By Blake Jackson
The 2025 Kentucky General Assembly concluded on March 28th, having introduced 533 Senate and 907 House bills and resolutions. Ultimately, 50 Senate and 96 House bills were enacted into law.
The Kentucky Farm Bureau (KFB) actively participated in this legislative session, advocating for their members' interests by supporting, opposing, and monitoring various pieces of legislation.
KFB successfully secured the passage of several key priorities. Notably, an update to the Selling Farmer Tax Credit was included in the 2025 revenue bill (House Bill 775).
This language originated in House Bill 703, sponsored by House Agricultural Chair Myron Dossett, which did not pass independently.
The updated tax credit within HB 775 will now allow all active farmers to participate in the program. The revenue bill also maintained KFB's priorities regarding property taxes and sales tax exemptions for agricultural products.
Another significant achievement for KFB was the passage of Senate Bill 28, which establishes the Division of Agricultural Economic Development within the Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy at the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. This bill was declared an emergency, meaning it took effect immediately.
Bills passed during the session without an emergency clause or specific effective date are scheduled to take effect on June 27, 2025.
As the General Assembly enters its interim period, KFB encourages county chapters that have not yet held legislative appreciation events to do so. They also suggest inviting Representatives and Senators to County Annual Meetings and the State Annual Meeting.
The following is a summary of some of the bills and resolutions KFB was involved in: HB 775 (fiscal matters), SB 28 (agricultural economic development), HJR 31 (contingent appropriations), HB 1 (individual income tax rate), HB 6 (administrative regulations), SB 23 (administrative regulations), HB 19 (privacy protection), HB 157 (special license plates), and HB 342 (financial literacy).
Photo Credit: kentucky-farm-bureau
Categories: Kentucky, Government & Policy