State Rep. Elder Vogel (R- Beaver/Lawrence/Butler counties) said Tuesday he will soon introduce a bill that encouraging farmers and landowners to work with new farmers.
In Pennsylvania, for every farmer younger than 35, there are four older than 65.
There are 7.7 million acres of farmland in the state. Of those, 41 percent are managed by someone 55 years or older, and 11 percent will transfer in the next five years.
“Those statistics highlight the challenges that new farmers face when looking to start a farm of their own,” Vogel said. “None of our neighboring states offer a similar tax credit program, so this is a way to show the agriculture community that Pennsylvania is open for business. My bill, which is modeled after a successful program in Minnesota, would help change the trend. In the first year of its program, Minnesota offered $2.3 million in tax credits to nearly 450 landowners.”
Under the proposed bill, landowners who lease or sell land, buildings or equipment to a new farmer would receive a one-time personal income-tax credit. All leases must be enforced with written agreements, and all sales must be at fair market value
The National Young Farmer Coalition and the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau support the bill.