giraffe was by John Smith(no relation), in 1893.
Amazingly, over 275 pair were made over the course
of three weeks. A record that still stands to this day.
Posted on 06/15/2011 9:09:38 AM PDT by Colofornian
From the article: Most Utahns are unaware that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints owns one of the biggest ranches in the country — and it's nowhere near the Beehive State. [click for map]
From the article: ...450 acres of potatoes for Frito Lay Chips...
...Now that's a real healthy physical and spiritual mission field for the Mormons!
It would be nice if more churches owned and worked ranches instead of whining for more government handouts and helping settle Muslim terrorists in America as my former denomination (ELCA) does.
Amazingly, over 275 pair were made over the course
of three weeks. A record that still stands to this day.
As much as I like individual Mormons I’ve known, am I the only one this seems a bit cultish to? If it’s church owned, is it tax-free?
Yes, tax-free.
Also, many retired Mormons come at their own expense to work this and other Lds ranches...(Lds owns other similar ag ranches in states like Idaho and Washington). So yes, this ranch has employees...but notice it has less than 100 for a 300,000 acre ranch.
(And, of course, Lds, Inc. is a cult)
This seems like a prime example of willful abuse of the tax-exemption for churches. How has their business affected other, similar businesses in the area that have to pay their own taxes, plus make up for the taxes not paid by the LDS church ranch? Their environmental stewardship is great, and, knowing the general intelligence of Mormons, I’d expect is well run, but all that just seems like window-dressing on something unsellable when you actually look at it closely.
They also have mooses and llamas.
Thanks for the information. I posted before seeing your response, otherwise I would have included you for my post above to scvw. If Romney gets in, I’m sure we can expect even more of this nonsense.
It mentions: LDS, Inc. has more than $1 billion in for-profit property in Florida -- and breaks that down by counties in Florida.
Thanks for the link - reading it now. I get the feeling reigning them in is going to make bringing Scientology to account look like a cake walk.
Well, you've hit just the surface.
Here's an example of what you're talking about with the ag competition in Idaho: Farmers face off with LDS Church
The "non-profit" LDS church creates problems even with Mormon farmers w/their commercial produce enterprise!
Note this quote from an LDS church member:
Declo farmer Mark Darrington, however, is also concerned the church intended to take over management and does not see that as being in the best interest of his community. "I am an active member of the Mormon Church, but facts is facts,” he said. “I did not want them to turn this into a big corporate farm because of the impact on the local community.” For one, he said, “local vendors are bypassed. I think that puts a bad taste not just in non-members’ mouth but also in members’ mouth.” ...He said the church setting up a large entity and garnering large potato contracts would have an adverse effect...“The church tends to not cooperate with growers,” he said. Source: Farmers face off with LDS Church
So the Lds church grows all these potatoes in Idaho and Florida and sells them with large contracts to Frito Lays for unhealthy potato chips!
(I'll think I'll be buying less cult-laced Frito products for family gatherings in the future)
I found the following information on wikipedia, so take it for what it's worth:
The remaining assets include direct investments in for-profit businesses managed through Deseret Management Corporation. Although the LDS church is a tax-exempt organization, its for-profit entities generate "unrelated business income" that is subject to federal, state, and local income and other taxes.
Subsidiaries of Deseret Management Corporation
Agriculture - Farmland Reserve Inc.
Farmland Reserve Inc. - over 312,000 acres (1,260 km²) in Florida (dba Deseret Cattle and Citrus).
There's nothing here to see. Move along smartly now...
My sister has never even gotten CLOSE to a llama, after that moose thing...
Yes tax-free, and yes this ranch takes full advantage of it’s tax free status in unincorporated Orange and Volusia county.
What I especially love is the toll road (528) running through the heart of their community has an exit for their residential neighborhoods that is EZPass ONLY, meaning no toll booth attendant, no coin receptacles, and no way to legally exit the highway without a prepaid EZPass transformer.
And their local LEO sit right at the exit ramp all day and tail any out of area cars that exit there.
Got pulled over twice in the same spot on this exit... the ranch allows hiking on one corner of their property as a right of way for a larger trail system, and there is supposedly legal parking at a trailhead, however, it is “highly frowned upon son for outsiders to come here snooping around”. I was living less than 10 miles from there at the time too.
The area is a beautiful hike in the dry season though.
I’d heard of other churches doing things like this elsewhere, an example being the Seventh Day Adventists in Australia and their consumer food products, but there doesn’t seem to be any comparison with this. Milk before meat I guess - none of the Mormons I’ve talked to, and there have been a few in powerful positions, mentioned any of this.
I wonder if Jesus hung out with the Seminoles too.
Sort of puts to the lie your contention that these for-profit businesses are tax exempt, doesn't it?
FWIW, the ECLA owns for-profit businesses such as insurance companies and non-profit businesses such as nursing homes.
Taxes are paid on the former, but not the later (except payroll taxes). Colleges which operate for-profit businesses pay taxes on them as well. Even if the owner-operator of said business is a non-profit organization.
If you or I operate a ranch which produces food which is sold into the for-profit market, tax is payable on any profits. If the food is distributed to a non-profit food pantry or its equivalent, then it is tax-exempt. It really isn't all that complicated. The same laws which apply to your state university or the ELCA also apply to the LDS chuch. Annoying, isn't it? < / sarcasm >
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