By Scout Nelson
Recovering a farm disaster involves more than repairing damaged property or restoring daily operations. Events such as wildfires, droughts, floods, and other emergencies can create complex tax decisions that affect agricultural producers for many years.
The Nebraska Tax Institute, part of the Center for Executive and Professional Development at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, is offering a webinar titled “Farm Disaster Tax Rules: Deferrals, Casualty Losses, Recovery Payments and Tax Reporting” on Aug. 27, 2026. The program helps tax and law professionals better understand federal tax rules related to agricultural disaster recovery.
“Agriculture is the heartbeat of this region, and the Nebraska Tax Institute is eager to offer continuing education to tax professionals working to assist ag producers who have faced urgent situations beyond their control,” said Amber Messersmith, executive director of the Center for Executive and Professional Development. “With information gained from the Farm Disaster Tax Rules webinar, tax professionals can support producers in making critical financial decisions for their farms and ranches.”
The four-hour webinar is led by Tina Barrett, an Enrolled Agent and executive director of Nebraska Farm Business Inc., and Mark Dikeman, an Enrolled Agent and executive director of the Kansas Farm Management Association at Kansas State University. The program combines agricultural tax and farm management knowledge from two land-grant universities.
“We are seeing disaster events create both cash-flow strain and tax complexity for agricultural producers,” Barrett said. “The tax answer is not always obvious. It can depend on what type of livestock or property was involved, whether the sale was weather-related, whether the producer plans to replace what was sold or lost, and whether certain disaster rules apply.”
Registration for the Farm Disaster Tax Rules webinar costs $175. The Nebraska Tax Institute is seeking approval for continuing education credits in Nebraska and Kansas. Additional updates will be shared online as they become available. Participants can learn more and register through the official webinar registration page.
Participants learn about important tax topics, including livestock deferral rules, casualty losses, recovery payments, insurance reimbursements, conservation payments, wildfire relief programs, and recordkeeping requirements. The webinar also covers how to manage tax forms, replacement property records, and future financial planning.
“Agricultural disaster tax issues are not just about getting this year’s tax return filed,” Barrett said. “They can affect basis, depreciation, future gain recognition, balance sheets, lender conversations and ultimately the producer’s ability to recover financially. A good tax decision now can make a real difference for the operation down the road.”
The program supports the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s mission of providing education and resources that help agricultural communities. Learn more at https://business.unl.edu/execeducation.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-zhuda
Categories: Nebraska, Rural Lifestyle, Weather