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Description

Meeting the qualifications of farming and being a farmer under the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) allows for special benefits; however, not all agricultural producers meet these qualifications even if they are producing agricultural products, which is why it is vitally important for operators of farms and their tax professionals to understand the IRS tax definitions of farm, farming and farmer. One of the benefits of being classified as a farmer is the exclusion of certain receipts from income as in the case of conservation payments as allowed under IRC Section 175.

Operators of farming businesses may associate the term farmer as an adjective when describing themselves. Used in the colloquial context most people will understand what being a farmer means as a description of the noble rural occupation. For income tax purposes, however, taxpayers and their advisers need to be certain of the facts and circumstances in the context of the tax issue at hand. In some instances, an individual can be classified as a farmer for one income tax purpose but not for another. Also, someone who is not classified as a farmer may still be engaging in farming activities and have farm income.

Publisher

Rural Tax Education

Publication Date

8-2010

Keywords

farm, farming, tax purposes

Disciplines

Education | Higher Education | University Extension

Farm, Farming and Who’s a Farmer for Tax Purposes

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