Cooperative Living October 2018 - 8

ForTheFuture | by Pam Wiley, Virginia Farm Bureau
Farmers and food banks reaping rewards from tax credit
J
ust about everybody gets excited about fresh seasonal fruits and
vegetables. A significant number of Virginians get excited when
they have any fruits and vegetables.
A relatively new state tax credit is helping the state's farmers and
food banks make that possible.
Now in its third year, the Virginia Food Crop Donation Tax Credit
affords growers up to 30 percent of the fair market value of a donation,
not to exceed $5,000, when they donate food crops to a nonprofit
food bank. Guidelines for the credit, which have been authorized
through 2021, define food crops as grains, fruits, nuts or vegetables.
" Virginia's food banks are dedicated to getting more locally grown
fruits and vegetables into the hands of Virginia families in need, " says
Eddie Oliver, executive director of the Federation of Virginia Food
Banks (FVFB). " There is still plenty of opportunity for farmers
throughout the state to take advantage of the tax benefit and make back
money on food that may not have a place at market. "
The tax credit, Oliver notes, provides a boost to farmers who may
be inclined to donate anyway but cannot justify the fixed costs
associated with harvesting excess produce. Food banks may have
grant funding available to pay for packing and/or freight costs.
The federation is made up of seven regional food banks: the Blue
Ridge Area Food Bank, Capital Area Food Bank, Fredericksburg
Regional Food Bank, Feeding America Southwest Virginia, Foodbank
of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore, Virginia Peninsula
Foodbank and FeedMore, which serves Central Virginia.
The FVFB reports that Virginia has a food insecurity rate of 10.6
percent, which
means more
than 893,000
people struggle
with hunger.
In 2017, the
regional food banks
served nearly 1
million individuals
and distributed over
100 million pounds
of food. Roughly
29 percent of that
food was fresh
produce - a
Casey Phillips, wife, Stacey, son, Austin,
and Dixie the dog.
number food bank leaders would like to see reach closer to 40 percent.
" Fresh produce is the most-requested item by our agency partners,
and all seven food banks have a strategic plan for increasing the
amount of fruits and vegetables they distribute through their
networks, " Oliver says.
Andrew Smith, associate director of governmental relations for
CUSTOM
Garages, Barns, Equine & More
Virginia Farm Bureau Federation, describes the tax credit as " a
wonderful program that allows farmers to donate excess crops that
may go to waste in the field or at the market should they produce
more than they can sell. It also provides a great opportunity for
farmers to play a role in reducing hunger in their communities. "
Farm Bureau was among the organizations that supported
legislation to create the tax credit. In early
2016 it organized meetings between farmers
and state lawmakers to promote the credit.
One of those farmers was Casey Phillips, a
Montgomery County dairyman and sweet
corn grower. " It's not going to be a program
that farmers are going to use to make money, "
Phillips explains. At most, " it might help
cover some of the seed costs. "
But it could be an effective incentive, Phillips
added, for farmers to donate surplus food -
or plant more specifically to donate.
Phillips and his wife, Stacey, recently
welcomed the New River Valley Glean Team
to their farm to harvest about 1,000 pounds
of sweet corn for distribution to several food
banks in the New River Valley and Roanoke.
They also have donated surplus sweet corn
to the It's All About Jesus Outreach and Help
Center in Radford, an affiliate of the Feeding
America hunger-relief organization. They've
enlisted the youth group from their church to
harvest corn for donation.
" They did all the work, and we took it to the
food bank for them, " Phillips said. " I hated
that it was sitting out there going to waste. "
Farmers who donate produce food crops to
540.364.8181
ConestogaBuildings.com/Virginia
4199-E Winchester Road | Marshall, VA
6 | Cooperative Living | October 2018
nonprofit food banks can find guidelines for
Virginia's Food Crop Donation Tax Credit at
tax.virginia.gov/content/food-crop-donationtax-credit-guidelines.

co-opliving.com
DRY VALLEY FARMS PHOTO
http://tax.virginia.gov/content/food-crop-donation http://www.ConestogaBuildings.com/Virginia http://www.co-opliving.com
Cooperative Living October 2018

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