AIR DECEMBER 30,1998

A quick reminder that a lot of things happen in January that affect your farm business. One of the first things that comes to mind is tax time. We just got in a shipment of farm account books before Christmas, so we've got plenty on hand as you start to work in either your 1999 or 1998 books - I've stopped asking which when you come into the office. We also have a good stock of the IRS's Farmers Tax Guide. By the way, did you know that most all of those IRS publications and forms are on the web and downloadable. Go to www.irs.gov and check it out next time you're on the web. The other January item is January 30th. That's the last date for landlords to give notice if they intend to terminate an oral farm lease. How and when you do this is specifically spelled out in Kansas Statutes. Please pick up a copy of our Kansas Farm Lease Law bulletin if you have any questions on this. Keeping in line with farm leases let me invite you to a meeting we are having on January 12th at 7 p.m. on Agricultural Land Values and Rental Arrangements. We will be meeting at the 4-H/Sr. Citizens Building and will have K-State Research and Extension Ag Economics specialists Terry Kastens and Kevin Dhuyvetter on hand to discuss those two topics. These guys are great and they will bring a lot of insight and common sense to both of these topics. And some of the things they have to tell you may just surprise you a little bit! Don't miss this meeting!

As I close this year someone asked me the other day if I had any New Year's resolutions. I usually try to postpone resolutions until a more appropriate time, like April Fools Day, but if I had to come up with some they might be, to be more optimistic about everything, more pleasant to everybody, and as helpful as possible to everyone who comes in the Extension Office.

This is Chuck Otte, County Extension Agent, with Ag Outlook '98 wishing everyone a Happy New Year.