The ‘One, Big, Beautiful Bill’ Depreciation Rule’s Impact on Gifted Ag Equipment

Understanding how these tax provisions interact will be key for farmers planning long-term equipment purchases or transfers within the family.

WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD-TV) — The recently passed “One Big Beautiful Bill” Act makes 100-percent bonus depreciation permanent for assets placed in service after January 19 of this year. The change is raising questions among producers about whether the rule also applies to processing facilities located on farms.

RFD-TV Farm Legal and Tax Expert Roger McEowen, with the Washburn School of Law, joined RFD-TV to explain the details.

In his interview with RFD-TV News, McEowen breaks down how the new rule works, whether it covers on-farm processing facilities, and the implications for farmers gifting depreciated equipment to their children after retirement.

McEowen also compared how depreciation recapture would apply under the new 100 percent bonus depreciation rule versus Section 179 depreciation. He emphasized that understanding how these tax provisions interact will be key for farmers planning long-term equipment purchases or transfers within the family.

Firm to Farm: Depreciation of On-Farm Processing Facilities; Ag Liens; Gifting Equipment; and Portability

Related Stories
On a spreadsheet, it looks like the ultimate way to harvest extra profit. But in the eyes of the IRS—as RFD-TV Farm Legal & Tax Expert Roger McEowen explains—this “tax-free” bank can quickly turn into a field full of weeds.
High ownership does not always translate into high output, underscoring the importance of structural differences in understanding state-level farm performance.
Benchmark machinery costs against those of similar-sized, high-performing operations to inform equipment and investment decisions.
Rep. Randy Feenstra, R-IA, details how the “One, Big, Beautiful Bill” Act (OBBBA) supports farmers, biofuels, and rural communities with tax breaks, crop insurance relief, and ag infrastructure.
Jake Charleston of Specialty Risk Insurance shares risk-reduction strategies to help cattle producers prepare for a successful year ahead.
Farms and major food companies use AI to improve efficiency and forecast demand. Still, developers said that training AI for different uses is only possible with support from knowledgeable workers.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Jessi Grote from the AgriSafe Network provides winter safety guidance for rural communities still recovering from the recent winter storm.
CattleCon 2026 officially kicks off Tuesday and continues through Thursday, bringing producers together to shape the future of the U.S. cattle industry.
Traders say that shift could eventually prompt the USDA to scale back soybean export projections, noting the outlook differs greatly for other grain commodities.
The federal government’s status is far from the only factor moving the markets on Friday. Two critical reports released today on producer inflation and the status of the U.S. cattle herd are also top of mind.
AFBF Economist Danny Munch shares a closer look at the dairy market and the forces impacting producers today.
Eliza Petry joins the RFD News team with a strong connection to agriculture and a commitment to covering the people and issues that matter most to rural America.