News Update
January 30, 2017
Arkansas Family Recognized
for Historic Angus Herd
The Snider and Lewis Family is well known throughout Arkansas for their commitment to raising high-quality Angus cattle. On the farm near Carlisle, Ark., their pastures have been home to registered-Angus cattle for more than 50 years.
Recognizing their dedication to the Angus breed, the American Angus Association is proud to recognize the Snider and Lewis Angus Farm as a Historic Angus Herd. This award is presented to Angus breeders and immediate families who have been in continuous production of registered-Angus cattle for 50 years or more.
Established in 1896, the family’s operation is an Arkansas Century Farm, which has been involved in cattle production for generations. In the mid-1960s, they decided to change their focus to registered-Angus genetics, a decision prompted by high demand in the area. The Angus breed was new to the region, and the Smith and Lewis herd was looking for a productive beef cow that could reproduce efficiently and was powered by solid production records.
Continue reading in the Angus news release online.
MCA Urges Full Repeal of Death Tax
The Missouri Cattlemen’s Association (MCA) and National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) last week applauded the introduction of bipartisan legislation that would permanently kill the onerous death tax.
The Death Tax Repeal Act of 2017 was introduced this week by U.S. Sen. John Thune (R-SD) of South Dakota and by U.S. Reps. Kristi Noem (R-SD) and Sanford Bishop (D-Ga.)
“As a fourth-generation cattle producer, I can attest that the death tax can wreak havoc with agricultural families, and it’s long past time that we kill it off once and for all,” said NCBA President Tracy Brunner.
MCA President Butch Meier said the death tax is nothing more than a “prohibition” on the future of farming and ranching.
“The next generation of farmers and ranchers who plan to continue the tradition of making a living off the land are hit with this ludicrous tax. There is no reason for this,” said Meier. “Nothing in life is certain except death and taxes, but taxing death is just plain wrong.”
For more information, visit the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association website.
PLC/NCBA Urge Congress to Settle
Red River Property Rights Dispute
PLC and NCBA sent a letter to the Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Rob Bishop urging strong support of on the S. 90 and H.R. 428, the Red River Gradient Boundary Survey Act. The bill, introduced by Senator John Cornyn (R-Tex.), and Congressman Mac Thornberry (R-Tex.) would seek to settle all federal ownership claims by providing legal certainty to landowners along the Red River.
In 1923, the U.S. Supreme Court determined that the gradient line of the south bank of the Red River was the boundary between Texas and Oklahoma (Oklahoma v. Texas). Recognizing that the Red River is a unique situation, the State of Texas and the State of Oklahoma agreed to an interstate boundary compact known as the Red River Boundary Compact, essentially resolving the dispute over the definition of the border between the two states. The 106th Congress enacted legislation ratifying the compact, establishing the new Texas-Oklahoma boundary on Aug. 31, 2000.
In 2013, the BLM stated that there is an estimated 90,000 acres of land along the 116 mile stretch of the Red River that may be considered public domain.
Read more in the NCBA news release online.
Scholarships Available Through FCS Financial
Since 2004, FCS Financial has provided $464,000 to Missouri high school seniors seeking higher education. Up to 35 scholarships, each at $1,500 will be awarded to children or grandchildren of FCS Financial members. The scholarship application deadline is March 1 and recipients will be notified in April.
Applicants must be a graduating senior at a Missouri high school, a child or grandchild of an FCS Financial member, and attain a 2.5 or higher GPA, an ACT score of at least 26 or rank in the top 20% of their senior class. The scholarship applicants are then judged by a non-partisan committee on leadership roles, work experience, community involvement and essays.
Apply online at www.myfcsfinancial.com. Click on Scholarships at the top of the web page. Relatives of FCS Financial board members or employees are not eligible.
For more information, view the FCS news release online.
Workshops on Preventing, Responding to Disease Outbreaks
University of Missouri (MU) Extension will hold five workshops throughout the state on preventing and responding to disease outbreaks.
Teng Lim, MU Extension agricultural engineer, says government groups have collaborated to bring an awareness of diseases that threaten the health of food animals and wildlife. In recent years, emerging threats have included porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDv), which has killed at least 8 million pigs since 2013, and the H5N2 avian flu that led to the loss of 48 million birds last year.
Rapid response to new diseases can prevent or limit negative impact to animal health, the economy, food security and public health, Lim says. “What kind of financial shortage could be caused by such an outbreak? Come talk with the regulators and experts.”
For more information, visit the Angus Journal Virtual Library calendar of upcoming events.
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