Progress was made last week in the battle to prevent tax increases on Missouri row cropland.

Every two years the State Tax Commission proposes recommended land tax increases. Having just raised tax rates on farm ground in 2014, the Commission proposed in December another increase of 5% on land grades 1-4, grades primarily representing row crop and good pasture ground. The legislature has the power to prevent the recommendation from becoming law by passing a resolution to disapprove the Tax Commission's recommendation.

TAX PUSH BACK: Commodity groups like Missouri Corn Growers are working to educate legislators on the detrimental impact of any agriculture land tax hike this session. With crop failures and commodity prices falling, Missouri farmers do not need additional costs for their operation.

Last week, legislators heard three separate resolutions to disapprove the proposed increase in committees - one in the House and two in the Senate. Feedback from legislators was mostly positive, as many see the importance of preventing additional burdens from being placed on Missouri farmers during a time of depressed commodity prices and bleak economic outlook for agriculture. The House Ag Policy Committee and House Select Ag Committee voted to pass this resolution through their committee last week, and the resolution (HCR 58) could see time on the House floor as early as today. The Senate Ag Committee hearing also went well and the Ways and Means Committee is expected to vote on the resolutions, SCR 51 and SCR 52 this week.

These are great strides in the fight to prevent tax increases on your farm, however we must stay vigilant. Your state senators and representatives need to hear from you to know how detrimental a change in property taxes would be to your operation. Young and beginning farmers are expected to be hit especially hard by this change.

Source: Missouri Corn Growers