Statement by Bob Stallman, President, American Farm Bureau Federation, Regarding Permanent Extension of Charitable Food Donations

WASHINGTON, D.C., November 19, 2009 – American Farm Bureau Federation President Bob Stallman submitted the following statement today on H.R. 3227 to the House Ways and Means Committee joint hearing on Food Banks and Front-Line Charities:

“The American Farm Bureau Federation supports H.R. 3227, introduced by Reps. Sander Levin (D- Mich.) and Geoff Davis (R- Ky.) to permanently extend and expand the charitable deduction for donated food.

“Despite affordable food prices and ongoing government food assistance programs, the economic downturn has increased demand for hunger-relief assistance at food banks. Some farmers and ranchers already donate gleaned food to charitable organizations that feed the hungry. Many more would do so if they were able to bear the costs of harvesting and transporting food from fields to food banks.

“Even though most farmers and ranchers pay taxes as individuals, current law only allows those who use accrual accounting to take advantage of tax incentives for charitable donations of food. H.R. 3227 makes the enhanced tax incentive permanent and expands the deduction so that farmers and ranchers who use cash basis accounting will also be able to recover some of their harvest and transportation costs.”

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