What are Wisconsins forest tax laws?
Today about 29,000 landowners, owning more than 2.9 million acres, are enrolled in the state’s two existing forest tax law programs, Forest Crop Law (FCL) and Managed Forest Law (MFL). The FCL program closed to new enrollment in 1986, when the Managed Forest Law program replaced both FCL and the former Woodland Tax Law. Enrollment is open to all private owners of 10 or more acres of woodlands. Under the forest tax laws, property taxes are set at a low rate — as low as 10 cents per acre and as high as $7.28 per acre. The Managed Forest Law rates will be revised for 2008 by the state Department of Revenue. A Forest Crop Law contract is for 25 or 50 years with contracts extending to the year 2036. Under the Managed Forest Law, the landowner also agrees to a contract period of 25 or 50 years. All forest tax laws have stringent requirements and failure to follow these requirements can lead to substantial withdrawal penalties.
