SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2006 SESSION

067361254
HOUSE BILL NO. 963
House Amendments in [ ] – February 8, 2006
A BILL to amend and reenact § 58.1-339.3 of the Code of Virginia, relating to agricultural best management practices tax credit.
----------
Patron Prior to Engrossment--Delegate Bulova
----------
Referred to Committee on Finance
----------

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That § 58.1-339.3 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 58.1-339.3. Agricultural best management practices tax credit.

A. For all taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 1998, any individual who is engaged in agricultural production for market, or has [ horses equines ] that create needs for agricultural best management practices to reduce nonpoint source pollutants, and who has in place a soil conservation plan approved by the local Soil And Water Conservation District (SWCD), shall be allowed a credit against the tax imposed by § 58.1-320 of an amount equaling twenty-five percent 25% of the first $70,000 expended for agricultural best management practices by the individual.

As used in this section, "agricultural best management practice" means a practice approved by the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board (VSWCB) which will provide a significant improvement to water quality in the state's streams and rivers and the Chesapeake Bay and is consistent with other state and federal programs that address agricultural, nonpoint-source-pollution management. Eligible practices shall include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Livestock-waste and poultry-waste management;

2. Soil erosion control;

3. Nutrient and sediment filtration and detention;

4. Nutrient management; and

5. Pest management and pesticide handling.

A detailed list of the standards and criteria for practices eligible for credit shall be found in the most recently approved "Virginia Agricultural BMP Implementation Manual" published annually prior to July 1 by the Department of Conservation and Recreation.

B. Any practice approved by the local Soil and Water Conservation District Board shall be completed within the taxable year in which the credit is claimed. After the practice installation has been completed, the local SWCD Board shall certify the practice as approved and completed, and eligible for credit. The applicant shall forward the certification to the Department of Taxation on forms provided by the Department. The credit shall be allowed only for expenditures made by the taxpayer from funds of his own sources.

C. The amount of such credit shall not exceed $17,500 or the total amount of the tax imposed by this chapter, whichever is less, in the year the project was completed, as certified by the Board. If the amount of the credit exceeds the taxpayer's liability for such taxable year, the excess may be carried over for credit against income taxes in the next five taxable years until the total amount of the tax credit has been taken.

D. For purposes of this section, the amount of any credit attributable to agricultural best management practices by a partnership or electing small business corporation (S Corporation) shall be allocated to the individual partners or shareholders in proportion to their ownership or interest in the partnership or S Corporation.

2. That the provisions of this act shall be effective for taxable years beginning on or after January 1, 2007.