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The American Farm Bureau Federation supports replacing the current federal income tax system with a new tax code that encourages savings, investment and entrepreneurship. It also supports changes to ensure that the tax code treats farmers and ranchers fairly compared to other taxpayers.
AFBF recently outlined several general and specific goals for tax reform in a statement to President Bush's Advisory Panel on Federal Tax Reform. Death tax repeal continues to be AFBF's top tax priority.
"As land continues to increase in value for reasons other than its productive agricultural value, multi-generation farms can face large estate tax bills at times when their incomes are small," AFBF said. "When the forced sale of farm assets is the result, the economic viability of farms and ranches can be ruined."
AFBF said owners of other businesses may not face the same consequences of the death tax if their businesses are less capital-intensive and generate more income per dollar of assets. About twice as many farm estates pay death taxes compared to estates in general, according to Farm Bureau.
Any new tax code should include the elimination of capital gains taxes, payroll taxes, self-employment taxes and personal and corporate income taxes, as well as the alternative minimum tax, AFBF said. In addition, any new tax code should be revenue neutral, so as not to produce a tax increase. The president's nine-member panel is charged with submitting revenue-neutral reform options by the end of July.
The American Farm Bureau Federation applauded Rep. Dennis Cardoza (D-Calif.) for introducing the Critical Habitat Enhancement Act. AFBF supports the legislation as part of the bipartisan and bicameral approach for Endangered Species Act reform that will take place in Congress. The House Resources Committee, under the leadership of Rep. Richard Pombo (R-Calif.), will consider the Cardoza bill as a part of a larger ESA bill later in the year.
"This bill would update the process for designating critical habitat to make it work better for species and landowners," said AFBF President Bob Stallman. "It would also extend the timeline for designating critical habitat to better allow for adequate study of the needs of the species."
The legislation also takes advantage of the knowledge of state and local governments about the status of species in their communities and the impacts of designation of critical habitat on their economies. The bill would also specify that the full range of economic impacts be evaluated before critical habitat is designated.
Five Texas Country Cleanups—rural recycling events—are scheduled for April. Each cleanup will be from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The following items will be accepted: Used motor oil (except that from oil-changing businesses); used motor oil filters (limited to two 55-gallon barrels per participant); lead-acid batteries; and triple-rinsed or high-pressure rinsed empty pesticide containers.
Dates and places of the cleanups are:
• April 21 at the Texas Department of Transportation, 3600 Southwest Loop 286 in Paris. Contact Michael Morrow, Texas Cooperative Extension agent in Lamar County, at (903) 737-2443.
• April 23 at the Hunt County Fairgrounds, Farm-to-Market Road 1570 (across from L-3 Communications) in Greenville. Contact Sara Allen, Extension agent in Hunt County, at (903) 455-9885.
• April 25 at Smith Brothers Western Store, 7833 U.S. Interstate 35, Exit 472, in Denton. Contact Eddie Baggs, Extension agent in Denton County, at (940) 349-2880.
• April 27 at the Texas Department of Transportation, 861 South Shelby Street in Carthage. Contact Douglas McKinney, Extension agent in Panola County, at (903) 693-0380.
• April 29 at Hillcrest Baptist Church, 3196 Highway 190 West in Jasper. Contact Rickey Thompson, Extension agent in Jasper County, at (409) 384-3721.
According to a recent Agriculture Department study, more women attain degrees in farm and food-related fields than men.
The Employment Opportunities for College Graduates in the U.S. Food, Agricultural and Natural Resources System 2005-2010 also says that there aren't enough agriculture degree-holders coming out of colleges. The study projects 52,000 job openings a year for the next five years and only 49,300 graduates to fill them.
The study also found that only one in five people who earn ag-related degrees is a minority.
"This is not about the Castro regime. U.S. exports of food do not help Castro. There is a reason that food and medicine are exempt from the embargo on Cuba. It is because food and medicine are needed by the people of Cuba and American farmers and ranchers are well positioned to provide that food on a cash only basis, with no extension of credit to the Castro government."
—House Ag Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, commenting to American Farm Bureau Federation's Newsline on new trade rules announced for Cuba.
