Susan Kelley, of the West End and who works for FRESH Food Hub in Norwood, is a liaison for the state’s Department of Agriculture (CDA). She told the Forum she wants all to know about a tax credit available now through 2030 for farmers and ranchers — anyone working to make fresh food available for low income-low access (LILA) communities.
Kelley said the program is about sustainability, in that it exists to help people stay in business and also grow their operation to be able to serve others.
First, two grant cycles happened this year to support small food shops staying in business and making fresh food available for LILA areas. Good-E’s Grocery in Nucla was one recipient of those grants, and Kelley said the funds received this year would support the West End business in purchasing walk-in or reach-in refrigeration, so that more fresh vegetables, fruit and cheeses could be served in the community.
Now, that the grant cycles are complete, the tax credit is available through 2030, and Kelley wants locals from Nucla and Naturita to Norwood and Paradox to be aware of it.
That tax credit goes to support equipment for producers, so they can make healthy food more accessible.
“It’s pretty fantastic,” Kelley said over the weekend. “They can get 85 percent of the purchase price on something back from the state.”
She agreed it’s a way for local ranchers, egg producers, fruit growers and other farmers to build their infrastructure and grow.
The CDA, on its website, says the following are eligible tax-credit purchases: “display shelving and display cases; certified and calibrated scales; point-of-sales (POS) machines, including hardware, monitors and printers that are directly related to implementing or improving SNAP, WIC, or other food incentive programs (leased equipment is not eligible); food preservation equipment required to extend the availability of healthy food for LILA communities beyond the local harvest or slaughter calendar; deli slicers and meat grinders for fresh meat; dry storage containers; delivery vehicles that will be exclusively used for the transportation of healthy food to LILA communities; and power generators that will expand availability of healthy food in rural areas (businesses will need to report their yearly outages and their impact on food accessibility).”
The CDA also says the tax credit can go for “new or used costly agricultural equipment that will demonstrably and significantly increase retail healthy food access in LILA communities, including but not limited to equipment that is primarily used for planting, harvesting, packing, storing, extending the growing season, raising food-producing animals, and shipping healthy food. It adds that all farms will need to submit a letter of support from a retailer in order to demonstrate the connection between increasing production and increasing access to a healthy food for a LILA population.”
To receive the tax credit, equipment purchased must help to increase access to, or lower prices for, healthy food in low-income, low-access and underserved areas of the state. This tax credit is available on a rolling basis through 2030.
Kelley said this year the tax credit is 85 percent, and next year it does move to 75 percent. She said all paperwork to apply for the tax credit should be submitted to the CDA, and officials there decide to approve the tax credit or not.
For more information, or to apply, the public may visit https://ag.colorado.gov/markets/markets-funding/community-food-access-program.
