Minnesota Corn Growers Request Support For Tax Credit

The Minnesota Corn Growers Association has sent a letter to all the candidates for Governor and Minnesota House of Representatives asking them to support the Buffer Property Tax Credit. The Buffer Property Tax Credit was written to address the unfairness of taxing farmland that was converted to buffer strips because of the Minnesota Buffer law as if it was still producing crops and revenue.

The  Buffer Property Tax Credit was introduced during the 2018 legislative session. It was not intended to challenge the Minnesota Buffer Law, but to address the basic unfairness of the Buffer Law. When the bill was first introduced there was widespread support. However, it died because of a disagreement on the funding source.

The proposal supported by the Minnesota Corn Growers Association would provide a $50 an acre property tax credit for acres that are in compliance with Minnesota's Buffer law. Most of the controversy about Minnesota's Buffer Law would have been avoided if this would have been included in the original Bill. How is it fair to tax land as if it is  producing 200 bushel corn or 60 bushel beans when is really growing a cover crop.

That is not to say protecting the environment is not important, but farmers have bills to pay too. Wasn't the Minnesota Lottery and other programs developed to benefit the environment? I suspect all that money had already been allocated for other special environmental projects.