Act 65 of 2019 established the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Program to encourage existing farmers and landowners to work with beginning farmers to help them get their start in agriculture. However, since the passage of the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Program, less than fifty applicants have been certified as beginning farmers. As Pennsylvania’s farmers continue to retire from the field, leaving large swathes of agricultural land available for potential new farmers, I believe that changes to the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Program are necessary to further encourage young Pennsylvanians to enter into farming.
 
That’s why I will be introducing legislation to update the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Program to share the tax credit with the beginning farmer, as well. The tax credit would also be changed to allow holders of the tax credit to have the option to carry the tax credit over to the next three subsequent years if not fully used in the year it was awarded, and they would also be able to apply for a limited refund of the remaining tax credit after those three years.
 
I believe this legislation will greatly benefit both Pennsylvania farmers who are seeking retirement and young and new farmers who will become the next generation of Pennsylvania farmers. The Beginning Farmer Tax Credit Program shows our agriculture community that Pennsylvania is open for business, so let’s expand this program, further demonstrating our support for the future of agriculture in our state.
 
Please consider co-sponsoring this important legislation to increase opportunities for our future farmers to succeed.
 
 
 

Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 3327: P.L.6, No.2