Recovering from a wildfire, drought, flood or other disaster involves more than rebuilding a farm or ranch. The complex tax decisions that follow can affect financial recovery for years.
To help tax and law professionals guide agricultural producers through the many tax considerations following a natural disaster, the Nebraska Tax Institute, part of the Center for Executive and Professional Development at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, will offer the “Farm Disaster Tax Rules: Deferrals, Casualty Losses, Recovery Payments and Tax Reporting” webinar on Thursday, Aug. 27, from 1 to 5 p.m.
The four-hour webinar will provide practical guidance on federal tax rules that apply when agricultural producers are affected by disasters. The program comes as recent wildfires in western Nebraska highlighted the challenges producers and rural communities face.
“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 webinar will be led by Tina Barrett, an Enrolled Agent, Nebraska Tax Institute instructor 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 collaboration with Nebraska brings together agricultural tax and farm management expertise connected to 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.”
During the webinar, Barrett and Dikeman will help participants identify which tax rules apply to different disaster situations and determine the information needed from affected clients. Attendees will compare livestock deferral provisions, involuntary conversions, casualty losses and recovery payments while learning how to calculate deferred income and gains, prepare elections, adjust basis and track replacement property.
The program will also address insurance reimbursements, conservation cost-share payments and qualified wildfire relief payments, as well as reporting requirements and recordkeeping for Forms 4684 and 4797, Schedule F and depreciation records.
“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 webinar reflects the University of Nebraska’s land-grant mission to share expertise that addresses the needs of the state and region. By equipping tax professionals with specialized knowledge, the program’s impact can extend to the agricultural producers, businesses and rural communities they serve.
“Agriculture is central to Nebraska’s economy and identity, and when producers are affected by wildfire, drought or other disaster events, the impact reaches far beyond one farm or ranch,” Barrett said. “Supporting agriculture means supporting the people, businesses and rural communities connected to it. Educational programs like this help tax professionals give producers timely, accurate guidance when they are making difficult recovery decisions.”
Registration for the Farm Disaster Tax Rules webinar is $175. The Nebraska Tax Institute is applying for continuing education credits in Nebraska and Kansas, with updated information to be posted online as it becomes available. Learn more and register at https://go.unl.edu/farmdisaster.
The webinar is part of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln Tax Institute's longstanding commitment to agricultural tax education, which also includes the institute's annual Agricultural Tax and Management Symposium. The 2026 symposium will be held Friday, Oct. 16, offering tax professionals and agricultural producers the latest updates on agricultural tax, accounting, estate planning and farm management. Participants may attend in person in York, Nebraska, or via livestream.
The Nebraska Tax Institute programs are offered through the Center for Executive and Professional Development at the College of Business, which provides year-round continuing education, leadership development and customized training for professionals, businesses and organizations. Additional offerings include the Nonprofit Management Institute and customized executive education programs. Learn more at https://business.unl.edu/execeducation.
