General Assembly Action on Tax Credit Good News for Land and Water Conservation

The North Carolina Land for Tomorrow Coalition is praising the General Assembly for approving a tax credit for land conservation. Last week, the General Assembly unanimously passed the NC Farm Act, which includes a tax credit for landowners who donate property interests for various qualifying uses, including farmland preservation, buffers around military bases, and fish and wildlife conservation.

“Preserving North Carolina’s working farms, forests, and trails is more important than ever as our state continues to grow. Putting a conservation tax credit in place couldn’t come at a better time,” said Kevin Redding, director of Piedmont Land Conservancy and chair of the Coalition. “Thanks to Sen. Brent Jackson, Rep. Jimmy Dixon, Rep. Steve Ross, Rep. Michael Wray, and Agriculture Commissioner Troxler for their leadership on this effort.”

“Passing this bill puts us in line with South Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia which all have similar state tax credit policies,” said Tim Gestwicki, Chief Executive Officer of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation. “Hunting and fishing are a way of life in North Carolina. The conservation tax credit helps us in our work to secure our fish and wildlife for future generations by providing landowners with an incentive to protect their property permanently.”

Land for Tomorrow is a statewide coalition of community leaders, conservation and wildlife organizations, and parks and recreation advocates who share the goal of increasing land and water conservation in North Carolina. Visit https://www.land4tomorrow.org to learn more.