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HF3386 • 2026

Tax credit established for farmers who donate food to a food shelf.

Tax credit established for farmers who donate food to a food shelf.

Agriculture Taxes
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Myers, Zeleznikar
Last action
2026-03-12
Official status
Author added Zeleznikar
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Tax Credit for Farmers Donating Food

The bill creates a tax credit for farmers who donate food to food shelves.

What This Bill Does

  • Creates a new tax credit for farmers who give food to food shelves.
  • Sets the credit at 85% of the value of donated food, as long as it meets certain requirements.
  • Limits the total credit to no more than 50% of real property taxes paid by the farmer in that year.
  • Does not allow the same donation to be used for other tax benefits.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Farmers who donate food to food shelves.
  • Food shelf organizations that receive donations from farmers.

Terms To Know

Farmer
A taxpayer engaged in the business of farming, as defined by federal regulations and eligible to own farmland under specific state laws.
Food shelf
An organization that meets the requirements set by Minnesota law for providing food assistance.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The tax credit is only available starting from taxable years after December 31, 2025.
  • Farmers must follow specific rules to calculate the value of their donations.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-12 House

    Author added Zeleznikar

  2. 2026-02-17 House

    Introduction and first reading, referred to Taxes

Official Summary Text

Tax credit established for farmers who donate food to a food shelf.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
A bill for an act

relating to taxation; income and corporate franchise; establishing a credit for

farmers who donate food to a food shelf; proposing coding for new law in

Minnesota Statutes, chapter 290.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

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[290.0651] CREDIT FOR FARMERS MAKING DONATIONS OF FOOD.

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Subdivision 1.

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Definitions.

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(a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have

the meanings given.

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(b) "Farmer" means a taxpayer engaged in the business of farming, as defined in Code

of Federal Regulations, title 26, section 1.175-3, and who is eligible to own farmland under

section 500.24.

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(c) "Food shelf" means an organization that meets the requirement to be considered a

food shelf under section 124D.1191.

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(d) "Qualifying donation" means an in-kind charitable donation of food produced by

the farmer that is eligible for the deduction under section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code.

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Subd. 2.

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Credit allowed.

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(a) A farmer is allowed a credit against the tax imposed under

this chapter equal to 85 percent of qualifying donations to a food shelf.

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(b) For the purposes of determining the monetary value of a qualifying donation, the

rules for determining the monetary value of a charitable contribution under section 170 of

the Internal Revenue Code apply.

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Subd. 3.

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Credit limitation.

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The credit under this section is limited to 50 percent of the

real property taxes paid by the taxpayer during the taxable year.

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Subd. 4.

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Denial of double benefit.

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The qualifying donation used to calculate the credit

under this section may not be used to calculate any other state income tax deduction or

credit allowed by law.

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Subd. 5.

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Credit nonrefundable; carryover.

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If the amount of the credit allowed under

this section for any taxable year exceeds the taxpayer's liability for tax under this chapter,

the excess is a credit carryover to each of the five succeeding taxable years. The entire

amount of the excess unused credit for the taxable year must be carried first to the earliest

of the taxable years to which the credit may be carried and then to each successive year to

which the credit may be carried. The amount of the unused credit that may be added under

this subdivision must not exceed the taxpayer's liability for tax less the credit for the taxable

year.

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Subd. 6.

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Partnerships; multiple owners.

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Credits granted or transferred to a partnership,

a limited liability company taxed as a partnership, an S corporation, or multiple owners of

property are passed through to the partners, members, shareholders, or owners, respectively,

pro rata to each partner, member, shareholder, or owner based on their share of the entity's

assets or as specially allocated in their organizational documents or any other executed

agreement, as of the last day of the taxable year.

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Subd. 7.

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Nonresidents; part-year residents.

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For a nonresident or a part-year resident,

the credit under this section must be allocated based on the percentage calculated under

section 290.06, subdivision 2c, paragraph (e).

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EFFECTIVE DATE.

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This section is effective for taxable years beginning after December

31, 2025.

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