* t Changes The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced major changes in its Farm Storage and Drying Equipment Loan Program which reflect a lessening of need for on-farm grain storage space. The changes, effective December 13, are: —Storage needs will be based on one year’s production of eligible commodities instead of the present two years. —Loans will no longer be available for oxgen-limiting and other silo-type structures or for equipment for use with such structures. —Costs of materials and labor for concrete work or electrical wiring cannot be included in loans. —The maximum loan or aggregate outstanding balance is reduced from $35,000 to $25,000. —The interest rate is increased on loans from 46 cents Cap- WISCONSIN \"| jj \ WAM ENGINES -ROM 4to 65 HP. \ W / ALLIS CHALMERS & BRIGGS & stratton engines ENGINE and MAGNETO SERVICE AMOS I. FISHER R.D.No.IBoxIOB Bird inHand,.Pa. 17505 1 , I corporotio In Form Facility Loan Program proximately five and one-half percent annually) per $lOO or fraction thereof to 50 cents (six percent annually) per $lOO or fraction thereof. This new rate reflects increased borrowing costs of money to Commodity Credit Corporation USDA said the need for farm storage space has eased due to the record pace of construction of on-farm facilities during the past several years and because of the recent rapid increase in wheat and feed grain exports. The changes are designed to maintain program activity at a level which will more closely reflect the current storage situation rather than the situation that has prevailed over the past several years, the Department explained. They should result in a reduction of federal government expenditures in fiscal year 1974, USDA officials added. “The Department recognizes Lancaster Farming. Saturday, December 23,1972 the value of having adequate on farm storage and drying capacity,” said Kenneth E. Frick, Administrator of USDA’s Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service, which administers the program. “On farm facilities are an important compliment to the concept of market-oriented commodity programs. However, the record pace of construction of on-farm facilities for the past several years plus the rapid increase in wheat and feed grain exports warrant some adjustment in program activity.” “The farm facility loan program has assisted many farmers in obtaining on-farm storage and drying facilities,” Mr. Frick said. “Since the beginning of the program Flood Loan Money May Be Taxable Many farmers have received disaster loans from Farmer’s Home Administration and the Small Business Administration during the past several months. The first $5,000 of these loans does not have to be paid back. However, many farmers are wondering if this money is taxable, according to associate Lancaster County agent Jay W. Irwin. There are three situations relative to the tax status that need to be considered, Irwin explains If the money was used to replace lost crops, feed or sup plies, it must be reported as In come. Therefore it will be taxed. However, the expenses incurred in purchasing feed or supplies will be deductible expenses, so the net effect on taxes will be zero. If a person does not spend the $5,000 before the first of the year, there will be taxes due on the money. To avoid taxation, all necessary feed and supplies should be purchased before January 1, 1973. The second situation involves replacement of personal items lost in the flood. These include such things as furniture, clothing, or other household items. The money received for replacement of these items is not taxable. However, casualty loss for tax purposes on personal items will be reduced by the amount of money spend for replacement. So if you lost $7,000 worth of TELL US NOW... before any of your equipment gives out and socks you with expensive downtime. As soon as you anticipate trouble, let us know. We’ll have the right replace ment parts on hand when your whatchamacallit konks out completely. Just a simple phone call could keep a minor repair job from tying up your whole operation. You can help us to serve you better. Nissley Farm Service Washington Boro, Pa a L. H. Brubaker Lancaster, Pa. through the end of fiscal year 1972, approximately $640.9 million have been loaned to farmers through 356,650 loans; these loans included farm storage structures with storage capicity of almost 18 billion bushels.” “Fifty-seven percent of the total funds loaned and more than 49 percent of the total storage capacity built under the program have occurred since 1967. During fiscal year 1972, producers borrowed a record $120.3 million through 38,950 loans for storage structures and drying facilities with a storage capacity of ap proximately 251.2 million bushels.” “Activity during the current fiscal year is expected to exceed the record 1972 level.” personal items and received $5,000 to replace them, there will only be a $2,000 casualty writeoff for tax purpose, minus the $lOO standard deduction against all casualty losses The third situation involves expenditures of loan money to replace depreciable capital items The depreciable base of new property will be reduced by the loan money that does not have to be paid back. For example, you lost a tractor with a $2,000 undepreciated value and pur chased a new one for $B,OOO The cost basis of the tractor for depreciation will be $lO,OOO, less the ss,oooloan to be “forgiven” or a total of $5,000, It would also be possible to write the $2,000 off as a casualty loss and depreciate $3,000 on the new tractor In the event you used the $5,000 loan money for something other than capital expenditures, you can add the undepreciated value of lost items to the cash paid for new items to determine the cost basis. Another alternative m this case would be to take a casualty loss on lost items and depreciate the cash paid for the new items. wmmrev&ytfME acallll Roy H. Buck, he. Ephrata, R.D. 2 Gnmelli Farm Service Quarryville, Pa. BHM Farm Equipment, he. Annville, R.D. 1, Pa 17