Michelle Johnson

By Donna Funk, CPA, Pinion

Right now, you may be thinking: what more is there to say about 45Z when so much is still unknown? As of this writing, there is still no final guidance and no formal Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA) rules for 2026 and beyond. Still, credit value is entering margin models, and 45Z is already influencing financial and operational decisions.

That puts producers in a familiar but high-stakes position: making important decisions under uncertainty. The basic framework is in...

For generations, many farms and ranches have followed a familiar path. Parents build the operation, children grow up helping with chores or working cattle, and eventually the next generation takes over.

But today, that transition isn’t always guaranteed.


More producers are reaching retirement age without a clear successor waiting in the wings. Sometimes the next generation has chosen a different career. In other cases, family members may not be interested in running the operation full time....

For generations, farmers have worked tirelessly to cultivate the land. But in today’s shifting economy, more landowners are exploring new ways to maximize their property’s value. Renewable energy leases — such as wind and solar — offer an opportunity to generate stable, long-term income while preserving farmland for the future. These opportunities can allow farmers and ranchers to liquidate debt. It often yields money that can be invested in equipment, exchanges, technology, land expansion, or o...