Iowa Code r. 701-214.17 - Farm machinery, equipment, and replacement parts used in livestock or dairy production

(1) The sales price from the sale of farm machinery, equipment, and replacement parts used in livestock or dairy production is exempt from sales and use tax.

(2) Definitions and special provisions. For purposes of this rule, the following definitions and special provisions apply.

a. Machinery. The term "machinery" means major mechanical machines, or major components thereof, that contribute directly and primarily to the livestock or dairy production process. Usually, a machine is a large object with moving parts that performs work through the expenditure of energy, either mechanical (e.g., gasoline or other fuel) or electrical.

b. Equipment. The term "equipment" means tangible personal property (other than a machine) that is directly and primarily used in livestock or dairy production. Equipment may be characterized as property that performs a specialized function and that has no moving parts, or if the equipment does possess moving parts, its source of power is external to it. The following nonexclusive examples differentiate between machinery and equipment:

EXAMPLE 1: An auger places feed into a cattle feeder. The auger is a piece of machinery; the cattle feeder is a piece of equipment.

EXAMPLE 2: An electric pump is used to pump milk into a bulk milk tank. The electric pump is a piece of machinery; the bulk milk tank is equipment.

c. Property used in livestock or dairy production that is neither equipment nor machinery.

(1) Real property. The ground or the earth is not machinery or equipment. A building is not machinery or equipment. Therefore, tangible personal property that is sold for incorporation into the ground or a building in such a manner that the property will become a part of the ground or the building is taxable except for machinery and equipment. Generally, property incorporated into the ground or a building has become a part of the ground or the building if its removal would substantially damage the property, ground, or building or would substantially diminish the value of the property, ground, or building. Fence posts embedded in concrete, electrical wiring, light fixtures, fuse boxes, and switches are examples of property sold for incorporation into the ground or a building, respectively. For the purpose of the following example, assume that property is being sold to a contractor rather than a person engaged in livestock or dairy production. If the property is sold to a contractor, the retailer would be required to consider the property building material and charge the contractor sales tax upon the purchase price of the building material. If the property is building material, sale of the property is not exempt from Iowa sales tax. Rule 701-219.3 (423) contains a characterization of building material and a list of specific examples of building material.

(2) Supplies. Supplies are neither machinery nor equipment. Tangible personal property is a farm supply if it is used up or destroyed by virtue of its use in livestock or dairy production or, because of its nature, can only be used once in livestock or dairy production. A light bulb is an example of a farm supply that is not machinery or equipment. Examples of farm supplies that could be mistaken for equipment and are not exempt from tax on other grounds can be found in subrule 214.19(4).

d. Hand tools. The term "hand tools" means tools that can be held in the hand or hands and that are powered by human effort. Hand tools specifically designed for use in livestock or dairy production are exempt from tax as equipment. Mechanical devices that are held in the hand and driven by electricity from some source other than human muscle power are, if they meet all other qualifications, exempt from tax as farm machinery.

e. "Directly used" in livestock or dairy production. To determine if machinery or equipment is "directly used" in livestock or dairy production, one must first ensure that the machinery or equipment is used during livestock or dairy production and not before that process has begun or after it has ended. Paragraph 214.17(2)"g" contains an explanation of when livestock or dairy production begins and ends.

(1) Definition. If the machinery or equipment is used in livestock or dairy production, "directly used" means the use is an integral and essential part of production as distinguished from use that is incidental or merely convenient to production or use that is remote from production. Machinery or equipment may be necessary to livestock or dairy production, but its use is so remote from production that it is not directly used in that production.

(2) Determination. In determining whether machinery or equipment is directly used, consideration should be given to the following factors:

1. The physical proximity of the machinery or equipment to other machinery or equipment clearly exempt as directly used in livestock or dairy production. The closer the machinery or equipment is to exempt machinery or equipment, the more likely it is that the machinery or equipment is directly used in livestock or dairy production.

2. The chronological proximity of the use of machinery or equipment in question to the use of machinery clearly exempt as directly used in livestock or dairy production. The closer the proximity of the machinery's or equipment's use within the production process to the use of exempt machinery or equipment, the more likely the use is direct rather than remote.

3. The active causal relationship between the use of the machinery or equipment in question and livestock or dairy production. The fewer intervening causes between the use of the machinery or equipment and the production of the product, the more likely it is that the machinery or equipment is directly used in production.

f. "Primarily used" in livestock or dairy production. Machinery or equipment is "primarily used" in livestock or dairy production based on the total time it is used in livestock or dairy production in comparison to the time it is used for other purposes. Any unit of machinery or equipment directly used in livestock or dairy production more than 50 percent of its total use time is eligible for exemption.

g. Beginning and end of livestock or dairy production. Livestock or dairy production begins with the purchase or breeding of livestock or dairy animals. Livestock or dairy production ceases when an animal or the product of an animal's body (e.g., wool) has been transported to the point where it will be sold by the farmer or processed.

h. Machinery and equipment design. Farm machinery and equipment used in livestock or dairy production are eligible for exemption if specifically designed for use in livestock or dairy production. Farm machinery and equipment that are not specifically designed for use in livestock or dairy production, but are directly and primarily used in livestock or dairy production, are eligible for exemption with the exception of common or ordinary hand tools.

EXAMPLE: Farmer Jones raises livestock and must use fans to cool the animals. Farmer Jones buys electric fans designed for use in a residence, but uses them directly and primarily to cool the livestock. The fans' use would be considered exempt.

i. Replacement parts. The term "replacement parts" means the same as defined in paragraph 214.1(2)"i."

(3) Examples of machinery and equipment directly used in livestock or dairy production.

a. Machinery and equipment used to transport or limit the movement of livestock or dairy animals (e.g., electric fence equipment, portable fencing, head gates, and loading chutes) are directly used in livestock or dairy production.

b. Machinery and equipment used in the conception, birth, feeding, and watering of livestock or dairy animals (e.g., artificial insemination equipment, portable farrowing pens, feed carts, and automatic watering equipment) are directly used in livestock or dairy production.

c. Machinery and equipment used to maintain healthful or sanitary conditions in the immediate area where livestock are kept (e.g., manure gutter cleaners, automatic cattle oilers, fans, and heaters if not real property) are directly used in livestock or dairy production.

d. Machinery and equipment used to test or inspect livestock during production are directly used in livestock or dairy production.

(4) Taxable examples. The following are nonexclusive examples of machinery or equipment that would not be directly used in livestock or dairy production.

a. Machinery or equipment used to assemble, maintain, or repair other machinery or equipment directly used in livestock or dairy production (e.g., welders, paint sprayers, and lubricators).

b. Machinery or equipment used in farm management, administration, advertising, or selling (e.g., a computer used for record keeping, calculator, office safe, telephone, books, and farm magazines).

c. Machinery or equipment used in the exhibit of livestock or dairy animals (e.g., blankets, halters, prods, leads, and harnesses).

d. Machinery or equipment used in safety or fire prevention, even though the machinery or equipment is required by law.

e. Machinery or equipment for employee or personal use. Machinery or equipment used for the personal comfort, convenience, or use by a farmer, the farmer's family or employees, or persons associated with the farmer is not exempt from tax. Examples of such machinery and equipment include the following: beds, mattresses, blankets, tableware, stoves, refrigerators, and other equipment used in conjunction with the operation of a farm home or other facilities for farm employees.

f. Machinery or equipment used for heating, cooling, ventilation, and lighting of farm buildings generally.

g. Vehicles subject to registration.

(5) The sales price, not including services, of the following machinery or equipment is exempt from tax regardless of whether the machinery or equipment remains tangible personal property after installation or is incorporated into the realty: auxiliary attachments that improve the performance, safety, operation, or efficiency of the machinery and equipment, including auger systems, curtains and curtain systems, drip systems, fan and fan systems, shutters, inlets, shutter or inlet systems, refrigerators, and replacement parts if all of the following conditions are met:

a. The implement, machinery, or equipment is directly and primarily used in livestock or dairy production.

b. The implement is not a self-propelled implement or implement customarily drawn or attached to self-propelled implements.

c. The replacement part is used in a repair or reconstruction of the exempt piece of farm machinery or equipment used in the production of agricultural products.

(6) Auxiliary attachments exemption. Sales of auxiliary attachments that improve the performance, safety, operation, or efficiency of exempt machinery or equipment are exempt from tax. Sales of replacement parts for these auxiliary attachments are also exempt.

(7) Seller's and purchaser's liability for sales tax. The seller is relieved of sales tax liability if the seller takes from the purchaser an exemption certificate stating that the purchase is of machinery and equipment meeting the requirements of this rule. The exemption certificate must be fully completed. If items purchased tax-free pursuant to an exemption certificate are used or disposed of by the purchaser in a nonexempt manner, the purchaser is solely and directly liable for sales tax and remits the tax to the department.

This rule is intended to implement Iowa Code sections 423.3(11) and 423.3(15).

Notes

Iowa Code r. 701-214.17

ARC 8159C, IAB 7/24/24, effective 8/28/24