Below are some important SFIA dates to keep in mind.
When enrolling | |
September 15 | Deadline to register your woodland management plan with the DNR to be eligible for SFIA the following calendar year. |
October 31 | Deadline to submit SFIA application to Department of Revenue. Covenant also must be recorded with the County Recorder's Office by this date. |
Once enrolled | |
May 1 | Department of Revenue mails annual certification letters to all SFIA enrollees. |
July 1 | Deadline to submit an updated woodland stewardship plan, if necessary. Plans must be updated every 10 years to remain eligible for SFIA payments. |
July 1 | Deadline for SFIA claimant to submit annual certification letters to the Department of Revenue. |
October 1 | Department of Revenue sends out annual incentive payments. |
Payments
SFIA payment rates are adjusted each year based on statewide average market values and tax rates. However, they cannot decrease or increase by more than 10 percent per year. Payment rates vary according to the kind of covenant you have:
- SFIA land that is also in a conservation easement has only one covenant length (8 years) and therefore only one payment amount.
- SFIA land without a conservation easement has three possible covenant lengths and three corresponding payment levels based on the length of the covenant and the number of acres enrolled.
The estimated 2022 payment rates are:
Covenant Length | Payment Rate (per acre) |
8 years | Fewer than 1,920 acres enrolled: $9.89 |
20 years | Fewer than 1,920 acres enrolled: $13.70 |
50 years | Fewer than 1,920 acres enrolled: $17.50 |
For new applications in 2022 and land that is in an easement, the payment is $3.81 per acre.
Note: If your land was enrolled in SFIA in 2017 and also has a conservation easement, the payment rate is $7.00 per acre and that land is limited to an 8-year covenant.
Contact [email protected] if you have any questions or need additional information.