IRS extends tax relief for farmers, ranchers affected by drought

The Internal Revenue Service issued guidance Tuesday offering an extension of tax relief for farmers and ranchers in 49 states and other regions who sold or exchanged livestock due to drought conditions.

Under the guidance, farmers and ranchers affected can take more time to replace their livestock and defer tax on any gains from the forced sales or exchanges.

"Large swaths of the United States continue to experience drought conditions, distressing hard-working American farmers and ranchers," said IRS CEO Frank Bisignano in a statement. "By extending relief for those who sell or exchange livestock, the IRS is providing much needed support to those who feed our nation."

Notice 2026-54 lists the specified areas, by county or other jurisdiction, that qualify for federal assistance. The list includes 49 states (with the exception of Alaska), the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and other areas that reported exceptional, extreme or severe drought during the 12-month period ending on Aug. 31, 2026.

The tax relief generally applies to capital gains realized by eligible farmers and ranchers from sales or exchanges of livestock held for draft, dairy or breeding purposes. Sales of other livestock — such as those raised for slaughter or held for sporting purposes — and sales of poultry don't qualify for the relief. 

Eligible farmers and ranchers have to show that drought prompted the sales or exchanges, and that the area received a federal drought designation. Generally, livestock must be replaced within a four-year period, instead of the usual two-year period. The IRS is authorized to further extend this replacement period if the drought persists.

The replacement period extension announced in the notice gives eligible farmers and ranchers until the end of their first tax year after the first drought-free year after the four-year replacement period to replace the sold or exchanged livestock. As a result, eligible farmers and ranchers whose drought-sale replacement period was scheduled to expire at the end of 2026 will have until the end of their next tax year to replace the sold or exchanged livestock. 

The IRS said it's providing this extension to eligible farmers and ranchers if the applicable region is listed as suffering exceptional, extreme or severe drought conditions during any week between Sept. 1, 2025, and Aug. 31, 2026. The determination is made by the National Drought Mitigation Center.

For additional details and an example of how this provision works, see Notice 2006-82. More information on reporting drought sales and other farm-related tax issues can be found in Publication 225, Farmer's Tax Guide.