Newsline for May 17, 1999

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(ELLISON) - THE AMERICAN FARM BUREAU FEDERATION PROVIDES FARM AND FOOD RELATED NEWS WRAPS FOR RADIO STATIONS AND NETWORKS.

I'M BOB ELLISON. OUR REPORT RUNS 1:11.

HERE IS A SUGGESTED LEAD: LAWMAKERS HEAR A PERSONAL CASE FOR GETTING RID OF ESTATE TAXES. BOB ELLISON REPORTS.

ACTUALITIES COME FROM APACHE COUNTY, ARIZONA RANCHER JAY PLATT. PLATT IS SPELLED P-L-A-T-T.

THERE ARE TWO EXTRA ACTUALITIES FOLLOWING THE STORY. IN THE FIRST EXTRA ACTUALITY, PLATT SAYS THE DEATH TAX WILL FORCE THE SALE OF HIS FAMILY RANCH. IN THE SECOND EXTRA ACTUALITY, PLATT SAYS HE SUPPORTS LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ELIMINATE THE OMINOUS CLOUD OF THE DEATH TAX.

STAND BY, THE STORY COMES FIRST IN 3...2...1...

(ELLISON) - AN ARIZONA RANCHER TOLD LAWMAKERS THAT THE ESTATE, OR DEATH TAX, DRIVES BOTH FAMILIES AND LAND OUT OF AGRICULTURE. APACHE COUNTY, ARIZONA RANCHER JAY PLATT SAYS HIGH ESTATE TAXES WOULD FORCE THE SALE OF HIS FAMILY'S RANCH AND ODDS ARE THE SALE WOULD NOT BE TO ANOTHER RANCHER.

(PLATT) - RATHER THE RANCH WILL BE CARVED UP, CUT UP, INTO FORTY-ACRE PARCELS AND WILL BE SOLD TO ABSENTEE OWNERS AS RURAL RANCHETTES FOR RECREATION PURPOSES AND FOR SECOND HOME SITES.

(ELLISON) - PLATT SAYS THIS WOULD HAVE A DETRIMENTAL ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECT, SINCE RANCHERS TAKE BETTER CARE OF THE LAND THAN ABSENTEE OWNERS DO.

(PLATT) - IN CONTRAST, AN ABSENTEE OWNERS WHOSE CONTACT WITH THE LAND, WHOSE TIES TO THE LAND ARE FLEETING AND ARE RECREATIONAL IN NATURE, WILL NOT HAVE THE SAME VESTED INTEREST IN CONSERVING AND BEING A GOOD STEWARD OF THAT LAND.

(ELLISON) - IN ADDITION TO CULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS, PLATT SAYS IT'S IMPORTANT TO KEEP THE RANCH IN HIS FAMILY.

(PLATT) - I WISH MY CHILDREN TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITIES OF WORK THAT I THINK ARE UNIQUE TO AGRICULTURE AND THEY IN TURN HAVING EXPERIENCED THAT, I THINK, WOULD WISH TO HAVE THE SAME FOR THEIR CHILDREN, FOR MY GRANDCHILDREN.

(ELLISON) - PLATT SUPPORTS LEGISLATION THAT WOULD ELIMINATE THE ESTATE TAX OVER ELEVEN YEARS.

BOB ELLISON, WASHINGTON.

STAND BY FOR THE FIRST EXTRA ACTUALITY. THE CUT RUNS 10 SECONDS IN 3...2...1...

(PLATT) - I AM THE THIRD GENERATION TO HAVE BEEN ON IT. I HAVE THREE SONS, EACH OF WHOM HARBOR THE HOPE OF CONTINUING TO STAY ON IT, IF WE CAN SURVIVE THE DEATH TAX.

(ELLISON) - STAND BY FOR THE SECOND EXTRA ACTUALITY. THE CUT RUNS 11 SECONDS IN 3...2...1...

(PLATT) - AND MY FAMILY COULD PLAN ACCORDINGLY, IN THE CASE OF MY THREE SONS, KNOWING THAT THEY WOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO RETURN THE RANCH WHEN THEIR EDUCATIONS ARE FINISHED.

(ELLISON) - THE FARM BUREAU RADIO NEWSLINE IS UPDATED EVERY MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY AT FIVE P-M EASTERN TIME. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.

This page was last modified Mon May 24, 1999 at 01:00 am