Ag-Visors

The New Year is well under way and I’m at that point when I know I’ve successfully transitioned – I’m finally using 2011 consistently as I write the date!

Itake it everyone has survived the winter blast and snow that we have had. We are headed to spring and new babies are hitting the ground. First to deliver in small ruminants is sheep and goats.

Because state governments are hard pressed for revenue, state tax authorities are getting more aggressive in audits, and this has an impact on the horse and ranching industries. In a new case, the Minnesota Tax Court ruled against the taxpayers who operated a horse and cattle ranch.

Because state governments are hard pressed for revenue, state tax authorities are getting more aggressive in audits, and this has an impact on the horse and ranching industries. In a new case, the Minnesota Tax Court ruled against the taxpayers who operated a horse and cattle ranch.

Typical hunting season Saturday morning. A hunter comes to your house kindly asking if he and his two friends can hunt on your property today? You tell them, “sure” and before you know it they are already heading out to hunt. Have you opened yourself up to a potential lawsuit if one, two or all three of those hunters get hurt, or worse yet, is killed on your farm property?

With the holidays over now, we are looking at getting ready for spring time. The first thing I think of this time of year is to make sure our mineral program is balanced right. We are headed straight into grass tetany season. I have seen grass tetany as early as the holiday season and as late as May.

Well, we are into the late fall and everyone is getting ready for winter. Some people are thinking about next spring's calf crop and wanting to know what to do to ensure the health of the calves. We have two major problems with disease, one hits the cow before the calf is born and the other hits the calf early in its life.

Farm laborers usually are not protected by the Workers’ Compensation Law unless their employer has elected to be subject to this specific law. Consequently, for the most part while a farm laborer cannot get workers’ compensation benefits for his or her injuries he or she can sue his or her farm employer for personal injuries. Also, a spouse of an injured farm laborer might have claims for loss of services and consortium. Should a farm laborer be killed or die as a result of the negligence of a farm employer, the laborer’s family might be able to sue the employer for wrongful death.

Let’s switch gears this article and talk equine. I have been getting a few calls about floating horse’s teeth lately – or to smooth or contour your horse's teeth with a file (called a "float").

Business plans. Everyone groans when they hear those words, pictures of late nights, long financial forms and tedious time-consuming work popping up in their heads. The reality, however, is far less imposing than it appears at first glance. A farm business plan is merely a tool by which farmers can assess their operations, evaluating risks and profits. By having a business plan, your agricultural lender can see at a glance how your operation stands financially and operationally, enabling him/her to make you loans in a more efficient manner.