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Young Farmers take farm bill concerns to D.C.

A young farmer says he’d like to see more incentives for beginning farmers in the next farm bill.

Minnesota organic crop farmer Matthew Fitzgerald tells Brownfield access to land is one of the largest barriers for young farmers to enter the business and the recently passed young farmer tax credit bill in Minnesota is just one example of how legislation can incentivize opportunities for young farmers, “Our legislation was actually modeled after laws in Nebraska and Iowa, so it’s been done before.  What makes ours historic is that it includes a tax incentive on the sale of land.  If a retiring farmer wants to rent his farm ground to a beginning farmer, they can receive a tax credit.”

Fitzgerald is joined by other members of the National Young Farmers Coalition in Washington D.C. this week to advocate for solutions to challenges young farmers face and farm bill programs that help them get off the ground.

He says the importance of beginning farmer and rancher development programs, Farm Service Agency programs and mircoloans, as well as access to health care and student debt relief are also being discussed with lawmakers as part of this week’s D.C. visit.