What is the role of Government Employment in Montana?
The size and scope of government is a common political football that gets kicked around…
Author Joel Schumacher
Joel Schumacher
Joel Schumacher, an extension economics associate specialist in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Economics at Montana State University. Much of his research has focused on understanding the economics and public policy implications of small and community scale alternative energy projects. Joel also researches and provides extension training in retirement planning, saving and investing. Helping Montanans stay up to date on the ever changing laws and regulations affecting consumer issues is an interesting and challenging area.
Gophers Falling From the Sky & Other Things to Keep an Eye On
I heard a loud thump on the pickup hood just as I sat down in…
Montana CRP Acreage Declines Again
CRP has been popular in Montana since the program was created in the mid-1980s. CRP…
How is the Ag Sector doing Financially?
Prices in agricultural markets are lower than several years ago. This is likely not new…
$280 million Ag Land Purchase in Montana
In December of 2009, the Cobell v. Salazar court case was settled (commonly referred to…
Long Term Care Partnership Insurance: A tool to protect your farm or ranch
Many agricultural producers have spent a lifetime building their business which they hope to pass…
Part 2: Rural vs. Urban: Differences are Common
Last month I wrote about the differences between rural and urban economies, this month I…
Rural and Urban Economies
One thing that really caught my attention during the election coverage earlier this month was…
Marketing Montana Beef to Montana Schools
There has been quite a bit of interest over the last few years about local…
Roth vs. Traditional IRAs: Minimize Income Taxes
Farm and ranch income often varies from year to year. The tax code has some…