[TacticalThinking]

Are there any agriculture rules or tax breaks requriing a certain amount of land to be considered farming or get breaks, or to be allowed to raise anything? Just curious if there's a specific size i.e 20 acres or 4 acres etc where some break or laws come into play

[flu189]

Originally Posted by TacticalThinking

Are there any agriculture rules or tax breaks requriing a certain amount of land to be considered farming or get breaks, or to be allowed to raise anything? Just curious if there's a specific size i.e 20 acres or 4 acres etc where some break or laws come into play

There is what is termed "current use" policy which covers taxation of land parcels in excess of 25 acres being used for agriculture/logging. I don't know the details, but perhaps the state taxation website would spell out more details.

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by flu189

There is what is termed "current use" policy which covers taxation of land parcels in excess of 25 acres being used for agriculture/logging. I don't know the details, but perhaps the state taxation website would spell out more details.

When I was looking for land, what I vaguely remember was that two acres of a parcel could be maintained for a home (and thus taxed at that rate) while the rest stayed in the current use program at a lower rate. One parcel I looked at was all in current use; part of the land was being farmed by a local farmer. If I wanted to take two acres out to build a home, I would have to pay taxes on those two acres going back to when the land first went into current use.

I don't know it that helped or confused, but that's all I can recall.

[flu189]

The two acre reference applies to your homestead, so if you qualify for a prebate only that two acres applies. As far as current use applies it was always my understanding that it involved some specific size, time, and actual use rules. Hence, I assume if you bought over 25 acres and merely claimed you were raising food or animals you would have to meet some more defined requirements. From my very basic understanding and assumptions this really applies as a benefit to folks who actually farm sizable land because without any break they would never be able to stay in business.

[OhBeeHave]

Originally Posted by flu189

The two acre reference applies to your homestead, so if you qualify for a prebate only that two acres applies. As far as current use applies it was always my understanding that it involved some specific size, time, and actual use rules. Hence, I assume if you bought over 25 acres and merely claimed you were raising food or animals you would have to meet some more defined requirements. From my very basic understanding and assumptions this really applies as a benefit to folks who actually farm sizable land because without any break they would never be able to stay in business.

In my case, I wasn't looking for land in the program as I wouldn't be using it in a manner which would have qualified it. I ended up with a modest home on 13 acres -- no current use for me.

Vermont's Current Use Program (broken link)

[Dwatted Wabbit]

^^^ Thanks, Current Use is what I think we'd want to do if there's flexibility.
Whether ME, NH, or VT I think it's the way to go for folks in certain circumstances.