GOP lawmakers are circulating legislation that would bar landowners from claiming the state’s farmland preservation tax credit for some cases when solar energy systems are present.
The bill would apply to portions of property that house a solar energy system, unless it plays a role in farming operations.
In a cosponsorship memo sent to other legislators, Rep. Ellen Schutt of Clinton and Sen. Cory Tomczyk of Mosinee highlighted a “substantial increase” in the installation of solar panels on agricultural land in the state.
The memo also shows the amount of farmland in Wisconsin dropped from 24 million acres in 1950 to 16 million acres in 2000, before falling further to 14.2 million acres by 2021.
The lawmakers note the farmland preservation program was meant to reduce property tax burden on farmland owners while encouraging local governments to develop policies to preserve the land. They also say some renewable energy generation facilities are being allowed within farmland preservation zoning districts.
As long as 50 percent of the land is used for agriculture, the landowner can still qualify for the tax credit for the entire property, according to the memo.
Under the bill, the credit couldn’t be claimed for any part of the land on which a solar system is located, as long as it’s not an “integral part of or incidental to” agricultural use.
“As agricultural land continues to disappear, this bill will ensure that those who are receiving the farmland preservation tax credit, are truly farming the land and preserving its soil and quality for generations to come,” the lawmakers wrote in the memo.
The cosponsorship deadline is 5 p.m. Sept. 25.
See the bill text: https://www.wisbusiness.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/23-2291_1.pdf
–By Alex Moe
