Business

AUSTIN—Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced earlier this month that he would send cities, counties, transit systems, and special-purpose taxing districts $866.5 million in local sales tax allocations for April, 27.9 percent more than in April 2021. These allocations are based on sales made in February by businesses that report tax monthly.

Richard Hefley of Amarillo, Texas has been named to Coldwell Banker Commercial’s Circle of Distinction for 2021. The Circle of Distinction is an annual designation bestowed on top professionals based on sales volume. Hefley is a farm and ranch specialist for Coldwell Banker Commercial First Equity out of Amarillo. Richard Hefley has worked selling farm and ranch properties throughout Texas and Oklahoma for 42 years, dating back to 1980. Hefley is designated as an Accredited Land Consultant (ALC)—an accreditation for the highest-performing land experts who complete a rigorous education program and meet other criteria. He continues to put his expertise to use, brokering deals throughout 2021 as well as into 2022.

COLLEGE STATION—Due to the persistent drought conditions in the Great Plains and West, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is offering additional relief through the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-raised Fish Program (ELAP) to help ranchers cover above normal costs of hauling livestock to forage or other grazing acres. This policy enhancement complements previously announced ELAP compensation for hauling feed to livestock. ELAP livestock and feed-hauling assistance is retroactive for 2021 and will be available for losses in 2022 and subsequent years.

CANADIAN—U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) County Executive Director Janee Cross this week announced that applications for the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP) are now being accepted to address damages from recent wildfires. ECP signup will begin on Monday, April 18 and end on Friday, May 20.

Changing markets, ranching and beef cattle sustainability, maximizing calf-crop revenue, and keeping inputs under control are all critical aspects of the Capital Farm Credit Hemphill County Texas A&M AgriLife Beef Cattle Conference.

Texas RRC releases March ‘22 drilling permit and completion stats AUSTIN—The Texas Railroad Commission issued a total of 1,176 original drilling permits in March 2022 compared to 798 in March 2021. The March 2022 total includes 1,035 permits to drill new oil or gas wells, seven to re-enter plugged wellbores, and 113 for recompletions of existing wellbores.

WASHINGTON—The U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA) last week announced that ranchers who have approved applications through the 2021 Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) for forage losses due to severe drought or wildfire in 2021 will soon begin receiving emergency relief payments for increases in supplemental feed costs in 2021 through the Farm Service Agency’s (FSA) new Emergency Livestock Relief Program (ELRP).

AUSTIN—Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar today said state sales tax revenue totaled $3.37 billion in March, 28.5 percent more than in March 2021; however, after adjusting last year’s March totals to account for February sales tax returns not collected until March 2021 due to Winter Storm Uri, March 2022 sales tax revenue was up 37.2 percent over comparable collections last year.

AUSTIN—The Texas comptroller’s office reminds business owners that for many property types, April 15 is the deadline to file property tax renditions with their county appraisal districts. Different deadlines apply for certain regulated property.

Forage producers are dealing with the ripple effects of dry conditions, sporadic cold temperatures, and below-average cool-season production as hay supplies tighten for cattle operations, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service reports.