Manitoba farmland owners will see tax relief of over $35 million for the 2011 tax year, as the Farmland School Tax Rebate rises to 80 percent from 75 percent. This announcement was made by Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives Minister Stan Struthers.
“There is no question that farmers are facing many challenges and this rebate helps put money into their pockets when they need it,” said Struthers. “As of 2011, the rebate level has more than doubled from 33 per cent, where it started in 2004.”
Rebating 80 per cent of the school tax levies charged on agricultural land increases the disposable income of farmland owners and is part of the government’s continuing support of farm families and the rural economy, said the minister.
Since 2004, more than $173 million in rebates have been paid to Manitoba farmland owners. On average, over 34,000 rebate applications have been paid each year.
Preprinted applications for the 2011 rebate will be mailed to all farmland owners who received a rebate for the 2010 tax year. Once the preprinted forms have been mailed out, blank 2011 Farmland School Tax Rebate applications forms will be available at Manitoba Agricultural Services Corporation offices, Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiatives GO offices, most rural municipal offices, as well as online at www.gov.mb.ca/farmland.
Farmland owners have three years after the end of the tax year to submit a rebate application, Struthers said.
