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Tuesday, February 6, 2007

FB supports local option income tax for school construction

Nebraska Farm Bureau presented testimony last week in support of LB 340, which would authorize a local option income tax for school capital construction purposes.

LB 340 gets to the issue of the unfairness to agriculture landowners of levy override and bond votes in many school districts, Farm Bureau’s Jay Rempe told the Revenue Committee. “In many rural districts, ag land dominates the valuation base, and pays the majority of the taxes -- but in terms of voting population, persons engaged in agriculture are a distinct minority. Thus, the majority of the population can pass a levy override, but the burden of paying the increased taxes will fall on a minority of taxpayers.”

LB 340 corrects this problem by repealing school’s ability to override the maximum levy, and giving them the ability to vote on income tax. In so doing, it will better connect the effect of the tax with the power of the vote, he said.

“LB 340 would also better link ability to pay,” Rempe said. “Levy overrides can result in increased taxes on those with little ability to pay. With LB 340, at least the increased taxes will be based more on ability to pay.”

Labels: Ag News: Rural events

posted by Robert Pore # 2/06/2007 0 Comments

January agricultural summary

The following is a summary of agricultural conditions in Nebraska during January

Agricultural: For the month of January 2007, below normal temperatures were experienced statewide along with snow and ice, which caused long hours for livestock producers, according to USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, Nebraska Field Office. Livestock were being fed forage with limited access to stalks due to snow cover. The cold weather and wind chills were also impacting livestock and the beginning of spring calving. Concern for the winter wheat crop was expressed across the mid section of the state as ice cover during January increased the possibility of winter kill. However, little will bSummarye known until green-up occurs. Other producer activities included staying inside as much as possible by attending meetings, working on record books, and planning for the upcoming crop season.

Weather Summary: Depth of snow at the end of January averaged at least one inch across all districts with the Southwest District reporting up to five inches of snow cover. January precipitation was above average for the southern half and eastern third of the state.

Field Crops Report: Wheat conditions were below month ago levels and rated 1 percent very poor, 5 poor, 40 fair, 52 good, and 2 excellent. This is near last year’s condition of 52 percent good or excellent. Hay and forage supplies rated 5 percent very short, 30 short, 65 adequate and 0 surplus.

Livestock, Pasture, and Range Report: Cattle and calves condition rated 4 percent very poor, 5 poor, 31 fair, 56 good, and 4 excellent, well below year ago levels. Calving was underway at 6 percent complete with calf losses reported as 5 percent below average, 89 average, and 6 above average.

Labels: Ag news: Field Conditions

posted by Robert Pore # 2/06/2007 0 Comments

Prescribed burn schools to be held in March

The Prescribed Burn Task Force is sponsoring three separate schools in March to promote the safe use of prescribed burning as a land management tool. The Task Force has been sponsoring burn schools for over 10 years in central and southwest Nebraska.

This year’s featured speaker at all three schools is Dr. Chuck Butterfield, professor of agriculture and range management at Chadron State College. Dr. Butterfield has considerable experience with prescribed burning, and will address the topics of prescribed burn objectives, safety factors, fire behavior, weather conditions, equipment needs, how to plan a burn and post-burn management. Dr. Butterfield will also address strategies to protect property from wildfires, such as the ones that threatened Chadron and other locations in the recent past. Each meeting will also offer other speakers to cover other subjects such as mechanical tree removal.

The Prescribed Burn Schools will be held at the following locations:

Tuesday, March 20, 2007 – Community Building, 535 W Boyd, Elm Creek, (Fire Station by water tower-North Door only)

Wednesday, March 21, 2007 – Legion Hall, 657 G Street, Burwell

Thursday, March 22, 2007 – Country Kitchen, 606 W B,
Hwy 6 & 34, McCook

Registration begins by 8:30 a.m. The school begins at 9 a.m. and will wrap up by 4 p.m. or earlier. Lunch will be served and RSVP’s will help ensure a meal. The registration cost is $10, or $5 for those on a volunteer fire department. For more information, contact David Carr – Central Platte NRD Fire Coordinator at (308) 385-6282.

Labels: Ag News: Rural events