CORPORATE FARMING

CORPORATE OWNERSHIP OF FARM LAND. Brownfield News Online reported that a new ban on corporate farming may be coming in Nebraska, but only if the Nebraska Legislature acts on a measure to supplant Nebraska’s previous ban on corporate farming, which was ruled unconstitutional. State Senator M.L. “Cap” Dierks of Ewing introduced LB 1174 last week. The measure is designed to replace Initiative 300, a constitutional amendment approved by Nebraska voters more than 20 years ago, then struck down by a federal appeals court last year. “We think there’s a need for some protections for our family farmers,” Dierks said. “Protections from corporate takeover and invasion and whatever you want to call it, so this bill will do that.” And to do that, Dierks added, without violating the Interstate Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution or the Americans with Disabilities Act, the two reasons the appeals court struck down Initiative 300 last year. Nebraska Farmers Union President John Hansen, a long time champion of the corporate farming ban, said his attorneys tell him LB 1174, if passed, would withstand a court challenge. “We worked with our legal team to address the specific issues that were litigated and we feel that we have kept faith with the original intent and structure of Initiative 300,” Hansen told Brownfield. The next step for LB 1174 is a public hearing on February 12th. From there, Dierks said he will try to get the measure approved by the Nebraska Senate Agriculture Committee. If he succeeds, Dierks said he will prioritize the bill for debate in the full legislature. Brownfield News, Jan. 28, 2008.

http://ww.brownfieldnetwork.com/gestalt/go.cfm?objectid=C26EB7B8-C68B-E78B-C20630A94F8CF3D8

2008 FARM BILL. The Congressional Research Service has published a report on the tax provisions in the House and Senate versions of the 2008 Farm Bill. “Comparison of the House and Senate 2007 Farm Bills,” Jan. 22, 2008; Order Code RS22759.

http://opencrs.com/document/RS22759/

Courtesy of Agricultural Law Press

RURAL AMERICA'S MOST PROSPEROUS COUNTIES

Nebraska has 30 counties on the following list:

RURAL AMERICA'S MOST PROSPEROUS COUNTIES Contending that the success of rural areas is too often measured in terms of population and income growth, economist Andrew Isserman decided to adopt an alternate measure for rural success. Instead of growth, Isserman looked for which rural counties were prosperous. By studying prosperity instead, he and research colleagues Edward Feser and Drake Warren found that the prosperous places in rural America weren't the kinds of communities usually thought of as successful. Prosperous counties, according to Isserman, graduate their students from high school, have low rates of unemployment, have less poverty, and offer housing that is both affordable and in good repair. To see a map indicating the prosperity of U.S. counties, and to learn more about the study, visit

http://www.dailyyonder.com/finding-rural-americas-prosperous-communities.

To see a list of the 289 rural counties that have better housing, a more educated population, less poverty and more jobs than the national average, visit

http://www.dailyyonder.com/rural-americas-most-prosperous-counties.


Courtesy of Lori Shaal, Executive Director, Nebraska Diplomats

IDENTITY THEFT

Don't think that scams only happen to the "other guy." We have clients that have dealt with the repercussions of identity theft. Link to this Omaha World-Herald article to see the most recent scams. Omaha World-Herald

CLINTON HEALTH PLAN

'Clinton health plan may mean tapping employee pay'

(AP) -- Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton said Sunday she might be willing to garnish the wages of workers who refuse to buy health insurance to achieve coverage for all Americans. The New York senator has criticized presidential rival Barack Obama for pushing a health plan that would not require universal coverage. Clinton has not always specified the enforcement measures she would embrace, but when pressed on ABC's "This Week," she said: "I think there are a number of mechanisms" that are possible, including "going after people's wages, automatic enrollment."

INSPIRE YOUR KIDS

As a parent, I know how difficult it can be to effectively communicate with our children. What we mean to "say" to our children isn't always what they "hear."

The following Reader's Digest article explains that a child's brain cannot be expected to process words the same way an adult's does. This article contains some great information to help us inspire our kids, and gives examples of 7 important things to say, and (7 things not to say). Reader's Digest

THIS SHOWS HOW CONFUSING TAXES CAN BE

As I am sure you have heard, the federal government is in the process of negotiating a repayment to us of some of the taxes that we have paid in to stimulate the economy and hopefully avoid a recession. The House of Representatives passed a bill and, as I write this, the Senate is crafting their version.

The point I want to make is how the government, the House in this case, can make something fairly simple seem very complicated. Below is an illustration of the House version and the Senate version. If the House version passes we are going to need a computer to calculate the refund.

What a mess. Just give us our money back.

Illustration:
For 2007, married taxpayers filing jointly have $175,000 adjusted gross income (AGI), two qualifying children, and a net tax liability of $31,189.

Under the House bill, the recovery rebate credit before the phaseout would be $1,800 [$1,200 (i.e., greater of $600 or net tax liability not to exceed $1,200) + $600 ($300 × 2 children)]. However, the phaseout reduces the $1,800 amount to $550 [$1,800 − $1,250 reduction, i.e., ($175,000 AGI − $150,000) × 5%].

Under the Senate bill, the taxpayers would receive a stimulus rebate credit of $1,600 [$1,000 for married taxpayers filing jointly + $600 (i.e., $300 × 2 children)].

Eligible individuals. Under both bills, an eligible individual would be any individual other than: a nonresident alien; an estate or trust; or a dependent.

Eligible child. Under both bills, for purposes of the additional $300 rebate, a qualifying child would be based on the definition of a qualifying child for the Code Sec. 24 child credit. Under Code Sec. 24, an individual can claim a child credit of $1,000 for 2008 for each qualifying child under the age of 17. Generally, a qualifying child must have the same principal place of abode as the taxpayer for more than one-half the tax year and satisfy a relationship test. To satisfy the relationship test, the child must be the taxpayer's son, daughter, stepson, stepdaughter, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, or descendant of any such individual. A child who is not a citizen, national, or resident of the U.S. can't be a qualifying child.

ONLY IN AMERICA

An inmate who injured himself breaking out of a Colorado jail is suing on the grounds that guards should have done more to stop him escaping. Scott Gomez Jr. claimes he was badly injured when he fell 40 feet while attempting to scale down the outside wall of the Pueblo County jail. Prison authorities, Gomez complains, "did next to nothing to ensure that the jail was secure and that the plaintiff could not escape."

THE WEEK January 18, 2008