In May 2008, a Presidential veto was overridden by the Congress that resulting in passage of the Farm Bill. As one part of the massive Farm Bill, expanded federal tax incentives for donated conservation easements were extended through the end of 2009 and retroactive to January 1, 2008.

The expanded federal tax incentives include:

• Raises the deduction a landowner can take on the value of their donated conservation easement from 30% of their income in any year to 50%;
• Allows qualifying farmers and ranchers to deduct up to 100% of their income on the value of the easement; and
• Extends the carry-forward period for a donor to take the tax deductions for a voluntary conservation easement from 5 to 15 years.

The extended federal tax incentives were initially passed in 2006. Easement donors responded enthusiastically to the new incentives. The Tall Timbers Land Conservancy, for instance, was able to save 3 times as much land in 2007 as compared to the previous years, as a result of the initial incentives.

Voting in support of the 2008 Farm Bill were:

• US Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL)
• US Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL)
• US Senator Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)
• US Senator Johnny Isakson (R-GA)
• US Representative Allen Boyd (D-FL)
• US Representative Sanford Bishop (D-GA)

The Whelchel family donated a 600-acre conservation easement to Tall Timbers in 2007 for their beautiful Rocky Ford property in Colquitt County, Georgia.