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The Rural Voice, 1998-08, Page 64GREY County Federation of Agriculture NEWSLETTER 44610th St., Hanover, Ontario N4N 1 P9 Email: gcfa@greynet.net Website: headwaters.com/gcfa 519-364-3050 or 1-800-275-9551 • The Rural Voice is provided to all Grey County Farmers by the GCFA. Save tax dollars by being a registered farmer In case you have been too busy haying, or have been hiding in the cellar keeping cool, and missed your reminders, you should know that August 31, 1998 is the absolute deadline for getting your farm business registration returned to OMAFRA. So please, don't wait until the last day, or they won't have it on time. If you are NOT REGISTERED, (or have not renewed your registration for this year) your farm land WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE for the 25 per cent property tax rate in 1999. If you have already registered with the government earlier this year by filling in the forms and mailing them, together with the fee of $150 to be paid to your favourite general farm organization such as OFA (or CFFO), you can stop reading now and go and enjoy the rest of the day. If you did not register yet, keep reading. (Or call OMAFRA at 1-800-469-2285.) Here's how it works: there are two programs that run separately, but intersect at some points. First there is the farm business registration program, which says that if you have $7,000 or more gross income from farming, you must register as a farmer. This qualifies you for other farm programs, such as farm licence plates and, you guessed it, the farmland property tax program. This is the second program, which replaces the old tax rebate, and has its own set of requirements. Confused yet? Read on for explanations. Farm Business Registration 1. All Ontario farm businesses with a gross farm income of $7,000 or more, in the previous year, must register every year with OMAFRA, and pay a registration fee of $150 to an accredited farm organization. 2. There are some exceptions, including: a) religious belief exemption granted by the tribunal; b) falling below the income requirement due to illness, age or death of spouse, if the farmer previously qualified for 10 years; c) special circumstances, such as a crop failure, which reduced income; d) new or beginning farmers who did not have the required income in the previous year. 3. Your registration number is not considered valid until your annual application and fee are received and processed by OMAFRA. 4. Beginning this year you must be on ministry records prior to the taxation year, so, in order to be qualified for 1999, the deadline for registration is August 31, 1998. After that you are out of luck. Farmland Property Tax Program 1. This replaces the old tax rebate program, by taxing the qualified farmland at a rate which is 25 per cent of the residential mill rate. 2. It is worth noting here that the important thing is not who owns the land, but whether it is considered as qualified farmland, that determines eligibility. To be qualified, farmland must be: a) assessed as Class 6 farmland (not to be confused with Canada land classification as to quality); b) farmed by a farmer who has a valid farm business registration number, or has an exemption. The exemption should be noted in a letter attached to the application; c) owned by a Canadian citizen or IMPORTANT NOTICE!! Deadline for Farm Business Registration is AUGUST 31, 1998 in order to be eligible for the Class 6 Farmland Designation and the 25% Property Tax Rate in 1999. 60 THE RURAL VOICE permanent resident of Canada. 3. Property that received the farm tax rebate in 1997 will automatically receive the Class 6 status for the 1998 taxation year. 4. Information collected this year for both programs will be used for 1999. 5. The application for farmland property tax program is sent to the owner who is on record at the beginning of the year, also to be returned by August 31. When ownership changes, notice by way of a copy of the transfer of deed should be sent to OMAFRA. The friendly folks at OMAFRA, 1-800-469-2285, or at your local OFA office can help you if you still have questions. It is very helpful if, before you call, you have at your fingertips your farm business registration number, the property roll number from your tax bill, along with your name, address and telephone number.0 Submitted by Gertie Blake OFA Field Representative Grey -Bruce. (See ad on page 3) HOLLAND TOWNSHIP FEDERATION PICNIC Sunday, August 16, 1998 2:00 p.m. Massie Community Centre Potluck Please bring: meat to barbecue, ball gloves and lawn chairs **PLEASE NOTE** The following meeting has been cancelled GREY COUNTY FEDERATION OF AGRICULTURE DIRECTORS' MEETING Thursday, August 27, 1998 8:00 p.m.