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Beginning Farmer Credit creates influx of new students

A Farm Business Management (FBM) Instructor at South-Central College in Faribault says Minnesota’s Beginning Farmer Tax Credit is generating an influx of new students.

Jeff Schultz tells Brownfield the legislation passed in 2017 requires those taking advantage of the credit to enroll in an FBM program.

“And they actually get a tax credit to offset some of those tuition costs for three years.  That has created a tremendous amount of interest.  Me personally, my student enrollment has increased over 10 percent because of that program.  And many other instructors have seen even greater increases because of that.”

Schultz says the college expected the tax credit to stir up a lot of interest.

“You never know when you implement one of those programs, but the challenge is many people have the capacity to take on new students.  I don’t think anybody anticipated this amount of interest.  And when you start a new student, there’s a much more intensive training period so to speak.”

While other states offer similar credits for the rental of land, Minnesota is the first to provide tax incentives for the SALE of farmland to beginning farmers.

Brownfield interviewed Schultz at an Agricultural Education Legislative Breakfast in Rochester Saturday.