Deadline Approaching!!!
JULY 15, 2005

If you are interested in being a $5,000 Horn Showcase sponsor, the deadline is quickly approaching -- July 15!  This sponsorship includes the following:

• 1/3 page monthly ad on the Horn Showcase Sponsors Page in the Trails magazine beginning September 2005 and ending August 2006.  This must be the same basic layout -- you can change out the pictures each month if you choose.  New pictures must be received by the 1st of the month prior.  ($6,600 value)
• Full-page ad in the 2005 Horn Showcase program. ($500 value)
• Two entries in the 2005 Horn Showcase. ($200 value)
• Three hanging banners at the 2005 Horn Showcase. ($300 value)
• A commemorative belt buckle.    ($250 value)
• Ranch exhibit space at the 2005 Horn Showcase. ($200 value)
• Four tickets to the Friday evening banquet. ($100 value)

If you have any questions regarding this sponsorship or need additional information, please contact SuzAnn Spindor at 817-625-6241.

CALLING ALL COOKS

TLBAA, Recipe Alert, PO Box 4430, Fort Worth, Texas 76164

News from Sand Dollar Ranch

His father James Culpepper will continue on as Sand Dollar’s ranch manager.

Congratulations Ryan!

McCombs Donates $30 Million to Fight Cancer

Well-known Texas Longhorn breeder and sports magnet Red McCombs and his wife, Charline, are donating $30 million to support a new cancer research effort at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston according to an article in the San Antonio Express-News by Cindy Tumiel.

The gift from the McCombs Foundation will help build, equip and staff a new $500 million complex of six buildings that will be named the Red and Charline McCombs Institute for the Early Detection and Treatment of Cancer.

The McCombs' donation is the largest single gift the state-supported cancer institute has ever received in support of cancer research, M.D. Anderson officials said.

"The greatest thief that ever crossed the state line in Texas is cancer and it's affecting every extended family adversely," McCombs said. "We still have big problems with it even with all the advances. I thought here is a place where we are really going to make a difference."

The institute is to be composed of six research centers that focus on some of the most promising areas of cancer research: understanding metastasis or the spread of cancer, harnessing the immune system to fight the disease, finding molecular markers to diagnose cancer and target therapy, improving diagnostic imaging and developing gene-targeted therapy and proton therapy.

McCombs' involvement with M.D. Anderson dates to 1986 when he joined the institution's advisory board. He was chairman of the board for two years and has been a supporter of M.D. Anderson and other University of Texas Institutions for years. He also has been a major supporter of Southwestern University in Georgetown and the Charline McCombs Empire Theater in San Antonio.

McCombs owns Red McCombs Automotive in San Antonio and is co-founder of Clear Channel Communications and McCombs Energy in Houston.

He formerly owned the San Antonio Spurs and Denver Nuggets of the National Basketball Association and the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League.

Operation First Response

Supporting wounded Heroes and their families

• Operation First Response mission is to assist the wounded military and their families who are serving our country during Operation Iraqi Freedom and forward.
• Operation First Response is an all volunteer, not for profit organization. OFR has applied for a tax-exempt status (501 c3) with the IRS and are awaiting determination.
• Operation First Response sends backpacks filled with a t-shirt, boxer shorts, sweatpants or shorts, socks, and a complete array of hygiene items.
• Operation First Response asks for donated airline miles.
• Operation First Response uses donations to pay for transportation for families of the wounded.
• Operation First Response asks for monetary donations to fund filling the OFR backpacks, transportation costs for the families or wounded heroes, financial assistance for the wounded heroes and families who are in need, postage for mailing to combat hospitals and other locations, grocery items and hygiene products for wounded heroes and families when needed. Monetary donations are used for providing assistance to our country’s wounded Heroes and their families. Administrative costs for OFR are less than one percent.

Please visit Operation First Response Web site at www.operationfirstresponse.org where you will find additional information as to how to help assist the wounded and their families. All items and monetary donations should be sent to:

Operation First Response
12444 Old Mill Road
Midland, VA 22728

Permanent Death Tax Repeal is Critical
for U.S. Cattle Producers

Death Taxes are one of the leading causes of the breakup of multi-generation family beef enterprises.

• Nearly one-half of the 250,000 cattlemen and women NCBA represents operate businesses that have been in their families for more than 50 years and 15 percent operate enterprises that have been in their families for more than 100 years.
• In an asset-rich and cash-poor business like ranching, the appraised value of rural land is extremely inflated when compared to its agricultural value.
• Many cattle producers are forced to sell off land, parts of the operation, or the entire ranch to pay off tax liabilities. This takes more open spaces out of agriculture production, usually into the hands of urban developers.

The Death Tax is an unfair tax on American values and the American dream. The death of a family member should not be a heyday for the IRS.

• Recent surveys show that 78 percent of all Americans believe the Death Tax is an unfair tax.
• Among cattlemen recently surveyed, 88 percent say that the fear of Death Taxes has changed the way they invest in their own business.
• Hundreds of thousands of rural families are living off the land, working hard to maintain ranches built by their forefathers. The Death Tax hits with a devastating blow of up to 55 percent in taxes on the entire operation when a family member dies.
• This is not a tax on the wealthy elite in America. It’s a death warrant for small-to-medium sized family businesses. The cash-rich can afford accountants and estate planners to help them evade the tax. They amass fortunes and place the money in foundations. Unlike us, their financial worth does not rest on the value of equipment and land.

The current temporary repeal was a step forward. But unless we’re planning on dying in 2010— its impossible for our small businesses to avoid this huge burden at the time of death.

• Because of the so-called "sunset provision" in the law, the death tax will be fully repealed only in 2010.
• The temporary nature of the Death Tax repeal provisions creates numerous problems for family farms, ranches and businesses. The uncertainty surrounding ultimate repeal will require business owners to continue with estate-planning strategies that are costly, cumbersome and time consuming.
• If Congress were to permanently repeal the Death Tax, these estate-planning resources would be reinvested directly into these businesses, thus creating new job opportunities and providing a much-needed boost to local economies.

With 97 percent of American farms and ranches owned and operated by families, the elimination of the Death Tax represents an important step in stimulating the nation’s economy.

• Farm and ranch families are paying huge taxes for their ranches two and three times over, while at the same time paying taxes on the income used in their operations.
• Permanent repeal of the death tax is critically important to the future of America’s family businesses, farms and ranches, and the people they employ.

NCBA is supporting S. 420 (Kyle-AZ) and H.R. 8 (Hulshof-MO, Cramer-AL) both of which repeal the Death Tax permanently.

Johanns Announces Next Farm Bill Forum Venues

Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns announced the location of the next three U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Bill Forums before a full-capacity audience of more than 400 stakeholders who attended the kick-off of USDA's nationwide farm bill listening tour in Nashville, TN.

"The interest in the next farm bill shown here today has exceeded my expectations," Johanns said. "The thoughtful discourse on the direction of future farm policy is very encouraging and I look forward to the same caliber of discussion at future Farm Bill Forums as we continue our nationwide tour."

The Secretary announced the following Farm Bill Forums:

• July 26 - 12 p.m.-3 p.m. (CST) North Dakota State Fair - Minot, ND
• Aug. 3 - 4 p.m. - 7 p.m. Minnesota Farm Fest - Redwood County, MN
• Aug. 4 - 11a.m.- 2 p.m. Wisconsin State Fair - West Allis, WI

The public is welcome to submit comments via the USDA Farm Bill Forums Web site :

http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usdafarmbill?navtype=SU&navid=FARM_BILL_FORUMS

-Antoinette Vega