US drought and Chinese reserves key for cotton market
Cotton exports may be up slightly this coming season. The increase would come largely as a result of the drop anticipated in planted acres in China and around the globe because of strong soybean and corn prices. China may concentrate more acres on grain crops, because they’re still trying to get a better hold on their food supply situation.
Charitable giving should be part of estate plan
Want to keep some of your hard-earned money from going to the tax man when you die, and accomplish some good at the same time? You can accomplish both goals as a part of your estate planning by making gifts of money or other assets to your church, your alma mater, or your favorite charities.
Farm assets protected by estate planning
A goal of estate planning is to make sure we get our assets to those we want to have them, with minimum shrinkage due to costs, taxes, or other expenses, and to do it with maximum security — to know that all the necessary documents are in force, that we’ve established a way to pay for expenses, and that we’ve tried to reduce those expenses as much as possible.
Is it back to square one for agriculture cuts?
When the “Super Committee” on debt reduction failed to come up with its assigned task of developing at least $1.2 trillion in federal spending cuts, the question became what would happen to the proposed $23 billion in cuts that the leadership of the House and Senate Agriculture Committees had put on the table to try and protect the baseline budget for agriculture and serve as a starting point for the discussions of the new farm bill.
Invasive pest invasion marches on across U.S.
Many non-native pests, from fire ants to slithery, slimy worm-like creatures, have come into the U.S. and made themselves at home, often causing widespread economic damage and other disruptions to life and commerce. There are more than 1,700 significant insect pest species in the U.S. Half or more have been introduced in one way or another.
U.S. military a demand source for alternative energy industry
The U.S. military, the nation’s largest user of fossil fuels, could be the catalyst for reducing the country’s dependence on imported oil by moving to alternate energy forms — in the process providing the demand that the fledgling industry needs to become financially viable.
Changes outlined for cotton classing system
Several changes have taken place in the USDA cotton classing system, according to Keith Maloney, area director of the classing office at Dumas, Ark. “As of June 27, the Washington headquarters was moved to the Memphis USDA cotton complex,” he said at recent area meetings of the Southern Cotton Ginners Association.
Last of the Oktibbeha County dairymen
Of the 1,000-plus dairy enterprises that once dotted the landscape of Oktibbeha County, Miss., just one commercial operation is left — McReynolds Dairy. John T. McReynolds, who milked his first cow at age 6 on his father’s farm, is the lone survivor of the county’s once-teeming industry.
What lies ahead after historic farmland boom?
“Farmland has clearly been a preferred asset class in an era when many other asset classes have stumbled as a result of the financial crisis. But the key question is, what lies ahead after this historic boom?”
Commodities bull 'has a good bit more life'
The bull market in commodities has "a good bit more life," says economist O.A. Cleveland, Jr. “It could last another five years or more. But I don’t see inflation as a problem.” He says “a lack of money supply available to consumers” will hold inflation in line.
