Beginning Farmer Management Credit

You may be eligible for a nonrefundable credit of up to $1,500 if you are a beginning farmer in Minnesota who participated in a financial management program approved by the Rural Finance Authority. You can carry over unused portions of this credit for three years.

You must be certified by the Rural Finance Authority (RFA) to qualify for the credit. For details about the certification process, see the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit page and the RFA’s webpage on the Minnesota Department of Agriculture website. You may also contact the Department of Agriculture directly.

Mail:       Minnesota Department of Agriculture
                625 Robert Street North
                St. Paul, MN 55155-2538
Phone:   651-201-6004
Email:    mda.bftc@state.mn.us

Limited Land Access Farmer

The Minnesota Beginning Farmer Tax Credit program was amended to repeal and replace the definition of “emerging farmer” with “limited land access farmer.” A limited land access farmer rents farmland for a term of three years or less from someone they are not related to, or rents from an incubator farm. Limited land access farmers will be eligible for a tax credit of 12%, as opposed to the 8% available to all other farmers.

Claim the Credit

To claim the credit, complete Schedule M1C, Other Nonrefundable Credits. Enter your certificate number received from the RFA and include this schedule when you file your Minnesota income tax return.