Marion County Farm Service Agency recently issued more than $674,000 in Conservation Reserve Program payments to 942 contract eligible producers in the county.

These payments represent annual rental payments earned on 16,389 acres enrolled in the CRP for fiscal year 2008.

Marion County currently has 701 contracts on 409 farms. The number of contracts is higher than the number of farms because producers may have multiple contracts on a single farm.

Earned payments for CRP are disbursed by electronic funds transfer or direct deposit into the producer’s chosen financial accounts. A disbursement transaction statement is mailed to each contract shareholder itemizing payment amounts.

Other CRP payments are made throughout the year, including a 50 percent reimbursement of expenses for establishing cover and incentive payments for enrolling eligible conservation practices, such as wetland restorations and conservation buffers.

Across the nation, more than $1.7 billion in CRP payments are being made on 34.7 million acres.

The CRP works cooperatively with America’s farmers and ranchers to conserve and preserve the soil and water that we, and numerous wildlife species, depend on for survival.

These payments represent an investment in the nation’s land that will pay dividends in the form of a cleaner environment today as well as in the future.

Bill Harmon is executive director of the Marion County FSA office.

Write Comment

The bountiful wheat and fall harvests, combined with good grain prices, have been driving demands for new farm equipment from area machinery dealers, with orders stretching into next fall.

At least that was the case until last week.

The interest in purchasing equipment has seemed to slow of late, according to local dealerships, because of the continued high price of energy inputs into agriculture, and apprehension about what is being done at the national level to avert an economic crisis.

Agricultural equipment sales managers at Straub Farm Equipment and Prairieland Partners in Marion, and at Ag Power in Hillsboro, all confirmed that extraordinary grain yields have driven availability of some machinery, such as combines and wheat drills, for planting into September 2009.

But at the same time, Jason Henderson and Maria Akers, both with the 10th District’s Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, report that farm income expectations have been tempered by soaring energy costs despite historically high commodity prices.

They list energy costs to include fertilizer, fuel and chemicals.

Write Comment

In spite of numerous bailouts by Washington and the massive infusion of capital (nearly $1 trillion) to Wall Street, conditions remain far from rosy.

If you listen to economic experts, the infusion was necessary to keep many of the larger banking and insurance institutions from collapsing. They say this rescue was necessary and also helped prevent a ripple effect and many additional failings.

So what do we make of the continuing struggle on Wall Street and the continuing decrease in commodities?

The current situation is indicative of the dire situation of the global economy along with our own U.S. economy. Economic experts say all signs point to a rough ride for some time until the credit markets crank up again.

Write Comment

About 35 Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce members and Midway Motors management and employees were on hand Friday afternoon for the Chamber’s ceremonial ribbon cutting marking the grand opening of the newest car dealership in Hillsboro. Holding the ribbon along the front row are (from left) Irv Schroeder, owner of the dealership Midway Motors purchased earlier this year, Danny Flynn, local manager for Midway, Glenn Hoover, owner, Renee Gilkey, Chamber executive secretary, David Baker, Chamber president, and Natalie Hoffman, advertising manager for the Hillsboro Free Press. Midway continued the celebration Saturday with food, games and prizes for guests.

Write Comment