotter inside than it is through the day without a flat outside. Ive lost 30 pounds this tire or breakdown. summer. I can tell when something Then as you open and close isnt just right. You also learn to those mail boxes you break finbe a mechanic, she said. I go gernails, slice your hands open, through tires and breaks like get deep thin paper cuts and you you wouldnt believe. She has a come home black from newsnew set of tires every four months and new breaks every print. In the winter you are confive months. cerned with slipping on the Working with the people at snow and getting stuck. Ive the Farmington Post Office is had to dig myself out a few great, said the times, she said. veteran. She began as a But thats just outside. Begin substitute mail carrier when SUSAN TANNER HOLMES Utahs largest farm organizanation, in cooperation with its is spearheading a tional partner, livestock profitability forum for western beef and cattle, sheep and swine producers, which will be held at the Salt Lake Sheraton Hotel in Salt Lake City, Sept. . Review Correspondent 18-I- 9. According to Frank O. Nishig-uch- i, Riverside, president of the Utah Farm Bureau Federation, y the program is being in cooperation with sponsored the American Farm Bureau Federation, and will include three two-da- on-goi- strategy sessions; one on economic and environmental issues; a second on marketing, record keeping and market analysis; and a third dealing with meat packing, processing, merchandising and export developments. sessions will Separate break-oalso be held for beef cattle, sheep and swine producers to identify ideas for strengthening each enterprise. The forum, which will begin at 1 p.m. Sept. 18 and end at noon on Sept. 19, will have as opening session speakers Dr. James Coth-eextension economist, University of California - Davis; C. Booth Wallentine, executive vice ut the mail on a rural route, says Judy Rice, is made easier by people who of- CARRYING someone needed a day off. Safety is one of the biggest things we stress, she said. Mail carriers are not allowed to leave their vehicle, so if the road in ten help her on her way through the outlying Farmington area. front of the box isnt clear of human too, and that we try to obstructions, the carrier cant do our best, she said, deliver the mail. Most people on her route un- derstand that mail carriers are When she does, at times, get a day off, she likes to go camping or horseback riding. president, Utah Farm Bureau Federation and C.L. Corny Gallagher, vice president, Bank of America. Speakers for the marketing session are: Dr. Bruce Godfrey, pro- fessor of agricultural economics, Utah State University; Elmer White, manager of market development for Farm Bureau ACRES and Darrell Hipes, executive vice president and general manager of the National Live Stock Producers Association. Advance registrations are necare approaching a vehicle. essary, Nishiguchi said. Persons Do not remove safety wishing to attend should contact: Stan Bell, Utah Farm Bureau, shields installed by manufactur5300 S. 360 W., Salt Lake City, such cover the as ers, protective 4 Utah 84123, or phone over the tractors 1. sent Reservations shaft. by by Sept. If you tire on the job, take a mail should specify hotel accombreak. The pressures of harvest odations needed, if any, and inand planting seasons can take clude a check for $25 to cover their toll if you dont get enough registration costs, including group meal functions. rest. Farmers Must Prevent Expensive Accidents Farmers, many struggling to make a profit these days, can little afford a costly accident that may set them even further behind, says Paul Edmunds, Utah State University Extension safety damage, paying substitute labor, productivity loss and the like.) The cost estimates are for all industries, and while separate figures for farming are unavailable, Edmunds said they wouldnt vary specialist. radically. Edmunds made his observations on the eve of National Farm Safety Week, declared by President Reagan for the week of 1 and sponsored by the Sept. National Safety Council and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Edmunds said the theme of Health Safefarm safety week Success recognizes that fity nancial success in farming requires physical and mental competence unhindered by an accident or illness. Edmunds cites National Safety Council figures that show the cost of an average disabling work injury is about $12,000; a fatality costs about $410,000. (The costs include wage losses, medical costs, insurance costs, property 15-2- In any case, youd have to produce a lot more to make up such losses, he said. More than 1,700 farm families were hit with the death of a family member last year, and 80,000 saw a loved one suffer a disabling injury. In addition to the personal loss and grief these accidents caused, the financial loss, when farm fires are added in, approaches $5 billion a year. Its a tough period for many agricultural producers and we know that the economic screws have tightened," Edmunds said. There is little room for waste and inefficiency, and farm acci- dents and illnesses are an unnecessary drain of time, energy and money. 1 Edmunds noted that stress, both from financial difficulties and the long hours farmers work, could be contributing to farm accidents. In the past, accidents were explained as being bound to happen, or caused by fate, or being in the wrong place at the right time. Now the cause seems to be stress, he said. ) A Everyone at some time works under stress. For example, Edmunds said, a football team preparing for a Super Bowl feels stess. To ease that stress, the coaches and players practice for these conditions and mad try to work as a chine when game day comes. Farm families can also work together this way, Edmunds said. They can discuss their problems and any financial difficulties can be presented and fine-tune- faced. And they can resolve, er, togeth- that no one should be injured or killed because they are facing stress. Edmunds said that more often than riot farm accidents are caused not be a new condition, but by familiar or routine situations, chores that farmers do over and over again and sometimes take for granted. The USU safety specialist reminds farmers to be constantly vigilant for unsafe conditions in new or routine situations. He gives several tips to keep in mind: Tractors are associated with k about 27 percent of all fatalities. Carefully read the tractor owners manual and follow its instructions. farm-wor- Do not allow extra riders on tractors. Make sure all equipment you take on the highway is equipped with the orange triangle that indicates to motorists they slow-movi- ng 261-242- power-take-o- ff Be concerned about the safety of others by learning first-ai- d BPW Group procedures. Make sure your employees are also familiar with first aid. We hope, Edmunds said, A summer picnic is scheduled that farmers and ranchers will Thursday, Aug. 22, at 7 p.m. at realize they simply cant afford Layton Commons Phase II bowthe pain, time loss, disability, ery by the Lakeview Business and damage and expense caused by Professional Womens club. accidents and illnesses, and that Members are requested to employing sensible safety and bring a potluck dish. Guests are health measures to prevent them welcome. For information, call is not only good business, but alor Cyn-di- a Judy Bezoski, so is well worth the effort. Thiros, Plans Picnic 773-513- 825-945- 9, 7. Consider Banker Important Contact for Ail Business Banks are businesses, and bankers are business people. They are in the business of lending money to make money. If you are in business, you must realize that the commodity of exchange is money, and that you must have money to do business. Thats why you should consider your banker an important business contact. Bankers do not want to be thought of as unapproachable. They want to be thought of in more human terms, as the manager of any other business. But, al though banks exist to deal in money, they grant loans only to qualified people and businesses. You, as business person, must prepare yourself to be a good bank customer. A great many loan requests are refused simply because the potential borrower did not approach the lender properly, or did not package the loan request correctly. The lender will consier the status and stability of the business, its consistency and credit history, among other charac Farm Price Decline Stalling Recovery SALT LAKE CITY The continuing decline in farm prices during the first half of 1985 has drawn concern from the Utah Idaho Farmers Union, a situation further aggravating farm bankruptcies and blocking economic recovery in many of the nations depressed rural communities. Boyd W. Munns, president of the general farm organization and a Garland, Utah, farmer noted declines in prices received for cattle, wheat and potatoes, major components of the Utah and Idaho agriculture economies, have been singled out as primary causes for the steady drop. The U.S. department of Agriculture recently reported the prices farmers receive for their below commodities is a year ago, while the prices paid for farming inputs remained constant and the basic costs of family living have increased. . .The parity index, a measure of -- two-sta- - te agricultures economic position in comparison to the rest of the economy, has dipped to equaling the lowest histroi-cindes level, June 1932 in the depths of the Great Depression. Family agriculture has been confronted with five of the worst economic years in American agriculture history during the 1980s. Its unfortunate our industry has failed to share in the economic comeback of which President Munns Reagan is so proud, out. pointed The overall parity level of U.S. products has dropped from in January 1981 when the President took office, to last level. months The present farm debate in Congress is centering around d production and g prices is to agriculture and should be to consumers whose abundant supply of food could be in jeoparal nt nt market-oriente- market-clearin- dy. unc-ceptab- le . i teristics. The loan request itself should be neat and professional in appearance and must include certain specific information. Among the required statements should be the following: two years financial statements; a discussion of the purpose of the loan; a projection showing the repayment plan; a narrative history of the business; personal financial statements from the controlling stockholder if the business is incorporated. Your business reputation, your experience and character are also assets which will be considered. A bank which emphasizes commercial, as opposed to consumer, business may be more compatible and easier for you to deal with. You may have to shop for the best bank to do business with. Look for one which makes you feel comfortable and which is interested in doing business with you. Your business counselor can help you prepare your loan application and can help you determine the necessity for a loan and the amount you need. No one but you, however, can prepare the groundwork the reputation and credit rating of the business. Unless your credit is bad, your business potential poor, or your reason for the loan unsound, dont be discouraged if one bank turns you down. Try another. If you are financially worthy, there will be a bank which will work with you. |