ALBANY – Legislation proposed by Senator Terry Gipson (D- Rhinebeck) and Assemblywoman Didi Barrett (D- Hudson) would provide Thruway toll tax credits to farmers who use their vehicles to transport their products.
The measure would allow farmers to claim a tax credit equaling 75 percent of Thruway tolls paid for the transport of goods and services during one tax year. The credit would be applicable for travel for the purpose of selling within 150 miles of a taxpayer’s farm, roughly the distance between New York City and Albany, said Barrett.
“We looked at the best way to do this to benefit the farmers and be able to get this passed”, Barrett said. “We all know the shape the Thruway has been in and we felt that this was a way to accomplish the same goal without having to come up against the challenges that the Thruway is in.”
The lawmaker said while many small and medium size farm operations in the Mid-Hudson would like to sell their products in New York City, “the reality is that it is not financially feasible for many of these farmers” because of the cost of Thruway tolls.
Gipson said he is confident that the legislation would pass in the legislature so that family farms remain “the backbone” of New York’s agricultural industry.