March 22, 2016 • Page 2 shop online at www.missourivalleyshopper.com Dave Says Is It Six Months Of Paychecks? By Dave Ramsey Dear Dave, Do I set aside six months’ worth of paychecks or the amount of my bills for six months when it’s time to save up my fully funded emergency fund? —Steve Dear Steve, In my plan, Baby Step 3 is when I advise people to save up three to six months of expenses in a fully loaded emergency fund. This is set aside and not touched for any reason other than a true emergency. It’s not a Bahamas fund or a new living room furniture fund. It’s an emergency fund. It’s not an investment or fun money; it’s insurance. Think of your emergency fund as a protective barrier that keeps you from going into debt or cashing out investments when life throws bad things your way. How do you decide where to land in the three to six month range of expenses? That depends on how much risk your household has. If there’s only one income in the equation, you have more risk, so you should skew things toward six months. Being self-employed or a commissioned salesperson is also a situation where this would be true. If there are two incomes, and both come from steady, dependable sources, you could fall into the middle of that Dave Ramsey never turn out exactly the way you plan for it to be. If you can’t buy a home with cash, you need the stability of a 15-year, fixed rate mortgage in your life. We’re living in the lowest mortgage interest rate environment in about 50 years. I saw a 3.02 percent 15-year fixed rate mortgage just the other day. For those of you who have not refinanced, if you’re staying in your home or you’re sitting on an adjustable rate, this is a great time to change that. Still, people are sitting around yawning like these kinds of rates are going to be around forever. It’s gone on for a while now, but don’t let that fool you into thinking those kinds of rates are normal. They’re not going to last forever. No, I would never under any circumstances take an adjustable rate mortgage. Was that unclear? I hope not! —Dave range or even more toward the threemonth side. Make sure your emergency fund is easily accessible too. A simple money market account with check-writing privileges works fine. You want to make sure you can get your money quickly when the need arises! —Dave Never Take an Adjustable Rate Mortgage Dear Dave, Should I ever consider a 5/1 adjustable loan if I’m buying a house and plan to pay it off in five years? —Anonymous Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on money and business, and CEO of Ramsey Solutions. He has authored five New York Times best-selling books. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 11 million listeners each week on more than 550 radio stations and digital outlets. Dave’s latest project, EveryDollar, provides a free online budget tool. Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on the web at daveramsey.com. Dear Anonymous, No! The reason is you can never be assured that you’re going to pay it off in five years. If you go into it with that mindset, then you’re basically saying you can predict the future will be exactly how you want it to be. That’s pretty naïve. Your future will never be what you think it will be. It’s either going to be better or worse, but your future will Consequences of Grassland Conversion This column was written collaboratively by Roger Gates, Professor & SDSU Extension Rangeland Management Specialist; Ben Turner, Assistant Professor, Department of Agriculture, Agribusiness & Environmental Sciences, Texas A&M University-Kingsville; Melissa Wuellner, Assistant Professor, Department of Natural Resource Management; and Barry Dunn, South Dakota Corn Utilization Council Endowed Dean of the SDSU College of Agriculture & Biological Sciences, SDSU Extension Director. Continuing implementation of the 2014 U.S. Farm Bill, which includes programs such as SodSaver and policies such as conservation compliance (restraining cultivation on highly erodible or marginal lands), provides incentives to enhance conservation of grasslands. However, these policies will likely only slow, rather than reverse, recent trends of expansion of cultivation for crop production into existing grasslands. Driven by economics, policy, and social shifts in rural America, this is certainly a complex problem worthy of our ongoing attention. Systems thinking, which combines both qualitative (descriptive observation) and quantitative (numerical, requiring measurement) data with computer simulation, is a methodology for investigating and interpreting complex problems. Using information from farmers and ranchers across South Dakota, combined with USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), Natural Resource Conservation Service and U.S. Census Bureau data, SDSU investigators developed a systems model to forecast land use change across the northern Great Plains (SD, NE, ND, WY, MT). Soil Environmental Risk (SER) was also assessed at the regional level based on varying degrees of cultivation intensity across differing land use qualities. This model was used to test and compare public policy and economic scenarios to identify favorable future conditions (Figure). Under the 2012 ‘basecase’ scenario, where no policy changes occurred, an additional 9 million acres would be converted away from grassland by 2060, while Soil Environmental Risk (SER) would increase from 2.6 to 4.29 (or 65 percent). Soil Environmental Risk Eliminating the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), for which budget constraints continue to limit acreage enrollments, led to an increase of almost 12 million acres by 2060 with an associated increase in Soil Environmental Risk to 5.2 (an increase in 100 percent). For reference, estimated Soil Environmental Risk values during the Dust Bowl ranged between 5 and 10. Increasing crop insurance premium subsidies (CIPS) to 95 percent of the rate covered also caused increased projected Soil Environmental Risk. Reduced financial risk led to increased Soil Environmental Risk. Not all of the Always LOW Liquor Discounts! Busch & Busch Light 30pks 16.35 $ 605-665-7865 109 W. 3rd St. in Downtown Yankton LAST TYNDALL MOTORS BIG 2016 TRACKER PRO GUIDE V-175 SC $19,995 Your Price with options, freight and prep $22,280 with Mercury 90 EXLPT 4S plus $500 Bass Pro Gift Card NEW $29,995 Your Price with options, freight and prep $31,845 with Mercury 150 XL 4S plus $500 Bass Pro Gift Card NEW NO HAGGLE, NO HASSLE $23,495 Your Price with options, freight and prep $26,135 with Mercury 115 EXLPT 4S plus $500 Bass Pro Gift Card $30,845 Arthritis & Agriculture Workshop BROOKINGS, S.D. - SDSU Extension and the Arthritis Foundation will host a free workshop on arthritis and agriculture March 31, 2016 at SDSU Extension Regional Centers in Aberdeen, Mitchell, Rapid City and Sioux Falls. The Grow Your Knowledge of Arthritis: Cultivating a Healthy South Dakota workshop is for farmers, ranchers and gardeners as well as health care providers. “Arthritis is a very common disability for South Dakotans.,” explains Tara Shafrath, SDSU Extension Health & Physical Activity Field Specialist. “Through this workshop, attendees can expect to learn approaches to reduce pain and manage chronic disease with practical tools and resources.” All are welcome to join in this workshop to learn tips on managing arthritis. The workshop sessions will be hosted live at the Sioux Falls Regional Center (2001 E. Eighth St.) and remotely via DDN to the other locations. Session information: Topics covered include: basics of arthritis, farm and ranch limitations, pain management as well as modified and assistive tools. There will also be a local resource fair at the SDSU Sioux Falls Extension Regional Center location. Session 1: 9 a.m.-Noon (CST): will focus on gardening, ranching and farming with arthritis. All farmers, ranchers, gardeners and other agriculturalists are invited to attend this session. Session 2: 1 p.m. - 3 p.m. (CST): will focus on recognizing and identifying signs of arthritis in clients. All occupational therapists, physical therapists, Extension professionals, rural health professionals and others are invited to this session. To register Registration is free, but space is limited so RSVP is requested. To register contact Amber Wolfe, by email or call 317.217.1604. For more information contact Shafrath by email or 605.688.6409. niGrow Ron’s Auto Glass Home Auto Business Glass Repair & Replacement 605-665-9841 1915 Broadway Street, Yankton www.ronsautoglass.com YOUR RADIATOR HEADQUARTERS! • Great Parts • Great Warranty NEW $28,995 Your Price with options, freight and prep with Mercury 150 XL 4S plus $500 Bass Pro Gift Card $32,995 Your Price with options, freight and prep On-Hand & In-Stock! NO WAITING! Cox Auto 1007 Broadway Ave. Yankton • 665-4494 K2500 HD 4x4 NEW $16,395 Your Price with options, freight and prep $20,540 with Mercury 60 EXLPT 4S CT plus $250 Bass Pro Gift Card 665-3720 NEW 2016 SUNTRACKER FISHIN BARGE 24 DLX $20,710 NEW NO HAGGLE, NO HASSLE $26,595 Your Price with options, freight and prep $32,310 with Mercury 115 ELPT 4S CT plus $500 Bass Pro Gift Card HOLD THE LINE PRICING! Same Great Quality, Even Greater Value Call Dan, Tom or Katie Phone: 605-589-3441 • Toll Free: 1-888-589-3441 Hours: Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. • Saturday 8 a.m. to 12 noon 406 West Hwy 50 • Tyndall, SD Clean Truck For Call Tony Now!!! $16,395 Your Price with options, freight and prep 2007 Chevy Silverado LT 6.0L, 6 spd. Auto 4x4, Full Power Remote Start, 111K 6.5’ Box NEW 2016 SUNTRACKER BASS BUGGY 18 DLX 2016 SUNTRACKER PARTY BARGE 18 DLX with Mercury 60 EXLPT 4S CT plus $250 Bass Pro Gift Card CHANCE (receive Bass Pro Gift Card with purchase of selected boats only during this event) 2016 TRACKER TARGA V-18 WT 2016 TRACKER TARGA V-20 WT with Mercury 150 XL 4S plus $1,000 Bass Pro Gift Card March 28-31 2016 TRACKER PRO GUIDE V-175 COMBO 2016 TRACKER TARGA V-18 COMBO $36,080 scenarios tested were so alarming. More stringent conservation compliance would essentially keep land use at today’s levels, while policies aimed at increasing participation of younger individuals in livestock agriculture would result in similar conditions but with enhanced rural communityresilience. Integrating livestock with crop production provided the most noticeable reduction in Soil Environmental Risk, due to higher demand for grass acres and additional crop diversity to enhance grazing opportunities. The systems approach provided some of the first forecasts for both land-use change and associated negative impacts of grassland loss in the region. Although gains have been made in conservation policies, more will be needed if stakeholders and policy makers want to avoid serious consequences comparable to the Dust Bowl era. - See more at: http:// igrow.org/news/consequences-of-grasslandconversion/#sthash. KcsGhy9R.dpuf niGrow There could be lots of reasons Martin´ chose to become the “crossing sergeant.” Oh, there have been rumors that she may give Martin´ a hard time at home, but you know how rumors are. Martin´ retired from the Field Ranch a while back after about 40 years. After that, we’d see him out walking or maybe fishing a little along Lewis Creek. Then one day in September, Martin´ found his new career as a crossing guard down next to the elementary school. He got a blaze orange vest, a paddle sign with “stop” on one side and “slow” on the other. And they gave him a whistle. Oh yes, the whistle. At first, when a child was spotted a block away, Martin´ would trot out to the middle of the intersection, blow his whistle, hold up his paddle and turn it around so everyone saw “stop,” regardless of where you were. And we’d wait until some third-grader got safely to school. Then we were waved on through. And with each wave of Martin’s hand there was a blast on the whistle. Oh yes, that whistle. The school sure picked the right guy for the job. If you want someone who can stand out there every morning in heat and rain and snow and spring winds, just look for an old cowboy. Martin´ took all his “tough lessons” ages ago. His assistant each morning was Billy, the town dog. The two of them make a dynamite security squad. The problem Martin´ was having, however, was that he had more time than children, and that led to his current traffic-control methods. He watches carefully, and if a car is coming from a right angle, he steps out and blows the whistle and stops us. And if the car slows, Martin´ waves him on whether he wants to go that way or not. And that’s when there aren’t any kids around. But no one complains. He’s there early, he’d stop a train to let kids cross the street, and he works for free. So what’s a few whistle blasts and marching orders among friends? You have to admire professionalism wherever it may be found. Salvage Title $16,500 605-665-3720 • Yankton, SD MV Shopper CLASSIFIEDS M I S S O U R I VA L L E Y NEW IN PRINT & ONLINE To place your ad call... 605.665.5884