Kansas Farms

[redcliffsw]

Good points about farms except we should not have any more "programs".
The capital gains tax should be eliminated for the seller to keep all of his money
when selling his land. 

Just look at this current bailout fiasco.  That ought to be reason enough to
return to the foundations of our founding fathers.

[Jo McDonald]

Tobina, I think you need to be on the advisory committee for Obama----You have made a whale of a lot more sense in the "bringing back" and utilizing what we already have and some turnaround for more jobs-more people than any of his idiotic ideas have.
 

[Tobina+1]

I guess "program" was a wrong word.  I wasn't thinking about a gov't subsidised program; just some sort of a loan system within local banks or some advertising program to get people interested.  My point was that aging farmers/ranchers should think about how they want to continue the "legacy" they have created over the years, and how to pass that on.  Maybe their kids have city-jobs and don't intend on coming back and farming.  But there are plenty of us out there who want to. 
I understand there are many difficulties involved.  Children who don't want the farm still want the money (and the most they can get from it).  But maybe a rent-to-own program or something rather than just auctioning to the highest bidder? 
The other point is the rural economy and rural growth.  Like I said before, unless the new land-owners are going to become a part of the local, rural community, then it's not only taking business away from a young farmer/rancher, but also takes business away from the entire community.
Something similar to this has been done through the Nature Conservancy in Nebraska (I've heard; done no research).  The NC buys land from old farmers and then has a rent-to-own program with the young local people; advancing their business, as well as following certain conservation guidelines to improve the land and environment. 
Thanks, Jo, but I prefer to force my meager opinions only on the poor souls of the Forum rather than the entire US!  Ha! 

[Wilma]

Late in 2004, I had a half section of pasture that I wasn't going to be able to finish paying for.  I knew that I would have to sell it and I knew what the selling price of Elk County pasture was at that time.  I also knew who I wanted to have it.  My children weren't in any position to take over, so I made these young people an offer that I knew they wouldn't be able to turn down.  I didn't get the going price, but I got cash.  They have cleaned up the fence lines and built new fences, something that I had always wanted to do and couldn't.  I am glad that I took less money and put this land into the hands of people that appreciate it.