Amador County – The California Farm Bureau Board of Directors traveled to Washington, D.C., last month to discuss agricultural issues with elected representatives of California. As reported by the Farm Bureau, directors stressed “issues including water supplies, estate tax reform, food safety and maintaining the economic viability of agriculture.” Discussions took place “with both U.S. senators from California, and with 33 members of the House of Representatives or their staff members.” Jim Spinetta, a grapegrower and vintner from Plymouth, was there representing Amador, El Dorado, Placer and Sacramento counties. He stressed the importance of preserving the estate tax exemption. He said “30 percent of the farms in this country go to a second generation, and fewer than 15 percent of farms pass to a third generation. The number one cause of this loss is the death tax. It isn't because we are bad farmers; it is this death tax that pushes people out.” Spinetta also addressed the gift tax and “the stepped-up basis for determining land value for taxation purposes.” “Both of these will revert back to much more severe levels for landowners if Congress doesn't act,” he said. Spinetta said he brought his wife and kids along on the journey because “it benefits the members of Congress to know that there is another generation of farmers coming up, and…it benefits the children who learn by doing that it is important for agriculture to send its message.” Also on hand were board members Mat Conant, a walnut grower from Rio Oso, Norm Groot, a nursery producer from Asuza, and Norm Yenni, a grain farmer from Sonoma. Conant agreed that “reforming the estate tax is one more tool we would have to preserve ag land in California, which is always under extreme development pressure.” He said it is currently difficult for winegrowers to pass their estates to future generations because their real estate prices are extremely high. “If we're going to keep that in agriculture, we need to keep these estates going and not have them divided into such small areas that they're useless,” he said. Groot said he is “amazed that our country continues to function” because “there seems to be only partisan politics now and we witnessed that firsthand as we observed the process that passed the health care reforms the week we were there.” He said representatives, including U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, are “taking a more active interest in the estate tax issues.” He said the conversations also included “open discussions on invasive pests and funding for eradication programs.” Yenni said they focused a lot on immigration and ways to deal with the issue while benefiting agriculture. Reflecting on the visit, Groot said he believes “that each time we are there the importance of California agriculture registers a bit higher in their collective minds.” This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Wednesday, 14 April 2010 06:08
CA Farm Bureau Reps Take Ag Issues to Washington, D.C.
Written by Tom-
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Amador County – The California Farm Bureau Board of Directors traveled to Washington, D.C., last month to discuss agricultural issues with elected representatives of California. As reported by the Farm Bureau, directors stressed “issues including water supplies, estate tax reform, food safety and maintaining the economic viability of agriculture.” Discussions took place “with both U.S. senators from California, and with 33 members of the House of Representatives or their staff members.” Jim Spinetta, a grapegrower and vintner from Plymouth, was there representing Amador, El Dorado, Placer and Sacramento counties. He stressed the importance of preserving the estate tax exemption. He said “30 percent of the farms in this country go to a second generation, and fewer than 15 percent of farms pass to a third generation. The number one cause of this loss is the death tax. It isn't because we are bad farmers; it is this death tax that pushes people out.” Spinetta also addressed the gift tax and “the stepped-up basis for determining land value for taxation purposes.” “Both of these will revert back to much more severe levels for landowners if Congress doesn't act,” he said. Spinetta said he brought his wife and kids along on the journey because “it benefits the members of Congress to know that there is another generation of farmers coming up, and…it benefits the children who learn by doing that it is important for agriculture to send its message.” Also on hand were board members Mat Conant, a walnut grower from Rio Oso, Norm Groot, a nursery producer from Asuza, and Norm Yenni, a grain farmer from Sonoma. Conant agreed that “reforming the estate tax is one more tool we would have to preserve ag land in California, which is always under extreme development pressure.” He said it is currently difficult for winegrowers to pass their estates to future generations because their real estate prices are extremely high. “If we're going to keep that in agriculture, we need to keep these estates going and not have them divided into such small areas that they're useless,” he said. Groot said he is “amazed that our country continues to function” because “there seems to be only partisan politics now and we witnessed that firsthand as we observed the process that passed the health care reforms the week we were there.” He said representatives, including U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein, are “taking a more active interest in the estate tax issues.” He said the conversations also included “open discussions on invasive pests and funding for eradication programs.” Yenni said they focused a lot on immigration and ways to deal with the issue while benefiting agriculture. Reflecting on the visit, Groot said he believes “that each time we are there the importance of California agriculture registers a bit higher in their collective minds.” This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
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