A trust will be considered to be actively engaged in farming with respect to a farming operation if:

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(a) The trust independently and separately makes a significant contribution to the farming operation of capital, equipment, or land, or a combination of capital, equipment, or land;

(b) The income beneficiaries collectively make a significant contribution of active personal labor or active personal management, or a combination of active personal labor and active personal management to the farming operation. The combined interest of all the income beneficiaries providing active personal labor or active personal management, or a combination of active personal labor and active personal management, must be at least 50 percent;

(c) The trust has a share of the profits or losses from the farming operation commensurate with the legal entity’s contributions to the operation;

(d) The trust makes contributions to the farming operation that are at risk for a loss, with the level of risk being commensurate with the legal entity’s claimed share of the farming operation;

(e) For a farming operation conducted by a trust in which the capital, land, or equipment is contributed by the trust, the capital, land, or equipment:

(1) To meet the requirements of paragraph (a) of this section, must be contributed directly by the trust and must not be acquired as a loan made to, guaranteed, co-signed, or secured by any person, legal entity, or joint operation that has an interest in the farming operation, as defined in this part; and

(2) To meet the requirements of paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section and if land, capital or equipment is acquired as a result of a loan made to, guaranteed, co-signed, or secured by the persons, legal entities, or joint operations as defined, the loan must:

(i) Bear the prevailing interest rate; and

(ii) Have a repayment schedule considered reasonable and customary for the area.

(f) The trust has provided a tax identification number of the trust unless the trust is a revocable trust and the grantor is the sole income beneficiary; and

(g) The trust has provided a copy of the trust agreement to the county committee unless the trust is a revocable trust.

[73 FR 79273, Dec. 29, 2008, as amended at 75 FR 900, Jan. 7, 2010; 85 FR 52039, Aug. 24, 2020]