The Pantagraph from Bloomington, Illinois • Page 17

Pantagraph B-3 Bloomington-Normal, III. Mar. 8, 1976 Corn Belt members put lid on debt limit a 1 i I -W- iiw.t8 --4 i I farmers put wires and light bulbs in their houses and barns in 1938; Corn Belt has 8,872 members, majority of them nonfarm, in 10 counties, served by 2,561 miles of line. As both residential and business building expands within the Corn Belt territory assigned by the Illinois Commerce Commission, new customers are added annually (407 last year). Average power use per customer is increasing at about 10 per cent a year.

During this year, about 75 miles' of new line will be added. Eight new poles a day were erected last year. There will be three new substations and upgrading on at least two more. The new works and all costs entailed, to the extent of their capitalized value, will be financed by the new loans already approved. Myron Erdman of Chenoa was elected to the board of directors Saturday, succeeding John Aplers of Colfax who choose not to stand for re-election.

Others whose terms had expired were re-elected: Thomas Johns, Dorothy Rengel, and Frank L. Simpson. including Corn Belt and 14 other Illinois power cooperatives. Western Illinois Electric Cooperative and the Springfield city utility also are involved in power purchase. Soyland will be financed entirely by loans from REA and CFC.

Corn Belt will buy some power from Soyland (about 10 per cent of Corn Belt's energy purchases annually by present estimates) and pay for it as used. Corn Belt will have no investment stock or otherwise in the nuclear plant. And has no need to borrow capital for its part in Soyland. Beer's formal report of the past year included the information that 1975 operating income was $3,496,942 against operating expenses of $3,428,492. The biggest single expense item is power purchased.

This year's anticipated increases in expense against the profit margin caused the board to announce a 10 per cent hike in rates. margin" can be a misnomer in a nonprofit corporation. But it's what's left over after expenses.) Some other figures in Beer's report show again what's happened since I Narbonnt, France On farmer and one oted in protest over import of wine lOlOl Hot killed, a dozen mor from Italy. They said imports crushed wounded last week as winegrowers ri- 9raPe prices. (AP) French growers mourn Better food policy Farmers Union goal France (API-Vineyard keepers and wine producers in southern France mourned Sunday after a gun battle with police two days earlier left one dead on each side, and scores of wounded.

farmers rioted in protest over imports of cheap wine from neighboring Italy and Spain. Violent demonstrations USDA shuffles dairy supports i freight train they had halted by tearing up track. Shotguns, grenades and machine guns exchanged fire for more than an hour. The southern part of France produces large quantities of low grade wine, about a million gallons a year. There has been trouble over prices for many years.

Growers have protested Common Market agreements which allow imports of competing wines (as well as exports of theirs) duty free. In the past, commando squads of growers have intercepted trucks on the mail road from Spain; confiscated the cargo and emptied it into gutters. An attack last week on a French bottler of imported wine caused a million or more dollar's worth of damage to his plant. It was arrests for this raid which led to the two-day spree of heightened violence. Tax offices, electrical lines and a television relay station were bombed.

Soviets strive to preserve cattle WASHINGTON (AP) Analysts in the Agriculture Department say it is apparent that the Soviet Union has taken drastic steps to preserve its cattle herd in aftermath of last year's short grain harvest. The department for some time has known that Russia stepped up the slaughter of hogs and poultry since last summer to conserve grain. But the department's Foreign Agricultural Service says that the Soviet cattle inventory on Jan. 1 was estimated at 111 million head, up 1.5 per cent from a year earlier. "The primary objective appears to be to conserve short grain supplies and to maintain cattle numbers, thereby maintaining long-range objectives for cattle," the agency said.

Resign WAYNESVILLE (PNS)-Villag trustot Walter Craig, water commissioner, and Glenn Cowan, water maintenance man, resigned at Tuesday' village board meeting. Anyone interested in either of the positions may contact Mayor James Wise or a member of the village board. Monday's Pantagraph stated that Craig was mayor of Waynesville. who has headed the organization since 1966, is expected to be nominated for reelection. Major convention speakers will include U.S.

Senator Hubert H. Humphrey; Jack Anderson, author of the nationally syndicated "Washington Merry-Go-Round;" Robert Strauss, chairman of the Democratic National Committee, and Mary Louise Smith, chairman of the Republican National Committee; Don Paarlberg, director of agricultural economics for the USDA; Dr. J. Robert Busche, assistant executive director, Lutheran World Relief: Cookivlll 725-3216 Grldlejy 747-2140 DENVER, Colo. Development of guidelines for a national food policy "superior to the current boom-and-bust, glut or famine US.

policy," is the stated goal of the 74th annual convention of the National Farmers Union March 14-18 at New Orleans, according to Tony T. Dechant, president. Recommendations on national and international food policy will be contained in a 1976-1977, policy statement to be argued and adopted by delegates from around the nation. Some 2,500 delegates and visiting members are expected for the sessions at the Braniff Place Hotel. Other official business will include election of national officers.

Dechant, Kindergarten registration set at New Holland NEW HOLLAND (PNS)-Regis-tration for kindergarten children for the 1976-77 school year will be Monday and Tuesday, March 29-30. Registration will be at the New Holland Primary Building from 1 to 3 p.m. on both days. A child must be 5 years of age on or before Dec. 1, 1976, to be eligible for school in the fall.

A birth certificate or hospital registration is required. Information on physical and dental examinations will be available at the registration. By Stanley Lantz Pantagraph farm editor Corn Belt Electric Cooperative members voted Saturday by a margin of more than 5 to 1 to establish a debt limit of $25 million. The "more than 5 to 1" probably is of interest simply because bylaw amendments offered in annual meetings of this kind of organization almost always pass unanimously with no discussion. Not so Saturday.

As manager Gerald V. Beer and the co-op's legal counsel William J. Bach said, $25 million is a big number. It is big enough, apparently, to frighten a few members present who rose to ask questions or to urge defeat of the proposal. Some confusion over technicalities, and possible confusion over Corn Belt's future relationship with Illinois Power's forthcoming nuclear plant at Clinton figured in questions and comment from the floor.

Both Beer and Bach, as well as President Frank L. Simpson, Farmer City farmer and charter member, assured members there are no present plans, or any contemplated in the very near future, to apply for any loans at all. But lack of any debt limit in the bylaws, coupled with member action at a prior meeting which authorized borrowing up to $5 million, has created a legal snag. Operations for the present fiscal year, the leaders said, would be in jeopardy unless the proposed amendment were adopted. It goes like this.

Corn Belt, as well as all utilities including those called "investor-owned," are in hock for capital improvements, development and expansion. Under law, all of them are oblidged to provide service to new customers and to maintain service to old ones as they individually increase their power useage (home, farm, business) year after year. Corn Belt still owes more than $22 million on old loans from the Rural Electrification Administration (REA) and more than $1 million to the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC). New loans totaling $2.7 million are expected, and have been budgeted for this year 70 per cent from REA at 5 per cent interest and 30 per cent of the total from CFC at 9 per cent interest. These are the loans authorized by the earlier member action to finance new substations, upgrading of old, extension and upgrading of lines, and other capital improvements.

The authorization to borrow was limited to $5 million. Now comes the snag. It has been pointed out by the lenders that the "old" total of loans plus the new $2.7 million exceeds the $5 million figure mentioned in the member action which could be construed to mean that the board has applied for more money than authorized by members. The new loans have been approved by both lenders. Presumably they may be drawn on as soon as it is clear that the membership concurs.

The lenders suggested the by-law amendment (and the $25 million limit) as a way of clearing the air for now and also giving the board authority to act quickly on unforseen future needs without waiting for another annual meeting. One member asked Saturday whether there is a connection between the debt limit proposal and involvement in the Clinton nuclear power venture. There is none. The co-op interest in the nuclear power plant has been outlined in member newsletters (and public press) but Beer explained it again: A new, separate entity, Soyland Power Cooperative, is contracting to buy 200 megatrons of power annually from the new plant. Soyland is a co-op of co-ops LUNCH AVAILABLE ON GROUNDS row olanter-new: (3) New hydraulic auoersfor grav ity box; numerous assorted new tractor tires; New Miller heavy duty 14" offset disk; Decker tandem axle cattle feeder trailer; New Cutter Bar attachments for I.H.

550 and 650 choppers; (6) New Trotter wheel harrows, 1t'-20'-22'-24' sizes; New International 770 Hi-Clear self-propelled sprayer, ROW CROP CULTIVATORS IH 63 30" 6 row rear mounted; Oliver 4 row rear mounted Case 6 row 30" rear mounted; Noble 4 row 38" rear mounted; IH 153 4 row Vibra Shank. USED CARS and TRUCKS 1972 International Travelail; 1969 COF 4070 twin screw truck tractor with Detroit 318 engine, 16 speed transmission; 1973 Scout II 4x4; 1969 GMC 1 ton pickup; 1968 CO4000 truck tractor with 238 Detroit, 13 speed; Chevrolet fire truck, 1000 gallon tank; Hydraulic crane mounted on IH truck; hydraulic crane mounted on 1965 Ford truck. PLANTERS IH 400 6 row 38" with dry fertilizer, herbicide and Insecticide; IH 400 4-row 38" with dry fertilizer herbicide and Insecticide; (2) JD 1240 4 row 38" with dry fertilizer, herbicide and Insecticide; IH 58 4 row 38" with dry fertilizer, herbicide and Insecticide; JD 495A dry fertilizer; Insecticide and herbicide; IH 456 4-row; JD 694 6 row; JO 694 4 row; (2) Midwest Planter Harrows; (2) I 400 4 row planters with dry fertilizer, herbicide and duplex hitch. MACHINERY and EQUIPMENT IH No. 50 forage harvester; Gehl blower; IH blower; 4 section Lindsay drag; (2) New 1 row corn head, 350 chopper; Brady field cultivator with 3 point, mulchers; (2) Schultz 4 row rotary hoes; IH 33A loader; (2) L.B.I.

8 ton wagons with 111 tires. Equipment listing may change somewhat as we will be trading to sale date. Boomgarden. International, Rockford, Illinois. Rochelle 562-2135 WASHINGTON The government plans to step up donations of nonfat dry milk to needy foreign countries, under the various aid programs including Food for Peace.

The move is to reduce surplus stocks built up last year, the Agriculture Department said. Also, the new dairy support prices announced last week include a provision aimed at discouraging further overoduc-tion of nonfat dry milk, a byproduct of butter manufacture, and to stimulate cheese production instead. Office of Management and Budget has approved larger donations of nonfat dry milk overseas. USDA soon will put the program into operation. As of last Dec.

31, the Department's Commodity Credit Corporation which buys surpluses to support prices owned 443.2 million pounds of powdered milk worth $263.6 million. A year earlier, the stockpile had been 172.7 million pounds worth $98.3 million. The Department said it will begin buying butter again. Beginning April 1 Chatsworth sets kindergarten registration CHATSWORTH (PNS (-Kindergarten registration will be held at the Chatsworth Grade School on Thursday, March 25. All children between the ages of three and five will be tested for motor skills, hearing, vision, language and speech.

Registration schedule is as follows: last names beginning with A through a.m.; through 10 to noon; through 1 to 2 p.m., and through 2 to 3 p.m. A birth certificate is required. Minier FFA to collect scrap MINIER-Olympia High School FFA will conduct a scrap iron drive in the district after school Friday, March 12 and on Saturday, March 13. Proceeds from the drive will be used for FFA projects. Those with scrap metal to donate may call homes of the following FFA members between 6 and 10 p.m.

Thursday to make arrangements for collection: Armington-Minier area, Eugene Howard and Ted Schmidgall; Stanford, Roger Lee; Danvers, Robert Hartzold and Dale Fluty; McLean-Waynesville, Russell Snow; Hopedale, John Kiley. took place all last week from Marseilles to the Spanish border. Interior Minister Michel Poniatowsky said he had ordered "firm but moderate" police action to halt the outbreaks. Gun battles started Thursday when riot police tried to stop more than a thousand demonstrators from burning a it will pay 87.8 cents a pound, an increase of 6V2 cents. Cheese will be purchased at 9OV2 cents, up 5V2 cents from current rate.

But the purchase price of surplus nonfat dry milk will be unchanged at 62.4 cents a pound. Thus, USDA said, the producer who sells milk to cheese plants will have a guarantee of 81.5 per cent of the government's parity price of $10.16 per 100 pounds, which was used to compute the new formula. The producer who sells milk for butter and powder will get 78.5 per cent of parity guaranteed. Federal minimums for drinking milk, called Class I or fluid, also are expected to go up, because they are based on the level of supports for manufacturing milk. In a separate report, the Department's Outlook and Situation Board said the farm price of milk this spring will average 10 to 15 per cent more than a year ago, but will decline sharply from the peaks of December.

Off to a strong start in 1976, gains in total milk production probably will continue, and during the first half of 1976 could be 1 per cent greater than a year earlier. The experts added that what happens to milk production after midyear could depend on feed costs and cow prices. Australians plan more wheat acres WASHINGTON (AP) The Agriculture Department says Australia could have "a significant expansion" of wheat production this year, meaning more grain for export to other countries in competition with U.S. farmers. "An excellent moisture supply throughout the wheat belt will favor wheat planting and at the same time falling feed grain prices may encourage growers to switch to wheat," the department said.

Australia's wheat crop is harvested in December, six months later than the U.S. harvest. Farm field tiling up for discussion OTTAWA Field tiling mapping and tile quality will be discussed by Dr. C. Drablos, University of Illinois soil and water engineer, at an informational meeting in the Extension Center March 25.

Any interested landowners or tenants will be welcome, according to Extension Adviser James C. Daugherty. The session will begin at 7:30 p.m. March 15 Spring Illinois State Duroc Sale, Seneca. Illinois Duroc Breeders March 16 Harry Payne, Melvln.

Public Auction. Trunk and Feller, Aucts. March 17 Stonier Annual Consignment Sale, Minonk. Stonier Auction Service. March 17 Beason Community Sale.

Warren Martin, Auct. March 17 Clifford Olson, Wilmington. Public Auction. Immke, Trunk, Feller, Aucts. March 20 Circle C.

Farms. Public Auction. Warren Martin Auction Co. and Lee and Bill Gaule, Aucts. March 20 Flanagan Lions' Club Community Sale, Flanagan, III.

March 20 Loren Powell Auction Colfax. Annual Machinery Consignment Sale. Powell and Kindred, Aucts. March 20 Alfred R. Bachtold Estate Sale, Forrest.

Ivan and Stanley Metz, Aucts. March 20 3rd Annual Mackinaw Community Sal. Fahnders and Roth, Aucts. March 20-Ralph E. Clutts, Gibson City.

Closing Out Sale. Stagen Auction Service. March 27 Metamora Implement Public Auctilon. Col. Marvin Bliss and Col.

John H. Bliss, Aucts. March 27 Annual LeRoy Community Sale, Local Auctioneers. SYSTEMS mmammmmmmmmmmm WALKER SCHORK INTERNATIONAL ANNUAL FARM EQUIPMENT AUCTION AT WALKER-SCHORK ROCKFORD, ILL. South of Rockford-Tak Bypass 20 Wirt to Meridian Roed-Nortti to Stop Sign.

Turn Right. FRIDAY, MARCH 12, 1976 COMING PUBLIC SALES Contact the McLean County Service Co. for all of your grain handling needs. Hutchinson Augers Chicago Eastern Bins and Dryers Super Automatic Batch Dryers Hunter Creamer Bucket Elevators S.P.I. Unldrlve Stirring Units NecoCircu Flow FS Bulk Tanks Pre-sea son early order discounts are now in effect! Contact the jJ McLean County Service Co.

Route 150 South Phone 663-4347 ask for John Feit 11:00 A.M. USED TRACTORS Cete 470 Comfort Kino 1970 with cab; Sfeiger Wildcat-New Warranty; Stelger Barcat-Nw Warranty; Dr 4430 cab, air 1100 hours; Farmall 766D-600 houri; Farmall 766 D-700 hours; Ford 3400 with Loader; International 2400 with loader; Case 1816 Skid Loader-like new, only 20 hours; International T.D. 125 crawler with 4 In 1 bucket; International 154 Lo Boy with 60" mower; Farmall 1256; Farmall 856 0 with duals; Farmall 850; Farmall 806 Farmall Oliver 1800 dlesel, new paint, engine overhaul; Farmall with loader; Ford 961; Case 400; International 2504 loader back hoe; Farmall 400 gas Ford 8N with loader; Model 200 swinger articulated loader-demonstrator unit; IH 3300 skid loader; Model 100 Swinger Articulated Loader-Demonstrator Unit; Farmall 706 gas, 3 point hitch; John Deer 4020 John Deer 730 Farmall Super AMIS Chalmers WD with New Idea Loader; 3 Farmal 504 Hl-Clear (Chlsolm-Ryder units); Deere 3020 Farmall 70 dlesel hydro; Deere 4230. USED PLOWS International 710, 6-16" trip beam plow; (2) International 710 5-16" trip beam plows; International 700 6-16" trip beam plow; (2) International 550 5-16" trip beam plows; (2) International 540 4-14" trip beam plows; Case 5 bottom pull plow; AC 5-16" semi-mounted plow; (2) JD F-145 5-14" plows; Oliver 5-16" plow; JD F-145 6-14" plow; IH No. 60 4-14" plow; AC 5-14" semi-mounted plow; Oliver 2-14" plow; No IH 3-14" plow.

USED DISKS (2) IHNo.3712'11"diSt; IH470, IH48021' disk; IH 470 14' disk; IH 480 14' disk; Kewanee 13' disk; Kewanee 18' disk; Oliver 18V' disk; Molina ISVi'dlsk; Case 10' disk; IH 8' disk; Massey 15' disk; Ford 3 point 10' disk. MISCELLANEOUS EQUIPMENT Year Round 3 point quick hitches; DM I 300 bushel gravity box and gear; Kasco fertilizer auger for 8 AUCTIONEERS: Howard McAnly, Don Maronde, Doug SALE MANAGER: Walker-Schork Rockford 964-6783 Bt fur that your public sal Is listed In this directory. It will be published every day except Sunday. Listing will begin 21 days before the Sale provided a minimum size advertisement of Inches Is used 2 or more times In The Dally Pantagraph. Sales using less than this minimum amount of space will be listed 6 days prior to sal.

March 7 El wood Albert, Clinton. Closing Out Sale. Warren Martin Auction Co. March Fred Scheer, Gridley. Closing Out Sal.

Stonier Auction Service. March 9 Lloyd Allspach, Macon. Closing Out Farm Sale. Warren Martin Auction Co. March Paxton Annual Community Auction, 10 A.M.

March 10 Kyi Drlnnon and Neighbors, Minier. Public Auction. Warren Martin Auction Co. March 11 Raymond Thies, Wenona. Estate Auction.

Stonier Auction Service. March 12 Robert Krug, Graymont. Public Auction. Stonier Auction Service. March 12 Walker-Schork International Annual Farm Equipment Auction, Rockford.

McAnly, Maronde, Boomgarden, Aucts. March 12 18th Annual Mennonit Relief Sale, 1:30 a.m. Exposition Gardens, Peoria. March 13 Fairbury Community Sale. 11 A.M.

March 13 Mrs. Edwin Meyers, Estate Closing Out Sal, Havana. Gordon Bauer, Dwight Knollberg, Aucts. A.