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Saying Goodbye to More Tax Exemptions in 2017?

March 8, 2016 By Neil E. Harl, Economist In a shocking development, tucked away in the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, there is a provision affecting farmers and ranchers (and other small businesses) in a highly significant way. It signals the end of a 34-year-old tax law that has been depended upon by thousands of taxpayers. It was a model of simplicity when enacted in 1982 and has continued to be the best example of tax simplification to this day. To be specific, the late 2015 bipartisan legislation repeals the “small partnership” exception after 2017. Congress passed the legislation and the President signed it into law.

Why It Was Passed In 1982

In 1967, this author was appointed by the U.S. Treasury Department to a task force to provide ideas...
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Whats Trending in Retail Fertilizer?

By Russ Quinn DTN Staff Reporter

OMAHA (DTN) -- Some retail fertilizer prices are continuing to slip lower, but others have reversed course the first week of March, according to fertilizer retailers surveyed by DTN. This falls in line with reports of higher wholesale prices in recent weeks and signs the trend is spreading to the retail fertilizer market.

For the first time in many months, some fertilizers showed higher prices in DTN's weekly survey. Three fertilizers had higher prices, but none of these were up any significant amount.

Urea averaged $374 per ton, 10-34-0 $566/ton and UAN32 $309/ton.

The remaining five fertilizers dipped lower, but again the move was slight. DAP averaged $476/ton, MAP $492/ton, potash $373/ton, anhydrous $537/ton and UAN28 $260/ton.

On a...

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So, What Would Happen if GMOs Vanished?

By Brian Wallheimer, Purdue University Agriculture NewsMarch 1, 2016

QUESTIONS: What would be the significance of crop yield loss if genetically modified crops were banned from U.S. farm fields? How would that decision trickle down to other parts of the economy?

POSSIBLE ANSWERS: Higher food prices, a significant boost in greenhouse gas emissions due to land use change, major loss of forest and pasture land, and commodity price increases would be some results if genetically modified organisms in the United States were banned, according to a Purdue University study.

Wally Tyner, James and Lois Ackerman Professor of Agricultural Economics; Farzad Taheripour, a research associate professor of agricultural economics; and Harry Mahaffey, an agricultural economics graduate student presented their findings at the International Consortium on Applied Bioeconomy Research in Ravello, Italy,...

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