Farm Bureau: Agriculture Helped, Hurt In Budget CAMP HILL (Cumberland Co.) The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau this week announced its opinion on the governor's pro posed budget it has some “pluses and minuses’’ for agricul ture, according to Guy F. Donald son, Farm Bureau president. “It was a plus to see a $1.3 mil lion increase in general operations for the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture budget,” Donaldson said, “because this increase means that vital regulatory programs and staff will not be cut.” He cited the $2.5 million bud geted to carry out the nutrient man agement program as another plus, along with the half million dollar increase for ag research. The farm spokesman praised the $44 million allocated to preserve farmland in Pennsylvania, and the $3 million to oversee diagnostic research facilities and to monitor animal health by the Animal Health Commission. The Veterinaiy College at the University of Pennsylvania re ceived a million-dollar increase to m (Disgaui SCOT PUMP Division of Ardox Cofp. A(H •F-Series Trucks w/7 3L Turbo Diesel . 751 • 3 Yr/36,000 Milo warranty pj, • XLT Package •500 Gallon Poly Tank Or SS Elliptiqpl«^2j\ •ugg-- dependable Hydraulic Fold, Raise & Level ' Outer Tip Breakaway • Center Boom Section Pivots On Spherical Radial Bearing To Provide Self-Leveling Action • Two Gas-Charged Shock Absorbers Further Promote Overall Stabili help run the only veterinary school in the state. An area of major concern to the Farm Bureau is that Pennsylvania State University Ag Extension and Research received a small in crease, which was mostly offset by decreasing federal dollars for this vital program. The PFB is seeking an increase of 8 percent versus the 3.S percent provided by the Ridge budget The second area of concern was the lack of any increase going to conservation district programs. Another big minus, according to Donaldson, is the failure to fund the ag loan forgiveness program. Under the program, college graduates, who returned to the farm could apply to have a portion of their college loan forgiven. Pennsylvania Farm Bureau is a non-government, voluntary or ganization which represents more than 25,000 farm and rural fami lies. It has 54 county Farm Bureaus and is affiliated with the American Farm Bureau Federation. ag-chem SALES CO INC m a®-©SGBGS] io<3r, ig > Vehicles • 46' or 60’ Boom Featuring Hydraulic Raise, Fold* And Level For “Farmstead” Property Tax Relief CAMP HILL (Cumberland Co.) A statewide farm organi zation is urging that property tax relief for farmers be added to any tax reform measure enacted by the General Assembly to implement the “homestead” property tax exemption. Pennsylvania Farm Bureau is urging lawmakers to add a “hum stead” exemption to the property tax relief legislation they will be considering for taxpayers. Pennsylvania voters approved an amendment to the state Consti tution in a referendum last fall which cleared the way for passage of a “homestead” tax exemption. It would allow municipalities, school districts and counties to ex empt part of the assessed value of a taxpayer’s home from property taxes. The exemption would be limited to no more than one-half of the median assessed value of homes in a taxing district Local governments would be able to replace the lost revenues through other sources such as local income or sales taxes approved by voters. Pennsylvania Farm Bureau sup- • 2000 Lb Rated Tongue Jack • 500 Gallon Poly Tank, Deep Sump • Stainless Steel Sparger Tube For Maximum Agitation *10” Diameter Top FillweH Opening With A Splash Guard Ag-Chem TPH 250 Three-Point Sprayer • Allows You Greater Maneuverability In Tight Areas • Frame Attaches To A Category 2 Or 3 Hitch & Is Engineered • 250 Gallon Rated Teardrop • Ultra-Violet Inhibitors is irger • Stainless Steel Full Length Sparger Tubs • 10" Wide Splash Guard Cover • Deep Withdrawal Sump • Markr Molded In The Tank Farm Bureau Testifies ported passage of the “homestead” referendum with the understand ing that a “farmstead” exemption would be added to the final tax re form package. In testimony today before the state House Finance Committee, a spokesman for the farm organiza tion explained why Burners need additional tax relief measures. John Bell, counsel of Govern mental Affairs for PFB, said farm ers pay a disproportionate share of local property taxes under the pre sent system because of the large amounts of land and buildings needed to operate their businesses. Limiting tax reform strictly to a “homestead” exemption on a tax payer’s home will not bring much relief to farmers, he said. The value of a farm house often comprises only a small portion of the farm’s total tax assessment In addition, when compared to hous es in residential neighborhoods, the value of a farm residence and its surrounding grounds is often very low. “If property eligible for tax relief is limited to the resi dence and accessory grounds, the m Lancaster Fanning, Saturday, Fabruaty 21,1998-C3 comparably low farm home values will prevent farm families from receiving tax relief that other resi dents will be able to receive” Bell testified, “even though those farm families pay more property taxes.” Tax relief on top of a “home stead” exemption for homes must be provided to farm families, Bell said. He made the following points in explaining how Farm Bureau would like to see a “farm stead” exemption operate: Farm Bureau does not recom mend that all farms receive “farm stead property tax relief. “Only those farms which serve as the pri mary residence of the owner of the farm would be eligible for relief,” Bell stated. "This limitation would direct relief to family farm opera tions, who deserve and need tax relief the most” “Farmstead” property eligible for tax relief would include the buildings and structures which are primarily used to facilitate the farm operation. Examples would include buildings and structures used to produce commodities, house animals, store hum prod ucts or supplies, or to store farm machinery or equipment ‘Farmstead” tax relief should not be treated as merely an exten sion of the “homestead” exemp tion. “We believe that the ‘farm stead’ relief should be relief which is separate from and in addition to the relief that the resident farm family would otherwise receive for homestead property,” Bell said. ‘To use an example, if a farm family has a farm with a house as sessed at $20,000 and farm budd ings assessed at $lOO,OOO in a tax ing district in which half the median value of homestead prop erty is $20,000, the farm family should not only receive homestead relief on the farm house, but addi tional tax relief on the farm budd ings.” Pennsylvania Farm Bureau is a voluntary, non-governmental or ganization which represents 25,247 farm and rural families.
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