“When tillage begins other arts follow. The farmers, therefore, are the founders of human civilization.”
Daniel Webster’s 1840 quote above a doorway on the first floor of the U.S. Capitol is a reminder of agriculture producers’ central role in the foundation of our great country.
Idaho agriculture’s fundamental role in our communities is clear. Agribusinesses are the largest contributors to Idaho’s economy, accounting for 20 percent of Idaho’s gross state product, as they work steadily to feed Idaho families and a growing world population. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) includes a number of provisions that will help Idaho farm families continue to produce abundantly with more certainty about federal tax and agricultural policy affecting their operations.
First, the tax section of the OBBBA that I worked as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee to help craft would better enable farm families to plan for the future and pass their farms onto future generations. Idaho family farmers, ranchers and entrepreneurs often work lifetimes to grow their businesses. The death tax can be a devastating blow to families who want to pass down their farm or small business to the next generation. The OBBBA rightly increases and makes permanent the doubled death tax exemption, and indexes it for inflation, ensuring the government is not forcing land sales or intervening in family-owned businesses.
The law also permanently provides for 100 percent bonus depreciation in addition to increasing small business expensing, allowing farmers and ranchers in Idaho to immediately deduct the full cost of farm equipment, machinery and vehicles. The law makes permanent the small-business deduction—claimed by over 200,000 Idaho business owners—including family farms and ranches. Additionally, the law locks in and boosts the standard deduction to $31,500 for families, providing more than $200 billion in new tax relief to the nearly 90 percent of taxpayers who claim it. These provisions are in addition to the 2017 Trump tax rates that are now permanent, giving families and businesses the certainty they need to plan, save and invest in the future.
Beyond federal tax policy, the OBBBA extends the farm safety net. This is a key achievement, as lawmakers work to reauthorize the Farm Bill and many of its programs that have continued under temporary extensions. Through the OBBBA, the sugar program is extended through 2031, and the provision prioritizes beet sugar processors—key to Idaho—during allotment reallocations. Dairy Margin Coverage is also extended through 2031. The law supports investments in agriculture research and conservation programs. Conservation program incentives, rather than mandates, are the best way to achieve environmental results on private land and contribute more to enhancing our environment than any other policy. Additionally, the law supports agriculture trade opportunities, critical for Idaho’s produce, grains, meats, dairy and seeds that are sold worldwide. Commodity programs are reauthorized through 2031, and reference prices are raised to more closely reflect market conditions. Crop insurance is strengthened, including an extension of coverage for beginning farmers and ranchers.
Farmers and ranchers face many uncertainties, including the weather, fluctuating market conditions, sustainable labor, diet changes and more. Ensuring the long-term stability of federal policy affecting farm communities is key to reducing uncertainty. The OBBBA provides extensive tools to help these founders and strengtheners of human civilization continue to build our communities and grow our economy.
(7) comments
OK Bove
We know who the big fat Bill is going to benefit Mr. Crapo. The days of Marian Andersen singing at the Lincoln Memorial are gone. What America has now is Confederate white supremist rule with bigotry and hatred and let's get money, more money and even more money and roll in it. Let the government parade the miliray on the streets of America and arrest and deport anyone that can't speak English. Isnt that the dictate of the snake oil salesman you lacky's cow to to kiss his feet and say yes master. "Me need money more money and more power. Confederate slavers parading wearing white in hypocrisy of religious masks when what you really teach is power of the government and stupidity. You should have qualified your title. Only the rich shall triumph in the new Confederate States of America and idaho is its golden star with National Guard
troops added to control the masses and bring goose stepping hypocrisy to the streets of Idaho. You talk of lining the pockets of the fat cats when you take the food out of the mouths of children, co sign genocide, abolish civil rights and habeus corpus, Have you no shame for your cowardice and backing of a criminal regime.
Mike Crapo a member of the Church of JesusChrist of latter day Saints is more than aware that farmers and ranchers of the Church of Jesus Christ of latter Day Saints have a long history of handing down farms from one generation to the next. Not only the transmission of farm and ranch but the extension of that land is a major religious dictate. Legislation that would not only guarantee the tax cuts already in place from the 2016 Trump Tax breaks but increase them substantially would benefit the majority of ranch and farm owners in the State.
School boards in rural Idaho are controlled by this class and LDS philosophy of Education is substantiated often in direct opposition to the Thomas Jefferson and the belief that in a true democracy there must be a separation of Church and State. The more wealth, the power and control not for the benefit of the people of Idaho who already suffered major cutbacks in health benefits where a third of the Idaho population has no health coverage whatsoever.
As you may note when Crapo uses the words 'the people of Idaho" he is referring to a class of people that railroaded Frank Church after supporting the Democratic movement to dam the Snake river and many spots and reservoir irrigation water as well as bringing electrification to rural areas. After the Democrats like Church brought prosperity to the Idaho farmer the Republican farmer and rancher says its all ours now and fought federal government intervention in their growing profits.
This Bill is just another example of the "the rich get richer and the poor get poorer.
Ranger, you claim "Not only the transmission of farm and ranch but the extension of that land is a major religious dictate." Please cite your source.
Blah, blah, blah. Think I'll have a martini or two.
This is what Crapo wrote:
"Farmers and ranchers face many uncertainties, including the weather, fluctuating market conditions, sustainable labor, diet changes and more. Ensuring the long-term stability of federal policy affecting farm communities is key to reducing uncertainty."
He talks about "uncertainty" mentioning it twice in the span of two sentences and then he supports policy that champions tariffs literally making it impossible for farmers to know how to plan for this year let alone for next. Costs are up and profits are down. Don't let politicians like Crapo pull your leg.
You don't care about farmers. Period.
Welcome to the discussion.
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