15page1.qxd 1/23/03 5:18 PM Page 1 The National Livestock Weekly January 27, 2003 • Vol. 82, No. 15 “The Industry’s Largest Weekly Circulation” www.wlj.net • E-mail: [email protected] • [email protected] • [email protected] A Crow Publication ‘Death tax’ attacked again Plan offers — Both houses of Congress ranchers bigger introduce permanent repeal. By Steven D. Vetter tax break WLJ Editor By Sarah L. Roen The dispute in recent years over whether or not WLJ Associate Editor to repeal the estate tax, or “death tax,” heated up If a rancher considers his new high-dollar again recently with the introduction of comparable pickup truck or fancy horse trailer a piece of bills in both the House and Senate. equipment which will help expand the business, Most recently, Sen. John Kyl, R-AZ, introduced President Bush’s new plan has a little-known S. 169, The Permanent Death Tax Repeal Act of loophole which could offer some immediate as- 2003. Kyl’s proposal is almost identical in language sistance. In fact, it would triple this expensing and nature to HR 57, the Death Tax Permanen- cy Act of 2003, introduced January 7 by House limit on a rancher’s taxes. members Jennifer Dunn, R-WA, and Robert E. Being able to deduct larger vehicle expens- “Bud” Cramer, D-AL. es is just one of the proposed tax cuts in the plan Both bills would permanently repeal estate to benefit small business owners. As it stands and generation-skipping transfer taxes — legis- right now, ranchers can write off up to $25,000 lation passed by the House, but voted down by for business equipment, an increase of $7,500 the Senate last year. over the 1996 limit. If this new economic pro- Currently, there is legislation from 2001 in- posal is approved, the new deduction limit will crementally increasing the death tax exemption become $75,000. Bush has asked Congress to to $3.5 million for an individual or $7 million per move quickly on the matter. President Bush said in a speech unveiling his couple by 2009. Also, the estate tax is fully repealed Charolais was one of the highlighted breeds during the second weekend of the 97th for one year starting in 2010. However, the tax National Western Stock Show in Denver. Initial reports call sales activity both “on the new plan that the country must encourage in- would be reinstated in full in 2011. The estate tax hill” and “in the yards” moderately active and prices mostly steady with previous years. vestments which help turn small businesses in- would then kick back in at 55 percent of an es- Typical “stock show weather” finally hit a bit last week with bitter cold temperatures to larger ones. “My view is this economy can tate’s value. and wind in the Colorado capital Tuesday. — Photo by Sarah L. Roen thrive only if our small businesses thrive,” said There has always been an indication since the Bush. “And we will provide them every incen- (See Death tax on page 9) tive to grow and create more jobs.” Along with the expense raise, Bush is ask- ing Congress to index that number for inflation. He pointed out the change, along with a faster rate of reductions, will benefit more than 23 mil- Feeders strive to hold $80 lion small business owners. Cattle feeders were working 79 live and $120-123.50 on that $135.15 marking a new high fore, 437,000 head were Tax relief for small businesses has wide- hard last week to maintain the limited number of cattle. For- early last week. Trade was processed, and a year ago it spread bipartisan support on Capitol Hill, es- blessings of the recent $80 mar- mula cattle processed on Thurs- slightly softer at midweek and was 516,000 head. Packer mar- pecially during these economic times. But, op- ket. The usual cat-and-mouse day averaged $123.34 on 25,400 brought the cutout down to gins are still quite good at ponents of the proposal have a couple of prob- game was underway as pack- head, with an average carcass $133.36 on Thursday with light $29.80 on an average fed cattle lems with the write-offs. “Certainly it will ben- ers tried to buy at $78 early in weight of 793 pounds. trade volume. Retailers ap- price of $79.69, and a packer efit some people, but in my opinion I’m not so the week when they saw boxed Cattle futures were stronger peared reluctant to aggressively breakeven of $82.11 should give sure it will be a very effective stimulus for rein- beef prices start to fall. Cattle on Wednesday, with the Feb- buy into beef, which was start- cattle feeders the resolve to hold vestment,” said Dr. Norm Dalsted, Colorado feeders said “no” to $78, pack- ruary contract jumping past ing to stack up in packer ware- for $80. State University professor and extension farm ers came up with $79 and feed- the $80 mark. Then traders houses. The Choice/Select spread is and ranch management economist. “Because ers were still holding by late started to take profits and long Slaughter has stayed rela- moderate, with light Choice that assumes people have income or cash avail- afternoon Thursday. players were rolling February tively strong with these high boxed beef trading at $134.36 able to invest in such items.” There was some limited trade contracts into April, which cattle prices. Daily slaughter Thursday and light Select trad- Dalsted feels there are other measures which throughout the week, with ne- placed pressure on Thursday’s averaged 130,000. Last week ing at $128. 67 on 215 loads of would be more advantageous to small busi- gotiated cash trade of only market. through Thursday, some cuts and 91 loads of trim. ness owners. “My observation of Colorado pro- 70,000 head through Thurs- Boxed beef prices have been 523,000 head were processed. Boneless beef markets were duction, which is primarily farmers and ranch- day. Live cash trade was $78- trading in record territory, with The same period the week be- (See Markets on page 15) (See Tax break on page 13) October through December Placements (800 pounds or more; for entire U.S.) C-o-F slightly bullish — Market through 1 inventory than in previous ranged two percent on either April could be bet- years. side of that figure. According to USDA, there 1,300,000 ter than expected. Placement weights were 1.59 million head of cat- good for near term — Summer lull like- tle placed into feedlots in De- 1,200,000 cember for the entire U.S., one As is the case with many C- ly again. percent more than last year o-F reports, the amount of mar- 1,100,000 By Steven D. Vetter and three percent higher than ket impact lies within the de- WLJ Editor the average analyst’s pre-re- tails extrapolated from the gen- 1,000,000 Several market analysts port guesstimate. eral statistics and not on the re- have called USDA’s January 1 December marketings to- port’s “surface.” “This is one of those in- Head placed taled 1.8 million head, or one 900,000 Cattle-on-Feed report slightly bullish for the spring fed mar- percent below a year ago, but stances that if you simply look ket. This is in spite of overall about three percent better than at the numbers as presented, 800,000 December placements larger most pre-report estimates. you could be misled as to what Total disappearances this might happen within the mar- 1997 than a year ago and marketings 1998 past December came to 99,000 ket over the next couple of 1999 smaller than a year ago. The 2000 head, or six percent larger than (See C-o-F on page 6) 2001 summer market, however, 2002 could be a different story. December 2001. On the positive side, a small- As of Jan. 1, 2003, USDA NEWS Even with one percent more cattle placed during December 2002, compared to the same er percentage of heavy-weight reported 10.6 million head of NEWS month the previous year, the number of total U.S. feedlot placements from October through cattle on feed for the entire December 2002 was the lowest of the past six years. According to USDA, there were placements was reported dur- ing December. Also, the num- U.S. The inventory figure was 986,000 head placed over that stretch in 2002, 34,000 and 57,000 head fewer than 2001 down eight percent from the and 2000, respectively. Placements during the fourth quarter of 1998 are the highest at ber of cattle marketed during 1,288,000. Analysts said the fourth quarter placement total is a bit of good news for the December represented a previous year and down 10 spring ‘03 fed market. greater percentage of December percent from Jan. 1, 2001. An- alysts’ pre-report estimates (priority handling) (priority handling) INSIDE WLJ RANCHER-DIRECTED CHECK- AFBF CHANGES STANCE — PACKER/USDA DISPUTE — A TB REGULATIONS — Califor- INDEX OFF — A group of Montana The American Farm Bureau Fed- federal judge granted a temporary nia state officials have announced Beef Bits . .P-3 ranchers is circulating a propos- eration (AFBF) voted by a narrow injunction against the USDA be- steps to ensure elimination of Markets . .P-14 al for a rancher-directed beef margin not to oppose a proposed ing able to shut down an Omaha, bovine TB throughout the state.