Farms.com Home   News

Farmers and Ranchers Are Stepping Up Opposition to the Estate Tax

The American Farm Bureau Federation was part of a letter to Congress expressing opposition to the estate tax. Dustin Sherer, director of government affairs for the American Farm Bureau, talks about what was in the letter.

"The Family Businesses Estate Tax Coalition, of which American Farm Bureau Federation is a member, sent a letter to Representatives Feenstra and Bishop, who plan on introducing the Death Tax Repeal Act in the House hopefully sometime in mid-January," Sherer said. "Farm Bureau has long been opposed to any type of estate tax, and this particular bill would take the estate tax completely off the books."

The large number of groups signed on to the letter, including those that represent a variety of business outside of agriculture, shows how important the issue is to the overall economy.

"It's very indicative of how important it is to small, privately held, family-owned businesses, farms, ranches," Sherer said. "The estate tax is oftentimes talked about only with reference to somebody with a farm or ranch trying to pass down a business from one generation to the next. But you apply those same principles to a family-owned small business that manufactures products or a family-owned construction company."

Click here to see more...

Trending Video

Georgia Corn Farmer Breaks Down Costs, Crops & Challenges in 2025 Growing Season

Video: Georgia Corn Farmer Breaks Down Costs, Crops & Challenges in 2025 Growing Season

one-on-one interview from the fields of Seminole County, Georgia, corn and soybean grower Greg Mims walks us through the realities of farming in 2025. From planting in March to harvesting for chicken feed, Greg shares how favorable weather conditions helped this year’s crop—but also why rising input costs and low commodity prices continue to challenge profitability.

He also discusses the rotation strategy on his operation, the role of soybeans as a more economical option, and the unique advantages of farming in southwest Georgia thanks to access to the Floridan Aquifer. As president of Seminole County Farm Bureau, Greg also weighs in on the importance of advocacy and Farm Bureau’s voice at both the state and federal level.