Riffel goat is runner-up at state fair

Written by Hillsboro Free Press Wednesday, 19 September 2007 08:59

KyleRiffleStategoat.jpg

Kyle Riffel, Tampa, was the proud exhibitor of the reserve grand champion market meat goat shown at the 2007 Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson. His 84-pound wether was selected by judge Terry Burks of Kentucky from a field of 85 head. He is the son of James and Beth Riffel of Tampa and the grandson of J.D. and Mary Beth Gaines of rural Peabody and Hannah Riffel of Jesup, Iowa.

Low-cost loans available to farmers for storage facilities

Written by Bill Harmon /Farm Service Agency Wednesday, 05 September 2007 06:34

Low-cost loans are available to producers for storage facilities and drying and handling equipment.

Spesifically, the loans can be used to build or remodel on-farm facilities to store a variety of commodities, including wheat, sorghum, soybeans and corn.

Interest rates are variable according to the month in which a loan is approved.

Farm storage-facility loans are disbursed on seven-year terms. The maximum amount that can be borrowed is 85 percent of the net cost of the grain storage or accompanying equipment, up to $100,000.

A minimum 15 percent downpayment, along with other eligibility and filing standards, are required of borrowers.

Eligible facilities can be new conventional type bins and related accessories as well as new...

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Most farmers receiving claims on wheat losses in timely way

Written by Don Ratzlaff Wednesday, 22 August 2007 07:11

This year’s disaster of a wheat crop has caused producers to file claims for crop insurance. Some of these claims are taking longer than in the past, as reported by Kansas Wheat leaders from the central region of the state.

While the deluge of claims has resulted in later-than-normal delivery of the insurance funds in some areas, the process seems to be going expeditiously in Marion County, according to Jerry Cady, a primary handler of crop insurance.

“I got off the phone with a manager just a few minutes ago and I told him I thought everything was going real well,” he said. “We’re getting claim checks every day, and our adjusters are doing a real good job of keeping up with the enormous amount of claims we’ve had...

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Romanians experience custom corn cutting, culture

Written by Jerry Engler Wednesday, 15 August 2007 05:07

RomanianFarmersDCP_4108.jpg The four guest workers from Romania relax in air-conditioned comfort for their interview: (from left) Vlad Suteu, Florin Rogojan, Cierian Cisleanu and Valentin Bocan. They plan to return home in November. Jerry Engler/Free Press. Click image to enlarge.

The four young Romanian men here to work for Mike Meisinger and Ron Suderman in custom corn cutting for the summer paused in puzzlement when asked why they wanted to come to the United States.

The room is quiet for a moment, and the interviewer thinks maybe they didn’t understand the question with their limited understanding of English.

But they understood. The question bewildered them. Finally, Cierian Cisleanu spread his arm to answer for the four: “Who...

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