Farmland preservation implementation grants, agreements, and tax credits and making an appropriation. (FE)

2. Requires DATCP to include in a report submitted to the Board of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, the Joint Committee on Finance, the standing committees of the legislature with jurisdiction over agriculture, the Department of Revenue, and the Department of Administration a review of the tax credit amounts for qualifying acres for the farmland preservation tax credit and recommendations for the tax credit levels for qualifying acres of farmland. Current law requires DATCP to submit a report about farmland and the farmland preservation program once every two years to the board, DOR, and DOA.

3. Under the farmland preservation tax credit, increases from $7.50 to $10.00 the amount that may be claimed, per qualifying acre, for qualifying acres that are located in a farmland preservation zoning district but are not subject to a farmland preservation agreement.

4. Under the farmland preservation tax credit, increases from $5.00 to $10.00 the amount that may be claimed, per qualifying acre, for qualifying acres that are subject to a farmland preservation agreement but not located in a farmland preservation zoning district.

5. Under the farmland preservation tax credit, increases from $10.00 to $12.50 the amount that may be claimed, per qualifying acre, for qualifying acres that are located in a farmland preservation zoning district and are subject to a farmland preservation agreement.

6. Adds a new category of farmland that qualifies for the farmland preservation tax credit. A credit of $10 per acre may be claimed for farmland that is located in a farmland preservation area, but only to the extent that the acres are covered by an agriculture conservation easement.

7. Authorizes DATCP to award grants to cities, villages, towns, counties, regional planning commissions, and tribal governments for various purposes related to implementing a county's certified farmland preservation plan. Under the bill, DATCP must enter into a contract with a grant recipient before distributing grant funds, and the contract must identify costs eligible for reimbursement through the grant for the following activities: 1) certifying a farmland preservation zoning ordinance for the first time; 2) enrolling land in farmland preservation agreements;

3) designating an agricultural enterprise area or facilitating agricultural preservation and development; 4) monitoring compliance with land and water conservation standards; and 5) farmland preservation program outreach.

The bill also indexes the farmland preservation tax credit dollar amounts described above for inflation.