SB1025: Bill Text

SB1025,,99 (f) “Farming” has the meaning given in section 464 (e) of the Internal Revenue Code.

SB1025,,100 (2) Beginning farmer. A person is a beginning farmer for the purposes of s. 71.07 (8s), 71.28 (8s), or 71.47 (8s) if, at the time that the person submits an application under sub. (4), all of the following apply:

SB1025,,101 (a) The person is not a part-year resident or a nonresident of this state.

SB1025,,102 (b) The person has a net worth of less than $200,000.

SB1025,,103 (c) The person has farmed for fewer than 10 years at the date on which the person submits an application under sub. (4).

SB1025,,104 (d) The person has entered into a lease or sales transaction with an asset owner, directly or indirectly through ownership interest in a partnership, limited liability company, or tax-option corporation, for the use or purchase of the asset owner’s agricultural assets by the beginning farmer.

SB1025,,105 (e) The person uses the leased or purchased agricultural assets for farming.

SB1025,,106 (3) Asset owner. A person is an asset owner for the purposes of s. 71.07 (8s), 71.28 (8s), or 71.47 (8s) if, at the time that the person submits an application under sub. (4), all of the following apply:

SB1025,,107 (a) The person owns agricultural assets.

SB1025,,108 (b) The person has entered into a lease or sales transaction with a beginning farmer for the use or purchase of the person’s agricultural assets by the beginning farmer.

SB1025,,109 (4) Applications. (a) In order for an asset owner to claim the farm asset owner tax credit under s. 71.07 (8s) (b) 2., 71.28 (8s) (b) 2., or 71.47 (8s) (b) 2., the asset owner and the beginning farmer who is leasing or purchasing the agricultural assets from the asset owner shall each submit an application to the department.

SB1025,,110 (b) An asset owner shall include in the application under this subsection the asset owner’s name and address, information showing that the asset owner satisfies the conditions specified in sub. (3), a description of the leased or purchased agricultural assets and their location, a copy of the lease or sales transaction, the number of acres of agricultural land leased or sold to the beginning farmer, and any other information required by the department.

SB1025,,111 (c) A beginning farmer shall include all of the following in an application under this subsection:

SB1025,,112 1. The beginning farmer’s name and address.

SB1025,,113 2. Information showing that the beginning farmer satisfies the conditions specified in sub. (2).

SB1025,,114 3. A business plan that includes a current balance sheet and projected balance sheets for the lease term or sales transaction, cash flow statements, and income statements along with a detailed description of all significant accounting assumptions used in developing the financial projections.

SB1025,,115 4. A description of the beginning farmer’s education, training, and experience in the type of farming in which the beginning farmer uses the leased or purchased agricultural assets.

SB1025,,116 5. A copy of the beginning farmer’s completed federal profit or loss from farming form, schedule F, or other documentation approved by the department under sub. (6).

SB1025,,117 6. Any other information required by the department.

SB1025,,118 (5) Evaluation and certification. (a) The department shall review applications submitted under sub. (4) (a), and make its certification determinations, in the order in which the applications are received.

SB1025,,119 (b) The department shall provide the beginning farmer claimant and the asset owner with a certificate of eligibility for the tax credit under s. 71.07 (8s), 71.28 (8s), or 71.47 (8s), and allocate the amount of the credit for each such applicant, if all of the following apply:

SB1025,,120 1. The asset owner’s application complies with sub. (4) (b).

SB1025,,121 2. The beginning farmer’s application complies with sub. (4) (c).

SB1025,,122 3. The department determines that the business plan submitted under sub. (4) (c) 3. and the education, training, or experience described under sub. (4) (c) 4. show that the beginning farmer has sufficient resources and education, training, or experience for the type of farming in which the beginning farmer uses the leased or purchased agricultural assets.

SB1025,,123 4. The department verifies all expenses included with the asset owner’s application under sub. (4) (b) and the beginning farmer’s application under sub. (4) (c).

SB1025,,124 (c) The department shall certify a beginning farmer’s eligibility for the tax credit under s. 71.07 (8s), 71.28 (8s), or 71.47 (8s) no later than January 1 of the year following the taxable year for which the claim relates.

SB1025,,125 (d) The maximum amount of the credits that the department may certify to all persons claiming the credits under ss. 71.07 (8s), 71.28 (8s), and 71.47 (8s) in a taxable year is $5,000,000.

SB1025,,126 (6) Department authority. (a) The department may approve alternative documentation for the purposes of sub. (4) (c) 5.

SB1025,,127 (b) The department may assist beginning farmers to develop business plans for the purposes of sub. (4) (c) 3. and may assist in the negotiation of leases or purchases of farm assets that may enable persons to qualify for tax credits under s. 71.07 (8s), 71.28 (8s), or 71.47 (8s).

SB1025,,128 (c) The department may, at the request of the beginning farmer, review any proposal by a beginning farmer to make improvements to agricultural assets consisting of land or facilities for purposes of claiming the additional credit under s. 71.07 (8s), 71.28 (8s), or 71.47 (8s).

SB1025,,129 (7) Reports. Annually, beginning in 2027, the department shall submit a report to the legislature, as provided under s. 13.172 (2), specifying the number of the persons submitting applications under this section, the type of farming the applicants are engaged in, the number of certificates of eligibility issued to the applicants, and the amount of the credits awarded to each applicant.

SB1025,,130 (end)