Farmland Preservation Tax Credit


Working Lands Initiative Farmland Preservation Tax Credit

The Wisconsin Working Lands Initiative provides landowners with an opportunity to claim Farmland Preservation Tax Credit on their Wisconsin income taxes. 

They are available starting with the 2010 tax year. 

New Tax Credit Calculation

Credits available on lands located in exclusive agricultural zoning will now be a straight $7.50 per acre.  All acres in exclusive agricultural zoning are eligible.  For example, on a 100 acre farm, if you have 80 acres of cropland, a house on 3 acres and 17 acres of woods, and all were covered by exclusive agricultural zoning, all 100 acres would be eligible for the tax credit and your tax credit would be $750. 

 There is minimum or maximum amount of acres on which the tax credit can be claimed. 

Eligibility Requirements

 Acres claimed must be in an exclusive agricultural zoning area as identified in the County Farmland Preservation Plan.

Claimants must have at least $6,000 in gross farm revenue in the past year or have at least $18,000 in the past three years.  Rental receipts do not count as gross farm revenue however farm revenue produced by a renter on a landowner's farmland counts towards the revenue requirement. 

Property taxes must be paid by the claimant

Participants must certify on their tax form that they comply with State Soil and Water Conservation Standards. 

Conservation Compliance Requirements
Working Lands Initiative/Farmland Preservation Program

Farming Activity on Qualifying Acres

Required Standards


 Grow Agricultural Crops

Meet tolerable soil loss (T) on cropped fields

Follow a nutrient management plan

 
Raise, Feed or House Livestock

Prevent direct runoff from feedlots or stored manure into State waters

Limit livestock access to maintain adequate sod cover along surface water


Livestock Operators with Manure Storage (In Place or Planned)

Maintain structures to prevent overflow

Repair or upgrade any failing or leaking structures that poses an imminent health threat or that violate groundwater standards

Close unused structures according to accepted standards

Meet technical standards for newly constructed or substantially altered structures.


Livestock Operations Within A Water Quality Management Area

(300 feet from a stream, 1000 from a lake or in areas susceptible to groundwater contamination)

Do not stack manure in unconfined piles

Divert clean water away from feedlots,  manure storage areas and barnyards located within this area