News Update
December 26, 2013
Still Time for ‘End-of-the-Year’ Charitable Gifts of IRA Rollovers, Securities or Cash
Charitable gifts to the Angus Foundation in support of its education, youth and research programs are appreciated regardless of the time of year the gift is made by the donor. Oftentimes, however, charitable giving decisions are made at year-end once an individual or couple knows its income tax situation for that respective calendar (tax) year.
Feel free to make your gift this year through the Angus Foundation’s annual fund appeal you received recently, or the envelope insert in the organization’s 2013 Annual Report.
“It is very humbling for the Angus Foundation to receive charitable contributions from Angus breeders and friends for the benefit of the Angus breed and beef cattle industry,” says Angus Foundation President Milford Jenkins. “Staff will be happy to visit with supporters and their personal financial advisors about the array of charitable giving options available to help achieve their goals and objectives for their charitable gifts to the Angus Foundation.”
As a reminder, one should pay special attention to timing when it comes to year-end gifts. In accordance with Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidelines, 501(c)(3) charities such as the Angus Foundation will recognize the U.S. Postal Service’s postmark denoted on the outside of the carrier envelope used by the donor in transmitting the gift to the charity.
In order to qualify for tax savings on this year’s tax return, your gift must be completed by Dec. 31. For cash gifts, this means your gift must be personally delivered or mailed to the Angus Foundation in an envelope postmarked no later than Dec. 31. Gifts can also be made online at www.angusfoundation.org.
For more information, please view the full release here.
Agriculture Secretary Reports Progress at the U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today reported progress on a number of trade issues with China as a result of the 24th U.S.-China Joint Commission on Commerce and Trade (JCCT), which wrapped up Dec. 23 in Beijing.
The JCCT is the highest-level bilateral forum for the resolution of trade and investment issues between the United States and China. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker and U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman co-chaired the JCCT with China’s Vice Premier Wang Yang.
“My discussions with Premier Li Keqiang and other Chinese leaders laid the groundwork for future cooperation related to our shared interests in food security, food safety and sustainability, as well as the expansion of export opportunities for American farmers and ranchers,” Vilsack said.
At the JCCT, a number of high-priority issues for agriculture were discussed, including access for beef and horticultural products, the approval process for biotechnology products, and import suspensions for four states related to avian influenza.
On beef access, the United States and China reached consensus to continued dialogue, with the intention to restore market access by the middle of 2014.
On horticulture, the secretary re-affirmed a pathway for re-opening China’s market for Washington apples and California citrus.
On biotechnology, the secretary conveyed a need to streamline China’s biotech approval process, and gave his commitment to begin implementation of a pilot program on the review of biotechnology products. China also agreed to discuss U.S. concerns regarding China’s requirement for the use of viable seed in applications for biotechnology approvals.
On avian influenza, the secretary raised lifting bans on poultry due to avian influenza. China responded that they were analyzing information provided by USDA.
For more information, please view the full release here.
Winterizing the Home
Cold winds and temperatures might have sneaked up on some people this year before they could take appropriate measures to winterize their homes. Making small adjustments in the home can lead to energy savings and lower utility bills through the winter months, according to Bruce Snead, director of Engineering Extension at Kansas State University.
Finding a balance between being comfortable and conserving energy is key, he said. Some main areas of concentration for winterizing the home include checking the furnace, insulation, and the windows, doors and outlets for leaks to the outdoors. However, having a working programmable thermostat might be the first item on the agenda.
“The thermostat setting determines how much you will spend for heating and cooling costs,” Snead said. He recommends that people consider setting it down when they don’t need it, perhaps when they are sleeping or gone during the day.
“Each house is unique, but generally every degree you drop on your thermostat might save as much as 3% on your heating and cooling costs,” he said.
Snead said that the furnace, whether it is a gas, propane, heat pump or even geothermal heat pump, should be operating at optimum efficiency. This means filters should be regularly replaced or cleaned.
“The more you use the furnace, the more important it is to check it, certainly at least every three months if not more often, just to make sure that the filters are clean,” he said. “If you have not had your furnace serviced in two or three years, it would be worth having a service technician do a standard evaluation to make sure everything is still lubricated, operating properly, venting properly, and you are getting the most out of the fuel that is being consumed by the furnace to provide comfort in your home.”
For more information, please view the full release here.
OSU Extension Offers Beef Cattle School Jan. 28, Feb. 18 and March 11
Beef cattle producers who want boost their profit potential and become more competitive in the cattle industry can learn how by attending the 2014 Ohio Beef Cattle School series Jan. 28, 2014, Feb. 18 and March 11, taught by experts from Ohio State University’s (OSU’s) College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences.
The three-session program covers a broad range of topics including factors that influence reproduction efficiencies and grazing, said John Grimes, beef coordinator for Ohio State University Extension and a member of the OSU Extension Beef Team. The overall goal of the program, he said, is to help producers expand their beef operations and take advantage of the increasing consumer demand for high-quality beef products.
“We hope to equip producers with the information they need to keep them competitive in the beef cattle business and help them make their operations more profitable,” Grimes said. “Right now, beef is a high-priced commodity because of supply and demand, and producers need to implement production practices that will ensure that the beef they produce is a good, quality product to eat.
“We want to help producers take advantage of the fact that because of supply-and-demand issues impacting the beef industry now, prices for beef are high and grains and feed prices are going down. We also want to encourage folks to remain in the business and expand where possible.”
The program will be taught by Ohio State University Extension and Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC) researchers and educators. OSU Extension and OARDC are the outreach and research arms, respectively, of the college.
For more information, please view the Angus Journal’s Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events here.
Editor’s Note: The articles used within this site represent a mixture of copyrights. If you would like to reprint or repost an article, you must first request permission of Angus Productions Inc. (API) by contacting the editor at 816-383-5200; 3201 Frederick Ave., Saint Joseph, MO 64506. API claims copyright to this web site as presented. We welcome educational venues and cattlemen to link to this site as a service to their audience.