WI Conservation Compliance for Farmland Preservation

All landowners who claim a farmland preservation tax credit must comply with Wisconsin soil and water conservation standards. Certification is provided by the county land conservation department that the land is located. This certification must be submitted by the landowner at the time of a tax credit claim to prove that they are meeting the standards at the time of a tax credit claim.

Certification requires that:
Their land already meets the agricultural performance standards, or
They have a schedule of how and when they will meet the standards, with a deadline set by their county.

County land conservation departments monitor compliance and issue certificates, with an inspection at least once every 4 years. Farmers who do not meet standards must address the problem or receive a notice of noncompliance, which will also notify the Wisconsin Department of Revenue. Once the farmer is back in compliance, the Department of Revenue will be notified.

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