A bill headed to the House floor is aiming to throw local farmers an economic lifeline after a difficult farming season.

In 2025, Mississippi farmers dealt with poor weather conditions, lower crop yields and changing international demand that led to a disappointing season for many row crops.

Farmers prepping cotton, corn and soybeans saw drops in revenue across all three.

Including production costs and revenue, farmers were losing about $39 an acre on corn, $180 on cotton and $35 on soybeans, according to data from Mississippi State University’s Department of Agricultural Economics 2026 planning budgets.

“We just thought it was important to try to help our farmers in our state, because … a lot of them are going out (of business),” said District 17 Sen. Chuck Younger, R-Lowndes County, who co-sponsored the bill. “They’re selling the farm. They’re selling out. It was a no-brainer.”

Senate Bill 2272, which passed the Senate on Monday, provides a pathway for commercial farmers and loggers to receive exemptions to the state’s 1.5% sales tax on agricultural and logging equipment, like tractors and tree harvesters. The exception would also apply to parts and labor needed to maintain equipment, as well as for items used to contain and raise livestock.

To be eligible for the exemption, farmers will need a commercial farmer’s permit from the Mississippi Department of Revenue.

Younger said the bill seems to be the best way to support farmers.

While the tax exemption certainly doesn’t address every issue facing Mississippi farmers, Younger said, he hopes to provide at least some relief to production costs.

“They need a lot more help than that, but this is the only thing we can help them with, so that’s what we did,” Younger said. “… In 2014, I think corn and soybeans were so high, it was a great year. Farmers made money. Well, the input went up that following year, and then … the commodities went down real bad. And they’ve never changed. So you’ve got a lot of farmers that are suffering because of that.”

District 39 Representative Dana McLean, R-Columbus, who is on the House Agriculture Committee, said she supports the bill and likes its chances of passing.

“We’re supporting farmers, and it’s a good bill,” McLean said. “So, I think it would be well received in the House.”

Matt Brignac, farmer and co-owner of 4B Planting in Lowndes and Oktibbeha counties, said equipment accounts among the highest front-end costs for farmers. He expects the tax exemption to improve things as far as production costs are concerned for himself and other farmers.

“Equipment costs are high,” Brignac said. “Everything is high, so in general, any help we can get is welcomed for sure and needed.”

Equipment like tractors and combines in Mississippi can cost between $27,700 and $700,000, depending on size and horse power, and last about eight years, according to data from 2026 planning budgets from MSU’s Department of Agricultural Economics.
Repairs, maintenance and fuel for that equipment can run from $18,600 to $138,000.

A cotton picker can run a Mississippi farmer between $268,000 and $1,100,000 and also lasts about eight years. Repairs, maintenance and fuel cost about $69 to $240 per-acre.

The tax break on purchasing those could save farmers between $415 and $10,500, while savings on buying a cotton picker could run between $4,020 and $16,500. Farmers could save hundreds, maybe thousands of dollars more on repairs and maintenance.

Brignac said overall larger issues still loom for farmers, including local and international demand and dealing with the rising costs of equipment from dealers.

Will Maples, an agricultural economist with MSU Extension Service, said while most farmers are not purchasing new equipment every year, it will be beneficial to not have the extra cost on repairs or maintenance.

“The state is with this bill using one of the mechanisms they have … to support producers at the state level,” Maples said. “… (It) is definitely a help. That is a big boost.”

Maples said now other issues local farmers face, ranging from higher input costs to the fluctuation of international demand, are beyond control of the state legislature.

“What does the future of agriculture look like, especially on our major row crop commodities? It’s looking for more internal demand sources,” Maples said. “ … Can we find uses for soybeans in the US? … That’s where the industry is headed. Is finding more domestic uses for soybeans. And then on the cotton side is, can we drive more demand for cotton? …. A lot of these commodities will have to get figured out going into the future if they want to support prices.”