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Bill would change farm definition for wetlands rules, sponsors say it would help beginning farmers
Summary
The committee considered a measure to remove a tax‑based definition of “farmer” from freshwater‑wetlands rules and replace it with a definition based on agricultural land and activity to broaden access for beginning farmers.
House panel considered H‑5607, a bill to remove a tax‑based definition of “farmer” from Title 2 (Agriculture and Forestry) provisions that affect freshwater-wetlands exemptions and to replace it with an agricultural‑land definition.
Sponsor Representative Carter and witnesses from the Rhode Island Farm Bureau argued the existing statutory definition — tied to a tax-based $10,000 gross‑sales threshold and possession of a state farm tax-exempt certificate over four prior years — prevents new and beginning farmers from using land and the wetland setbacks available to larger, established…
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