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Legislation introduced to help retiring and beginning Indiana farmers

An Indiana State Representative says more needs to be done to help the next generation get their start in agriculture.

Jasper County farmer Kendell Culp recently introduced House Bill 1191.

“This would pair up a retiring farmer with a young beginning farmer,” he says. “The retiring farmer will be eligible for a $67,000 credit on their Indiana state income tax if they sell or lease their operation, machinery, livestock barns, or farmland to a young beginning farmer.”

He tells Brownfield Governor Mike Braun has included funding for the program in his budget proposal.

“It has a $1 million cap to it for a liability for the state budget,” he says. “Then Senator Braun was campaigning for that as governor. It was one of his priorities. He has taken the $1 million price tag and the verbiage to create that program, so I think we’re off to a really great start.”

Culp says the model is based on successful approaches in Minnesota and Pennsylvania. The bill has currently been heard by the Ways and Means Committee.

AUDIO: Kendell Culp