Agriculture Water Quality Loan Program
The Arkansas Natural Resources Commission, in conjunction with the Randolph County Conservation District and participating banks, provides low-interest loan money to agricultural land owners for installation of conservation practices that reduce non-point source pollution impacts to water quality.
Any interested agricultural land owner within Randolph County should contact the Randolph County Conservation district to obtain an application. Once a completed application has been returned to the conservation district and endorsed by the conservation district board of directors, the applicant is eligible to receive a low-interest loan of up to $100,000 from any participating bank so long as the applicant is approved by the bank. An applicant may be an individual, fiduciary, partnership, limited liability company, or corporation. The participating bank shall determine the interest rate in conjunction with the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission. The participating bank shall determine the loan terms, but in no case will such a term exceed ten years.
Eligible practices for these loans:
1) Construction of tail water recovery systems
2) Construction of irrigation reservoirs
3) Purchase of no-till drills
4) Construction of stacking sheds
5) Construction of ponds and fencing for livestock
6) Land leveling
7) Turbo Till® (newly added)
All applicants shall agree to maintain the project for the term of the loan and to allow site inspections by USDA NRCS during the duration of the loan agreement.
Tax Credits
Description of incentives The purpose of this program is to encourage water users to invest in (1) the construction of impoundments to use available surface water, thereby reducing their dependence on ground water; (2) the conversion from ground water use to surface water use; and (3) land leveling to reduce agricultural irrigation water use. Tax credits may pass through partnerships, corporations, etc.
Available tax credits:
1. Impoundments
For the construction of impoundments of at least 20 acre-feet, an income tax credit of 50 percent of the project cost incurred in construction, installation, or restoration is available. The impoundments must be used for the storage of water to be used primarily for agricultural irrigation. The maximum credit in one taxable year is the lesser of the taxpayer's income tax due or $9,000. Unused credit may be carried over for a maximum of nine years.
2. Conversion
A. For the conversion from ground water use to surface water use outside a critical groundwater area, an income tax credit of ten percent of the project cost is available. The maximum credit in one year is the lesser of the taxpayer's income tax due or $9,000. Unused credit may be carried over for 2 years.*
B. For the conversion from ground water use to surface water use within a critical groundwater area, an income tax credit of 50 percent of the project cost is available. The maximum credit in one year is the lesser of the taxpayer's income tax due or $9,000 for agricultural and recreational uses and $200,000 for industrial and commercial uses. Unused credit may be carried over for a maximum of 2 years by agricultural and recreational users and for 4 years for industrial and commercial users.*
3. Leveling
For agricultural land leveling projects that conserve irrigation water, an income tax credit of 10 percent of the project cost is available. The maximum credit in one year is the lesser of the taxpayer's income tax due or $9,000. Unused credit may be carried over for a maximum of 2 years.
An application must be approved by your county conservation district, then submitted to the Commission and approved before a taxpayer may begin construction of a project and claim credits. All projects must be maintained for a minimum of 10 years following issuance of the Certificate of Completion, or benefits will be subject to recapture. An application fee of three percent of the total approved tax credit must be paid, and there is a minimum fee of $100 and a maximum fee of $1,500.
Taxpayers may be eligible for a tax deduction in an amount equal to the difference between the project cost and the credit used.
To apply for tax credits, contact your local conservation district.
The Arkansas Natural Resources Commission, in conjunction with the Randolph County Conservation District and participating banks, provides low-interest loan money to agricultural land owners for installation of conservation practices that reduce non-point source pollution impacts to water quality.
Any interested agricultural land owner within Randolph County should contact the Randolph County Conservation district to obtain an application. Once a completed application has been returned to the conservation district and endorsed by the conservation district board of directors, the applicant is eligible to receive a low-interest loan of up to $100,000 from any participating bank so long as the applicant is approved by the bank. An applicant may be an individual, fiduciary, partnership, limited liability company, or corporation. The participating bank shall determine the interest rate in conjunction with the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission. The participating bank shall determine the loan terms, but in no case will such a term exceed ten years.
Eligible practices for these loans:
1) Construction of tail water recovery systems
2) Construction of irrigation reservoirs
3) Purchase of no-till drills
4) Construction of stacking sheds
5) Construction of ponds and fencing for livestock
6) Land leveling
7) Turbo Till® (newly added)
All applicants shall agree to maintain the project for the term of the loan and to allow site inspections by USDA NRCS during the duration of the loan agreement.
Tax Credits
Description of incentives The purpose of this program is to encourage water users to invest in (1) the construction of impoundments to use available surface water, thereby reducing their dependence on ground water; (2) the conversion from ground water use to surface water use; and (3) land leveling to reduce agricultural irrigation water use. Tax credits may pass through partnerships, corporations, etc.
Available tax credits:
1. Impoundments
For the construction of impoundments of at least 20 acre-feet, an income tax credit of 50 percent of the project cost incurred in construction, installation, or restoration is available. The impoundments must be used for the storage of water to be used primarily for agricultural irrigation. The maximum credit in one taxable year is the lesser of the taxpayer's income tax due or $9,000. Unused credit may be carried over for a maximum of nine years.
2. Conversion
A. For the conversion from ground water use to surface water use outside a critical groundwater area, an income tax credit of ten percent of the project cost is available. The maximum credit in one year is the lesser of the taxpayer's income tax due or $9,000. Unused credit may be carried over for 2 years.*
B. For the conversion from ground water use to surface water use within a critical groundwater area, an income tax credit of 50 percent of the project cost is available. The maximum credit in one year is the lesser of the taxpayer's income tax due or $9,000 for agricultural and recreational uses and $200,000 for industrial and commercial uses. Unused credit may be carried over for a maximum of 2 years by agricultural and recreational users and for 4 years for industrial and commercial users.*
3. Leveling
For agricultural land leveling projects that conserve irrigation water, an income tax credit of 10 percent of the project cost is available. The maximum credit in one year is the lesser of the taxpayer's income tax due or $9,000. Unused credit may be carried over for a maximum of 2 years.
An application must be approved by your county conservation district, then submitted to the Commission and approved before a taxpayer may begin construction of a project and claim credits. All projects must be maintained for a minimum of 10 years following issuance of the Certificate of Completion, or benefits will be subject to recapture. An application fee of three percent of the total approved tax credit must be paid, and there is a minimum fee of $100 and a maximum fee of $1,500.
Taxpayers may be eligible for a tax deduction in an amount equal to the difference between the project cost and the credit used.
To apply for tax credits, contact your local conservation district.