C36—Lancaster Fannins, Saturday, October 25,1980 Del. DOVER, Del. - Agriculture is Delaware’s leading industry. But the Governor’s Advisory Committee on Farmland Preservation predicts that farmland will decline from the current 53 percent of Delaware’s total land area down to 35 percent by the year 2000 unless action is taken. Since March, represen tatives from farm groups, real estate, government, and the Delaware Extension Service who make up the Governor’s Advisory Committee have been studying the causes of farmland loss. They have developed a package of recommendations designed to preserve the state’s dwindling farmland. Under the plan, the state government would set up a system of exclusive agricultural zoning ac ceptable to Delawareans. The plan would include financial and other in centives to landowners for keeping land in agriculture within these zones. The public would have a say in the location of the zones. A farmer would receive a state income tax credit for each acre of farmland owned in an exclusive agricultural zone. For example, if these tax credits were set at $5 per acre, a farmer with 500 acres would receive a $2500 state mcome tax credit every year. The loss of revenues to the state for such a program would amount to about $3 million annually (since approximately 600,000 acres of farmland might be placed in exclusive agricultural zones). The income tax credit would be a substantial incentive, yet a relatively small proportion of the state’s budget. Farmland within the ALASKA KODIAK WOODBURNERS proposes tax exclusive agricultural zones would be exempted from all general property and school taxes, except those that directly benefit agriculture such as farm drainage taxes. Farm residences, however, would still be subject to the same property taxes as neighboring non farm residences. This provision of the plan would result in possibly a $2 million annual loss of revenues to local govern ments and school districts. The state would compensate the affected jurisdictions in a declining way for three years, to give them time to develop alternative revenue sources. Delaware’s inheritance tax law would also be revised under the plan. Under the committee’s proposal, the Delaware inheritance tax on farms in exclusive agricultural zones could be deferred and later paid in installments at low interest. This would give the heirs a chance to build up their farm businesses before having to make large outlays of cash. The state capital gains tax schedules would be revised to allow either deferral of the gam, spreading the gam over an extended period, or an exemption of part of the gam when transferred farmland within the zone is kept in agriculture. The real property transfer tax would be revised to place a ceiling on the tax when farmland m the zone is kept m agriculture. Another proposal would consolidate, eliminate, and simplify the system of permits, approvals and certifications applicable to agricultural operations within the exclusive agricultural zones. Farmlands m the path of urban development, such as those zoned for incentives to preserve farmland nonagncultural uses or served by sewer, would not be part of exclusive agricultural zones. The Governor’s Advisory Committee recognizes the likelihood that such farms would eventually succumb to pressures to develop. However, the committee CREUTZBURG, INC. Livestock Supplies On The Farm Service - PH: 717-768-7181 Open Daily - 3 to 5; Saturday 8 to 12 ★ PRODUCTS ARE AVAILABLE BY MAIL SUPPLIES FOR ALL YOUR FARMING NEEDS ECI Dairy Supplies Anchor Animal Health Products WIC Bam Equipment Ear Tags & Leg Bands Send For CREUTZBURG, INC. FREE CATALOG; Lincoln Highway East, Box? Paradise, PA 17562 NAME STREET CITY STATE IWlth Beacon Pre-Fresh! 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Beacon Milling Company York, P7T 717-843-9033 realizes that tnese farms are important' to the state’s economy and quality of life, so a proposal is designed to keep these lands in agriculture as long as possible, if not indefinitely. Farmers who own land outside of exclusive agricultural zones could ZIP gst participate voluntarily in one part of the farmland preservation program. 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