On Thursday, the House of Representatives passed HR1, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, in tandem with the Senate's passage of its own version of the legislation. With key provisions important to the livestock industry included in both of these plans, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association joined other groups in the ag industry in praising the move by legislators. Danielle Beck, NCBA's tax specialist who works in the organization's DC office, offered me her reaction and an explanation of some of the bill's highlights, particularly concerning the movement on the Death Tax.


"The bill immediately doubles the exemption limits on the Death Tax and then in 2025, the Death tax would be permanently repealed," she explained. "That's excellent news. We're thrilled that House legislators maintained their long-standing commitment to the livestock and agricultural industries and that they're going to get rid of the Death Tax once and for all."


Furthermore, Beck says NCBA is pleased with several other provisions in this proposed plan, likely to come before the full consideration of Congress after Thanksgiving, according to the latest updates. Beck says the House bill would allow for full and immediate expensing after September 2017, but before January 2023. All purchases made, would there for receive a 100 percent bonused appreciation. It also increases the small business expensing cap under Section 179 from $500,000 to $5 million, and lifts the dollar for dollar phase out that exists at $2 million currently, to $20 million - also affective from 2017 to 2023. The Senate bill aligns fairly close to the House version, but to a lesser degree. It does not provide a complete repeal of the Death Tax and is a shade lighter in its expansion of Section 179. These and some other minor issues are expected to hopefully be worked out in conference negotiations and Beck is optimistic some fair solutions will come about.


"The House Ways and Means Committee understands how important this issue is to us," Beck said. "We've received verbal commitments from a number of members on that committee that moving into conference, they are committed to addressing this, to ensure that agricultural producers come out on the winning end of this once the tax reform is finally enacted."


Listen to NCBA's Danielle Beck discuss with me the details of the tax reform package that passed through the House and Senate this week, on Friday's Beef Buzz - click here.

 

Just ahead of the OSU- K-State football game on Saturday(we won't say anything else about the game), Oklahoma State University's Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources and the OSU Foundation hosted the grand opening of Oklahoma Foundation Seed Stocks' new 20,000 square-foot complex. The new facility doubles the operation's previous space and includes a warehouse, cold room, machinery shed and offices.

After the short program midday, Dean and Vice President of the Division of Ag at OSU, Dr. Tom Coon, told me that the new warehouse reflects how the University "can be more entrepreneurial" in bridging the work of the OSU Wheat Improvement team with the commercial wheat industry in the state of Oklahoma.

Click or tap here to read more- and to hear our conversation with Dean Coon about this building and the hopes to add more new facilities in the days ahead for the Division of Ag.

 

 

 

"Fast forward 40 years and we are still offering those specially cut meats," Talbot said. "We actually have a specialty meat store on the property called Cliff Superette that pays tribute to my grandpa because that is what gave Mountain View our start."

 

 

 

In addition to Talbot's official role in her family's business as Director of Sales and Marketing, she also serves on the Board of Directors for the Made in Oklahoma Coalition, a food manufacturers group of over 60 companies promoting Oklahoma food and agriculture products. Her primarily duties keeps her busy negotiating new contracts, seeking new business, and overseeing the production and labeling to ensure the links they sell are what the customer is looking for. Talbot said keeping the business current while staying consistent to their brand name is critical, and her fashion marketing degree comes in handy for that challenge. 

 

 

 

A letter sent last week by Senator James Lankford to the Trump Administration, spurred Oklahoma's ag community to rally in support of the Senator's pro-job sentiments. In his letter, Lankford encouraged US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer to prioritize job creation over trade deficits and refrain from the pursuit of a "sunset" clause in ongoing negotiations concerning the modernization of NAFTA.

In reaction, Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association Executive Vice President Michael Kelsey offered a few words supporting Lankford's position.

"The Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association appreciates Senator Lankford's strong commitment to free and fair trade," he said. "His highlighting reduction of excessive government red tape is spot on and should be the top priority of our trade agreements."

Kelsey was joined by Rodd Moesel, Oklahoma Farm Bureau's new president and Oklahoma Grain and Feed Association President and CEO Joe Neal Hampton.

"Oklahoma Farm Bureau agrees with Sen. James Lankford," Moesel said. "Placing higher tariffs on imports will create additional trade barriers for Oklahoma farmers and ranchers and will harm our state's second leading industry. We believe the modernization of NAFTA must prioritize and defend the gains achieved in U.S. agricultural trade."

Hampton agreed, saying, "Senator Lankford's defense of free and fair trade should be applauded by Oklahomans and his colleagues in Congress alike. Oklahoma benefits greatly from open trade with countries around the world."

The Oklahoma 4-H Foundation expressed its gratitude in a release sent this past week, thanking the rural retail company, Tractor Supply, for its partnership and collaboration with a recent fundraising campaign.

This fall Tractor Supply Company customers had the opportunity to purchase a paper clover emblem when checking-out at their local store, for a dollar or as much as they wished to donate. The money raised is used to support Oklahoma 4-H member's participation in camps and leadership experiences.

This year, the 2017 Paper Clover Campaign raised a total of $44,670, according to Blayne Arthur, the Executive Director of the Oklahoma 4-H Foundation, between a two-part campaign ran this spring and fall.

"We are appreciative of this wonderful partnership with Tractor Supply Company," Arthur said. "Each paper clover donation directly benefits an Oklahoma 4-H member in a positive way."


Oklahoma 4-H Members look forward to the next clover campaign which will run this spring from April 11, 2018- April 22, 2018.

Growing up with a commercial cow-calf herd laid the foundation. Then came collegiate meats-judging, and experience as one of the very first "agvocates."


In a recent story shared with us by the folks at Certified Angus Beef, Troy Hadrick, who was recently honored as the 2017 Progressive Partner of the Year by CAB, explained how his background solidified his goal to raise the highest quality beef possible, when he first started managing his family's Angus herd.

"Then just being able to take the data that's out there that our cows are producing and the data that the Angus Association puts out there for us to use and combine those technologies and combine DNA testing and everything else to every year try and make our beef better. And the numbers speak for themselves," Hadrick said. "We've accomplished a lot in the last couple of years where we've got 80% of our cattle grading CAB or Prime. And it's something we're really proud of but we're not done yet. Our goals are higher than that and I think we'll get there. But it's just been exciting to see how fast we've been able to accomplish those."


Their assertive use of artificial insemination and genomic testing are examples of the forward-thinking management.


"That technology allows us to use some of the best bulls in the world and bulls that are highly proven that we know are going to benefit our cows a lot," Hadrick explained. "And then combining that over the last few years now with Genemax testing and getting the DNA data and really seeing, looking into the future if you will, a little bit of how these cattle are going to perform is just taking us to another level now."

Continue reading about Hadrick and his South Dakota angus operation, or watch a companion video, by clicking or tapping here.