• Florida’s Department of Agriculture is creating a Farm Tax Exempt Agricultural Materials (TEAM) Card to help farmers claim sales-tax exemptions on agricultural materials.
• The new legislation, SB 1164 and HB 1279, aims to reduce barriers to economic success for Florida farmers and make it easier for them to purchase necessary supplies and goods.
• In Florida, farmers may be eligible for tax exemptions on certain agricultural equipment and property used in production. The implementation of a wallet-sized tax exemption card aims to mitigate the task of filing forms to claim exemptions.

Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson, alongside Sen. Jay Collins and Rep. Danny Alvarez, announced on Wednesday that Florida’s Department of Agriculture is working to create a Florida Farm Tax Exempt Agricultural Materials (TEAM) Card that will be used for sales-tax-exempt purchases of agricultural materials

The pieces of legislation, SB 1164 and HB 1279, would provide a free physical card alternative to Florida farmers, making it easier for them to claim existing sales-tax exemptions. According to Simpson, the policy aims to reduce barriers to economic success for farmers and their livelihoods, making it easier for them to purchase necessary supplies and goods.

In Florida, farmers may be eligible for tax exemptions on certain agricultural equipment and property used in production. These tax exemptions are intended to support the state’s agricultural industry, which is a significant contributor to Florida’s economy. Specifically,  farmers may be exempt from paying sales and use taxes on items such as feed, fertilizer, and pesticides. Farmers may also be eligible for a property tax exemption on agricultural lands that meet certain criteria, such as being actively used for agricultural purposes and meeting minimum acreage requirements.

“When farmers succeed, we all succeed, which is why we need to support our farmers and take any weight off their backs that we can,” said Simpson. “The Florida Farm TEAM Card will help to alleviate burdens felt by farmers and agricultural retailers in our state, and I applaud Senator Collins and Representative Alvarez for championing this commonsense legislation.”

The Senate bill has been referred to the Agriculture, Appropriations Committee on Agriculture, Environment, and General Government, and Fiscal Policy committees for further discussion and analysis, while the House companion heads for the Agriculture, Conservation & Resiliency Subcommittee, the Appropriations Committee, and the Infrastructure Strategies Committee.

“Reducing barriers to their economic success through efforts like making the Florida Farm TEAM Card a reality is not only good for the consumer but it’s smart business for our farmers and agriculture retailers across the State,” said Alvarez. “It is beyond time that Florida Agriculture gets recognized for their importance and impact on our State and the Nation as a whole.”