Oregon Farmers Gain Crop Donation Tax Credit

One bill that passed in the Oregon Legislature this session that is awaiting the governor’s signature — will make a difference in helping the hungry. That is the crop donation tax credit bill. Backed by farmers, businesses and organizations across the state this legislation will give farmers a 15 percent tax credit on the wholesale price of their donation.

 

Farmers Ending Hunger Executive Director John Burt shares more.

 

Burt: “So with a great deal of effort and more preparation through the fall of last year. We met with legislators, the Oregon Food Bank took the leadership in this and we went in and talked to the key people and got people lined up understanding what it was. So this session it passed and it is just waiting to be signed into law.”

 

Burt encourages Oregon farmers to consider donating food.

 

Burt: “We are always interested in growers who might have a commodity that they liked donate or part of their harvest to what we are doing. We can take most anything and any quantity — obviously we are looking for larger quantities — but any crop you have we can figure it a way to pick it up and make it as easy as possible for the growers. If there processing or packaging or handling — that is where we come in and we can pay for that kind of stuff.”

 

Burt says that farmers, ranchers and food processors helped to donate 2.5 million pounds of food to Farmers Ending Hunger last year.