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Bill would expand qualifying relatives for special agricultural homestead
Summary
Senate File 245 would add uncle, aunt, nephew and niece to the list of relatives who can qualify property for the Special Agricultural Homestead, aiming to ease family farm transfers and preserve homestead benefits during transitions.
Senate File 245, introduced by Senator Weber, would expand the definition of qualifying relatives for the Special Agricultural Homestead to include uncles, aunts, nephews and nieces. Supporters said the change will ease transfers and preserve homestead benefits when family farms transition between generations.
Weber said rising land values and family transfers can make succession difficult; the bill aims to ensure that extended family members who participate in farming or inherit interests can preserve homestead benefits. The change adjusts the statutory definition of “owner” in the special‑ag‑homestead rules so those relatives remain eligible when property ownership is structured to transition the farm.
Supporters included Stu Lawrie of the Minnesota Farmers Union and Hunter Peterson of the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation. Lawrie called the bill “relatively straightforward” and said specialty ag homestead is “foundational” to keeping farmland affordable for family farmers. Peterson said the change “aligns this aspect of the law with the real world circumstances facing our members.”
Senate File 245 was laid over for possible inclusion; the hearing record cites an effective date for real estate taxes payable in 2027 and describes the fiscal impact as likely very small but “unknown.”
