NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RFD-TV) — One of the biggest threats to farm succession is the federal estate, or “death,” tax. Without recent changes, many family operations — like renowned California rancher Kevin Kester’s Bear Valley Ranch — would have faced significant tax burdens when passing land and equipment to the next generation.
The “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act, which passed in July, permanently increased the unified credit to $15 million per individual beginning in 2026, indexed to inflation. That compares with approximately $7 million under the prior law, a level that could have compelled many farm families to sell assets to pay their tax bills.
National Agricultural Law Center senior staff attorney Rusty Rumley says the higher credit and portability provisions for married couples mean most farms will avoid immediate estate tax exposure. Still, he warns that succession planning remains a larger concern. Sudden illness or death of a farm operator can leave successors unprepared, and a lack of planning can fracture families or force financial hardship.
Tony’s Farm-Level Takeaway: Estate tax relief reduces pressure, but succession planning remains the critical challenge for farm families.
The Interior Department is proposing to repeal the Bureau of Land Management’s Public Lands Rule. This move would make huge strides to empower local decision-making and restore balance between conservation and protecting rural livelihoods tied to these public lands.
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Labor is an ongoing crisis in the ag sector. One industry group outlines three vital reforms to the H-2A visa program that farmers need to secure an affordable, stable workforce.
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Co-Bank Lead Dairy Economist, Corey Geiger, joined us on Friday’s
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The amendments affect BLM lands in several Western states. Comments on the Sage grouse proposals can be made to the BLM National NEPA Register until Oct. 3.
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Mike Formica with the National Pork Producers Council joined us on Market Day Report with his reaction to the EPA’s rollback of a Biden-era wastewater discharge mitigation plan.
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Farmers are struggling with low commodity prices and skyrocketing input costs, resulting in debt that is outpacing income across the sector, according to the USDA’s new farm income forecast.
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