Ag
Connection
Your local link to MU for ag
extension and research information
April 2009
Publishing Information
Ag Connection is published monthly for Central Missouri
Region producers and is supported by University of Missouri Extension, the Commercial
Agriculture program, the Missouri Agricultural Experiment Station and the MU College of
Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources. Editorial board: Joni Ross, Managing
Editor; Mary Sobba, Parman Green, Gene Schmitz, Mark Stewart, Wendy Flatt, Jim
Jarman, Todd Lorenz, Wayne Crook, Dee Cooper, James Quinn and Kent Shannon.
Comments or Suggestions?
Please send your comments and suggestions to
Joni Ross, Agronomy Specialist, University of Missouri Extension, 100 E Newton
St., 4th Floor, Versailles, MO 65084, call 573/378-5358 or send messages by
e-mail to: rossjo@missouri.edu.
To send a message to an author, click on the author's name at the end of an article.
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[This Month in Ag Connection] [Ag Connection - Other Issues Online]
Taxation Tidbits
The new economic stimulus plan
titled - The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (The 2009 Act)
contains numerous tax provisions. It is reported that more than 50 major tax
provisions have been rolled into The 2009 Act. Following are six major tax
provisions that should be of general interest: 1)
Section 179 capital asset
expensing will be maintained at the $250,000
maximum deduction level for 2009. You may recall Section 179 was increased
to the $250,000 level last year as part of a 2008 stimulus package. The 2009
Act is simply extending this larger deduction for another year. Remember
that qualifying assets for Section 179 can be new or used. 2) The
50 percent bonus depreciation
on the purchase of new qualifying assets is being extended through December
31, 2009. Bonus depreciation was implemented as part of last year’s 2008
stimulus package. Qualified assets for bonus depreciation are assets that
meet the following
three tests:
· MACRS
eligible property with a recovery period of 20 years or less (this includes
general-purpose farm
buildings).
· Acquired by
the taxpayer before 12-31-2009.
· Original use
must commence with the taxpayer (i.e., new property). 3) This provision will be of
interest to those in retirement. The 2009 Act provides for a
one-time payment of $250 to
individuals on fixed income, such as those
receiving social security, railroad pension, veterans disability, or civil
service retirement payments.
5)
“Making Work Pay” This provision allows a credit
against income tax on earned income. The credit amount is up to $400 on
single returns and $800 on married filing joint returns. The credit is
applicable for the entire 2009 year and will be available again in 2010. 6) To
jump-start the auto industry,
the sixth provision allows a deduction for state and local sales tax paid on
the purchase of a new vehicle on or after February 17, 2009. Thisdeduction
is allowed regardless of whether you claim the standard deduction or
itemize. However, the deduction is only allowed on the cost of a new
vehicle up to the first $49,500 on any one vehicle. Additionally, there is a
phase-out of the deduction if you make over $125,000 ($250,000 a joint
return). Qualifying new vehicles include automobiles, SUVs, and light trucks
weighing less than 8,500 pounds gross vehicle weight. Qualifying vehicles
also include motor homes and motorcycles. These of just a few of the numerous
tax provisions, but are provisions of general interest. As a side note, The
2009 Act raises the U.S. debt limit to $12,204,000,000,000. Trillion is a
number followed by 12 digits. In the movie Jaws – one of the lines is “I
think we need a bigger boat!” With this new debt limit “I think we need a
bigger calculator!”
(Source:
Parman R. Green, MU Extension Ag
Business Mgmt. Specialist)
[This Month in
Ag Connection] [Ag Connection - Other
Issues Online]
Plan to Minimize Losses from Soybean Diseases
Phytophthora root rot, soybean cyst
nematode (SCN) and sudden death syndrome (SDS) are generally considered by
both producers and agri-business as the most difficult to control and
consistently yield loss causing soybean diseases. All three diseases are
caused by pathogens in the soil, are found in all soybean producing areas of
the state and are difficult to manage. Additionally, management options for
all three rely primarily on preventative measures since effective rescue
treatments are not available. These diseases were discussed in the
Integrated Pest and Crop Management newsletter article “Steps
to Minimize Losses from Three Important Soybean Diseases”
by Dr. Laura Sweets, MU Extension Plant Pathologist. Phytophthora seedling blight and
root rot is more severe in low or poorly drained areas, whether it is due to
soil type (clay) or compaction. Management options include:
1. Select
varieties with either race-specific resistance, tolerance or a combination
of race-specific resistance and tolerance especially for fields with a
history of this disease.
2. Plant in good
seedbed conditions.
3. Tile to
improve drainage and reduce or prevent compaction.
4. Avoid the
application of high levels of manure or fertilizer (KCL) just prior to
planting.
5. Use an
appropriate fungicide treatment.
Soybean
cyst nematode is a serious problem throughout Missouri. Symptoms may range
from no obvious, subtle, to dead plants. Symptoms may be more severe if
plants are stressed. Anything that moves
cyst-infested soil can spread SCN. Once in a field, it may take years to
build up nematode populations, but they will probably be there forever.
Management
tools for SCN:
1. Soil sample
to identify problems and determine extent and severity.
2. Select
resistant varieties.
3. Rotate
sources of resistance.
4. Rotate to
non-host crop
5. Maintain good
plant health.
6. Maintain good
weed control.
7. Avoid
spreading SCN from field to field on machinery.
8. Several
nematicides are labeled for use but, economic and environmental concerns
limit their use.
Sudden
death syndrome is primarily a problem in river bottom fields in the central
and eastern portions of Missouri but is apparently present in
soybean-producing areas throughout the state. SDS is associated with high
yield production and is more likely to occur and be more severe with high
soil moisture. Early planting fields tend to have an increased
susceptibility to infection by SDS.
Management
tools for SDS:
1. Select
varieties that have performed well where SDS has been a problem.
2. Improve
drainage in poorly drained fields and avoid compacting soils.
3. Stagger
planting dates and delay planting until soils are warm and dry.
4. Rotate crops,
avoid continuous soybean cropping.
5. Maintain good
crop vigor and avoid crop stress, including soybean cyst nematode.
6. Harvest
fields with SDS in a timely manner.
(Source:
Wayne Crook, MU Extension Agronomy
Specialist)
[This Month in
Ag Connection] [Ag Connection - Other
Issues Online] Beef AI
Just Got Easier
Extension livestock specialists can also assist producers in setting up a
synchronization calendar utilizing a planning tool from the Iowa Beef
Center. The Estrus Sync software helps producers select the most appropriate
synchronization protocol for their management and schedule the steps
necessary for the protocol to be effective.
To use the Central Missouri AI barn:
(Source: Mark Stewart, MU
Extension Livestock Specialist)
[This Month in Ag Connection]
[Ag Connection - Other Issues Online]
2009 Corn Flea Beetle Predictions for Missouri
The corn flea beetle
is a pest where the relative numbers can be predicted. Other pests like
black cutworm and European corn borer predictions are made on the dates of
occurrence. Then field scouting is used to determine their numbers and
potential for damage. All pests need to be
scouted to see their actual damage potential. The relative numbers predicted
for flea beetles gives the relative urgency to scout. To make flea beetle
infestation predictions, the winter average is determined by cumulative
totals of the average daily temperature for the months of December, January,
and February. Missouri’s variable weather has a way of spoiling insect
predictions as seen in 2003 and 2005. Those years, central and northern
regions had significant flea beetle infestations where average winter
temperatures suggested their numbers should have been variable to low.
Adult corn flea
beetles overwinter in grassy areas. When winter temperatures average
significantly lower than freezing (average temperature below 30oF/
month or the 3 month cumulative winter average of less than 90o
F), poor flea beetle survival is indicated and few early season flea beetle
problems should occur. High flea beetle numbers and damage are most likely
to occur following a warm winter (averages above 33oF per month
or warmer than a 100 F combined winter temperatures). When extended cool
wet spring weather slows corn seedling growth is combined with higher flea
beetle numbers, feeding damage on the seedling corn leaves can accumulate.
Typical flea beetle damage is a silvering and even death of the leaves. The
economic threshold for flea beetles attacking seedling corn is 5 or more per
plant with significant feeding when the plants are under cool weather
stress. Central Missouri may have moderate flea beetle infestations this
spring during the time field corn is emerging. An additional factor
is the temperature during and just after corn emergence. If warm weather
continues from emergence through the early growth stages, even high flea
beetle numbers are unlikely to cause economic damage. Rapid early growth
outpaces the feeding damage caused by corn flea beetles. Even if your area is
not expected to have high flea beetle numbers, it is a good idea to scout
seedling corn for early insect, disease and weed problems. If you don’t
look, you won’t know. Central Missouri Region
Locations Info.
(Dec-Jan-Feb) Sum of average winter
temperatures
(Source: Jim Jarman,
MU Extension Agronomy Specialist)
[This Month in Ag Connection] [Ag Connection - Other
Issues Online]
Century Farm Applications and NEW Replacement
Signs
Older Plastic
New Metal
4)
Extends and increases the
first-time home buyer’s credit.
The credit is now a maximum of $8,000 for purchases after December 31,
2008 through November 30, 2009. Additionally, the repayment plan for the
amount of this credit that was part of the 2008 incentive package has been
eliminated for homes purchased during 2009.
Central Missouri cow/calf producers
interested in using
artificial insemination (AI) and estrus
synchronization to increase genetic quality and consistency in their herds
now have access to tool and
facilities to help. Through grant funding a single stall artificial
insemination barn is now available to cow/calf producers in the central
Missouri region. The cost is $25.00 per day which will cover maintenance and
upkeep on the barn.
The AI barn keeps cattle quieter during the insemination process, making the
insemination process safer and quicker for the inseminator as well. The dark
environment the barn provides the cattle makes them easier to handle and
inseminate along with providing an indoor environment for the inseminator to
work in.
Contact your local livestock specialist or the Callaway County Extension
Center at 573-642-0755.
The charge to use the barn is $25 per day of use.
The barn is located at the Boone County Extension Center.
To pull the barn, a half-ton pickup with a receiver hitch is required. A
drop hitch is provided.
Still,
there is no good substitute for field crop scouting to see what insects are
damaging the crop. Predications are made only as a management guide to
suggest when to scout for certain pests.
Table 1. The sums of average monthly
Fahrenheit (F) temperatures for December 2008, January and February
2009 are used to predict flea beetle survival in Missouri. The
University Missouri Commercial Agriculture Automated Weather Station
Network on the Agricultural Electronic Bulletin Board (AgEBB)
provided average Fahrenheit temperatures.
Central Missouri Region Average
Temperatures
91.77o F
Audrain County, 6 miles northwest of
Auxvasse
91.10o F
Audrain County, Vandalia – VanFar
R-1 High School
89.60o F
Boone County, Jefferson Farm and
Gardens
94.20o F
Boone County, South Farms
90.60o F
Boone County, Sanborn Field
96.90o F
Chariton County, 4 miles west of
Brunswick
98.60o F
Monroe County, Monroe City (Monroe
City Airport)
85.60o F
Morgan County, Versailles R-II
Outdoor Classroom
100.00o F
Pettis County, Green Ridge R-VIII
School District
95.90o F
Check the average winter temperature
near your location.
Average daily winter temperatures are used to estimate the
likelihood of flea beetle survival. If the combined monthly average
is less than 90o F, then it is likely few flea beetles
have survived. Average temperatures between 90o F and 100o
F suggest injury from flea beetle is possible. When these
temperatures are above 100o F, flea beetle survival is
good and damage is likely.
The Century Farm program began in 1976 as part of the bicentennial
celebration and was called the Centennial Farm project. In 1986, the college
of agriculture began a yearly application process in which over 100 family
farms have been honored each year. Beginning last year in 2008, the Missouri
Farm Bureau became a co-sponsor of the program.
Applications are currently being accepted for the 2009 Century Farm program
and can be picked up at your county extension office or downloaded from the
Century Farm web site.
http://extension.missouri.edu/centuryfarm/index.html
Families who have participated in the Century Farm program in the past have
the opportunity to get a metal replacement sign if they need one. The older
plastic signs, with the old logo, are available for $18 per sign for as long
as the supply lasts. The new metal, two sided signs are available for $26
for the first sign and $55 for additional signs. The new signs will not be
available again until August, 2009. An order form for the replacement signs
is available from the web site listed above.
Ag
Connection - Ag Connection Newsletter, April 2009