To say Bill Duncan is busy man probably would be an understatement.
Duncan, his wife, Jean, and their son, Jim, own and operate an elk farm at their Clinton Township property.
The unusual form of agriculture was the spotlight of a recent Butler County Farm Bureau legislative tour, during which local leaders — including Duncan, who also is a Clinton Township supervisor — got a better look at the area’s farming community.
The elk
Duncan said he became curious about raising elk after a trip to Colorado. After additional research, the family started its elk farm in 1996 with three cows (female elk) and one bull elk.
The family raised beef cattle for years, but raising elk is more profitable, he said. Meat from elk is sold at a higher price.
“I can raise three elk on what it takes to raise one beef cow, pasturewise,” he said.
The trophy bulls are sold to Shilo Ranch in Fennellton, Butler County, for the Holy Pursuit’s Dream Foundation hunts. The foundation provides opportunities for children with terminal illnesses, Duncan said. Cows are sold to White Feather Meats in Creston, Ohio, for its butcher shop and store.
“It’s been a good business for me,” he said.
Duncan said antlers are used for dog chew toys or for decorations. Bulls shed their antlers every spring, and the elk grow their antlers in a little more than two months.
“The antlers grow an inch a day,” Duncan said.
Elk meat also is a healthier alternative compared to deer meet and beef. According to WebMD, the mixture of fats in elk meat favors heart health and is low in cholesterol. It also contains greater amounts of vitamins and minerals that contribute to heart health while providing higher average protein levels than beef.
“The market’s been really good — the demand’s out there,” Duncan said.
Behind the Duncan’s home, tour-goers were in awe at the elk’s majestic size. Female elk weigh about 550 pounds, and bulls are near the 1,000-pound mark, Duncan said. The family uses rotational grazing to feed the animals, meaning they graze in different fields regularly.
The elk are self-sufficient, but a 10-foot-high fence, as mandated by the state’s Department of Agriculture, keeps them from roaming.
A mix of hay, sweet grain feed and pasture growth are fed to the elk daily.
The elk also adapt well to the winter months, he said.
Agricultural discussion
Before the tour, some local elected officials discussed topics in the agricultural industry. The discussion was led by twin brothers William and James Thiele, government relations directors for the Butler County Farm Bureau.
Discussion included topics on broadband internet, dairy farming, stormwater management, crop control and damage, and solar farms.
James Thiele said access to broadband is critical for rural parts of the state, and internet connections are essential for precision agriculture, health care, government services, and educational and business opportunities for farmers.
“It’s no secret why we need rural broadband,” he said.
He said the Farm Bureau will continue to be an aggressive advocate for broadband funds to be dispersed to underserved, rural communities.
The bureau supports solar power development and the opportunities it presents to farmers, but it also believes strong protections are needed to protect farmland before, during and after solar power installations.
William Thiele said the Farm Bureau supports Senate bills that establish decommissioning and bonding requirements for project developers seeking to install commercial solar electric facilities.
It also supports legislation that prohibits large-scale solar developments on prime farmland, which includes preserved farmland, farmland in “agricultural security areas,” farmland enrolled in the “Clean and Green” program and land in certain soil classes. Farmers still would be allowed to install panels for their own use.
Clinton Township adopted its solar ordinance in 2021.
The Thieles also discussed crop damage caused by wildlife, which is a growing concern for farmers. The Farm Bureau is working with the Game Commission to ensure farmers have resources to combat crop damage. The Farm Bureau also will support hunting laws adopted with input from farmers and other rural landowners.
Dairy
Dairy farming also was a hot topic of discussion among the local leaders.
William Thiele said dairy is a priority for the state Farm Bureau. During the 2023-24 legislative session, the bureau recommends all milk in state schools and prisons be 2% or whole milk, including flavored milk, and that incentives be made available for milk and milk-product plant construction and expansion or other capital improvements.
He said the bureau supports House bills that would create “Keystone Opportunity Dairy Zones,” providing tax incentives to locate new dairy processing plants in the state. The Farm Bureau also supports a House bill that would clarify the Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board’s roles and responsibilities.
It also supports the Whole Milk in Pennsylvania Schools Act, which, William Thiele said, gives schoolchildren access to Pennsylvania-produced whole milk. The legislation would give schools the option to serve whole milk.
He said federal guidelines prevent districts from offering whole milk with meals; however, whole milk contains nine essential nutrients and is an excellent source of protein. The decline in whole milk consumption has therefore caused economic repercussions for dairy farmers, he said.
“There’s good fat in whole milk,” he said, holding a bottle of chocolate milk. “This is some of the healthiest food we’ll have.”
Source : Trib Live