Wisconsin's investment in preserving its agricultural land is offering some solace to farmers and landowners while helping them save money amid a climate of economic uncertainty.
The Farmland Preservation Program provides landowners a $10 per acre credit on their income taxes if they meet agriculture conservation requirements.
Katie Abbott, county conservationist for the Iowa County Land Conservation Department, said county conservation staff work with landowners to make sure they are meeting the standards and help those who are not to get back into compliance so they can keep their tax credit.
"It's just a really great way for landowners to get one-on-one conservation help and get a little financial incentive to help protect the soil and water that we all depend on," Abbott explained.
The program promotes practices like nutrient management planning, which helps landowners save money by optimizing fertilizer use and protecting soil resources. Most of Iowa county is zoned for agriculture use with local farmers and landowners benefiting from more than $1.4 million in tax credits.
Agriculture contributes nearly $105 billion to the state's economy and more than 11% of the state's employment. In Iowa county alone, about a third of agricultural lands have compliance certificates under the program which has helped landowners significantly save on operating costs.
Abbott noted the recent tax credit increase from $7.15 to $10 per acre has sustained participation and ensured landowners still see financial benefits.
"As we all know, costs keep going up. The cost of doing conservation, of having these nutrient management plans, just the general cost of farming keep increasing," Abbott observed. "We just really needed that increase just to keep up with the rising expenses of the farmers in these programs. "
Gov. Tony Evers has proposed allocating $80 million to farms and agriculture in the most recent state budget, some of which would support programs like the Farmland Preservation Program. Abbott emphasized the importance of such initiatives as a community staple.
"We're just here to support farmers, in all kinds of atmospheres whether it's economically challenging or not," Abbott stressed. "We're here to help protect soil and water and help farmers stay productive."
