Estate Tax & New Beetle Invasion

Estate Tax & New Beetle Invasion. I’m Greg Martin with today’s Northwest Report.

As 2012 winds down, financial experts advise farmers to take advantage of the current tax environment in the wake of potential sweeping tax changes in the coming year including the estate or death tax. USDA economist Ron Durst outlines some of the various options.

DURST: Extend the current provision, the current laws or to perhaps implement a slightly lower exemption amount of three and a half million and there’s also proposals again to again completely repeal on a permanent basis the estate tax. So there are a number proposals out there and right now it’s just not clear what the ultimate legislation will look like and if they’ll act before the end of the year.

Back in the 60’s the U.S. had a major Beatle invasion but that not quite the same as the new invasive insect, the Japanese beetle, recently was detected in Idaho in both Ada and Kootenai counties.The insect is approximately ½-inch long, a shiny metallic green with copper-brown wing covers. Adult Japanese beetles feed on trees, rose bushes, stonefruits and many garden and field crops leaving holes and skeltonized leaves.  The larvae, or grubs, live under the soil surface and destroy patches of turf by feeding on roots of grass. If you find one of these beetles you should contact the Idaho Department of Ag.

Now here’s today’s Washington Grange report.

(Grange)

That’s today’s Northwest Report. I’m Greg Martin on the Ag Information Network.