January 2, 2025
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Rural Finance Authority (RFA) is now accepting applications for the 2025 Beginning Farmer Tax Credit, an annual program available to landlords and sellers (asset owners) who rent or sell farmland, equipment, livestock, and other agricultural assets to beginning farmers.
Total funding available for the 2025 Beginning Farmer Tax Credit program is $4 million. The credits are funded in a first-come, first-served manner, so applicants are highly encouraged to apply early in the year before the stated deadlines. Both the asset owners and beginning farmers must submit applications with lease and/or sale documents to be eligible for funding and to hold their place in line. They may apply before sales close, if needed.
Asset owners can claim credits in one of the following categories in a given tax year for each beginning farmer they lease/sell to:
| Tax Credit Amount | Maximum Tax Credit | Application Due Date | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cash Rentals | 10% of annual rental income | $7,000 | July 17, 2025 |
| Share Crop Rentals | 15% of annual rental income | $10,000 | July 17, 2025 |
| Sales | 8% of sale price (12% if the buyer is an emerging farmer) |
$50,000 | November 1, 2025 |
| Beginning Farmer Farm Business Management Tuition Reimbursement | Equal to tuition paid out of pocket | $1,500 for 3 years | November 1, 2025 |
Qualifying asset owners can include individuals, trusts, or qualified pass-through entities renting or selling land, livestock, facilities, buildings, or machinery used for farming in Minnesota to a beginning farmer. Through changes made to the program during the 2023 legislative session, parents, grandparents, and siblings are now eligible for the tax credit if they sell farmland to a direct family member. However, this does not apply to leases or non-land sales (e.g., livestock, equipment).
A beginning farmer is defined as a Minnesota resident with the desire to start farming or who began farming within the past 10 years. They must provide positive projected earnings statements, have a net worth less than $1,013,000, and enroll in or have completed an approved Farm Business Management (FBM) program.
Beginning farmers are also eligible for a nonrefundable Minnesota tax credit equal to the amount paid for FBM tuition, up to a maximum of $1,500. This tax credit is available for up to three years.
Full eligibility requirements and application materials can be found on the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit webpage. Questions may be directed to Jenny Heck at Jenny.Heck@state.mn.us or 651-201-6316.
Informational Zoom session:
Monday, January 6
12:00pm – 1:00pm
Register in advance or drop-in
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZApfu2srDouHtENcJ63mL4AJpiz8_M_VYED
###
Media Contact
Brittany Raveill, MDA Communications
651-201-6131
Brittany.Raveill@state.mn.us
Section I: Declaration of Quarantine
Whereas, the Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of A
Feed Certificates
Food & Feed Safety
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has investigated 94 sites in 22 counties since 2016 for P
January Food Safety and Defense Task Force Meeting
Starts:
Tue, 01/21/2025 - 1:30 pm
Ends:
Tue, 01/21/2025 - 3:30 pm
MDA is a:
Sponsor
Presenter
Details:
The Governor's Food Safety and Defense Task Force has continuously met since 1990 to discuss issues affecting Minnesota's food system. The Task Force is composed of seventeen members, ten of whom are appointed by the Governor's office, representing food regulatory agencies, agricultural industries, food-related non-profit associations, and the University of Minnesota. Meetings of the Task Force are held every other month and are open to anyone interested.
Task force meetings are held in conformance with Minnesota Statutes Section 13D.015, upcoming meetings of the FSDTF have been scheduled and will be offered in-person with video-conference phone-in options.
The next meeting will be on January 21, 2025, at the Orville L. Freeman Building in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Attend the January 21 meeting using Microsoft Teams
Or you can call in via audio conference (sorry, this is not a toll-free line) by calling: +1-651-395-7448
Phone Conference ID: 807 374 4#
Individuals with a disability who need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this event please contact Natasha Hedin at 612-247-5888 or through the Minnesota Relay Service at 711 as soon as possible.
