New Tax Credit for Urban Farming in Missouri

Missouri announced in December a new tax credit program aimed at encouraging urban farming in cities throughout the state. “The program involves urban farmers who spent up to $10,000 on establishing or improving an operation could receive half of that back on taxes. The state says the total tax credit pool for the initiative is $200,000,” reports Wayne Pratt of St. Louis Public Radio.

The program was created in response to increased popularity of urban agriculture in Missouri and is aimed at helping people who want to feed others. Current and would-be farmers in 82 urban centers across the state are eligible.

Though the tax credit isn’t specifically targeted to food insecure areas, Jacob Stoehr with the Missouri Agricultural and Small Business Development Authority told St. Louis Public Radio, "we do have a lot of people who don't have access to fresh, local, fruits and vegetables so I think this program is a good step in addressing that issue."

The credit also comes as the United States Department of Agriculture and others grow increasingly concerned about the impact of an aging farming workforce on U.S. food systems. The average American farmer is 57.5 years old, up significantly from 50 in 1978. Cost is one of the largest barriers to younger people, particularly those not born into multigenerational farming families, to entering the agricultural profession.