55 years ago
This year’s spring pig crop is 8 percent fewer than last year’s spring pig crop and the number of sows farrowing was also an 8 percent decline.
Two Mooreland girls, Marilyn Steen and Luan Lough, will represent Henry County at the district 4-H demonstration contest. Their demonstration of “Cakes in a Hurry” was chosen for first-place in the county contest held in New Castle.

The Rush County Hereford Cattle Breeders Assoc. held its annual picnic recently at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Worth Hodson and family in Center Township, Mays, Ind. The association voted unanimously to endorse Worth Hodson as a candidate for the State Fair board, representing the 10th district in Indiana.

Three young people from Indiana will live and work with farm families as International Farm Youth Exchange delegates this summer. They are Elaine Hagenow of Wanatah, who will be going to Sweden; Walter South of Bloomington, who will be going to Iraq; and Allen Cotner of Winamac, who is going to Venezuela.

40 years ago
Raging fire swept through the Hochstedler Feed and Grain Co. at Knightstown, Ind. Damages will probably range between $50,000-$75,000, according to owner of the mill, Weldon Hochstedler.

Gary Taylor of Muncie, Ind., recently sustained severe injuries in a 65-foot fall from the top of the Kessler Feed and Grain Co. elevator, in Eaton. Taylor had gone to the top of the elevator when the rope broke on his man-lift. He was taken to the hospital where he complained of back, leg and chest injuries.
Recently named at the annual State FFA Convention are the new 1971-72 State FFA Officers for Indiana: David Crosby of Chalmers, secretary; Marty Matlock of Knightstown, vice president; Al Neidlinger of Plymouth, president; David Allen of Huntington, treasurer; Bill Crosby of Wolcott, photographer; Abler Schmitz of Wadesville, sentinel; and John Fox of Michigantown, reporter.
A combine corn head attachment to facilitate harvesting of blight-damaged or downed corn has been introduced by Massey-Ferguson. The attachment, called a corn head reel, fits above and in front of the corn head auger to assist movement of loose cornstalks, husks and leaves into the combine.

25 years ago
Ohio’s soybean checkoff debate will come to a head when soybean producers vote in a statewide referendum. Producers will vote whether or not to have 1 cent deducted per bushel from their sales. The money collected from the checkoff would be used for soybean market promotions, research and education.

Selected as the new Indiana State FFA Sweetheart for the 1986-87 year is Belinda Jo Weaver of rural Crawfordsville.

Top dairy team for the state of Indiana is the Norwell High School’s Future Farmers of America dairy judging team, consisting of Dann Bolinger, Keith Fuhrman, Jeff Euback, Ric Borney and Coach Dave Schenck.

Used equipment: Noble 4R Danish, $1,200; IHC 806G, $4,200; JD 4640 Super sharp, $27,500; IHC M, $900; JD 230 21.5-foot disk, $3,500; NI 737 husk bed, $4,500; DMI 13-19 shank chisel plow, $2,200 – Watson Equipment , Tipton, Ind.

10 years ago

The U.S. House passed legislation providing $5.5 billion in aid to farmers suffering under a continuing slump in commodity prices.

The grand opening of the Purchase Area Aquaculture Cooperative’s catfish processing plant was held in Tri City, Ind., in southern Graves County. The 7,200 square-foot building, consisting of offices, a processing area and a receiving area, will employ 20-25 people and process one million pounds of catfish the first year.

The plant cost more than $1 million to build.

Grandstaff Rendering Service of North Manchester, Ind., ended its pickup service of dead livestock last month. The plant will continue to process carcasses delivered to its plant, said David Grandstaff, the owner.

A bus carrying 16 Ukrainian grain producers visited the farm of brothers Dennis and Mike Heyob of Harrison, Ohio. The producers are in the United States to study its domestic grain industry.