Ozarks Farm & Neighbor Newspaper – written for, by & about farmers

As spring ends and the warm summer months approach, many producers are heading to the fields to begin hay season. While it easy to be distracted by Mother Nature’s forecasts, it is important to take the time to properly prepare and operate equipment to make the most of the available dry conditions. Whether it’s fescue or brome, orchardgrass or bermudagrass, there are several steps all producers should take to make the most of their haymaking.

In a lengthy decision, the Tax Court recently underscored the difficulties taxpayers have in convincing the IRS that family-run farms are engaged in for profit. The case, Smith v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo 2007-368, ruled on two families’ limited partnerships, involving a cow and dairy farm, a cutting horse operation and dog breeding. The court held that the cow and dairy farm was engaged in for profit under the IRS hobby loss rules, but not the other activities. The taxpayers had taken significant tax deductions against their income from the activities, thus prompting an IRS audit, which they lost and then appealed to the Tax Court. 

Warm temperatures and plenty of moisture has brought on lots of lush, green grazing for all classes of livestock in the Ozarks this spring. For horse owners however, the excessive pasture forage brings with it a heightened concern over laminitis and founder. 

Name:  Emily Pendergrass
School:  2009 Everton High School Graduate
Parents:  Ray and Carolyn Kile
FFA Advisor:  Ray Halbert

Name:  Hollie Elliott

Farmers Market of Blivar, MO Inc.Location:  Bolivar, Mo.