R&D Tax Credits in Agriculture: The Opportunity Most Farmers Miss: with Louie Pitman and Sid Speir

It’s tax season — which means farmers, ag business owners, and ag-tech founders are all asking the same question: Did I miss something?In this episode of the AgCulture Podcast, Paul sits down with Louie Pitman and Sid Speir from RK Partners to unpack one of the most overlooked financial tools in agriculture — the R&D Tax Credit. RK Partners helps companies across agriculture and ag-tech optimize this government incentive, which can return roughly $0.10 for every $1 spent on qualifying research and development activity.And that activity may be happening on your farm already.R&D in agriculture can include animal health and nutrition programs, feed trials, crop science, genetics, automation, process improvements, robotics, AI systems, and even sustainability initiatives. RK works with farms and ag-tech businesses across the U.S. — including dairy, poultry, swine, crop operations, and agricultural technology providers — helping them identify, document, and defend qualifying claims.If you’re experimenting, improving, testing, or building — this conversation may apply to you more than you think.You can learn more about RK Partners at: https://www.rkpartners.comMEET THE GUESTSLouie PitmanLouie is a Partner at RK Partners, working closely with agricultural businesses across the United States to help them maximize federal and state tax credits. With over seven years of experience in tax credits and incentives, he supports family-owned farms, large livestock operations, ag-focused manufacturers, and agtech startups in identifying opportunities within the R&D credit framework.Connect with Louie on LinkedInSid SpeirSid is the Vice President at RK Partners, where he leads the firm’s Agriculture division. He works closely with some of the largest livestock and crop operations across the United States, helping them navigate and maximize the federal R&D Tax Credit. With nearly a decade of experience in the R&D tax space, Sid specializes in identifying, documenting, and defending qualifying claims for agricultural businesses.Connect with Sid on LinkedInABOUT THE PODCASTDiscover the world of agriculture with the "Ag Culture Podcast".This podcast is a gateway for those passionate about agriculture to explore its global perspectives and innovative practices.Join Paul as he shares his experiences in the agricultural industry, his travels and encounters with important figures around the world.Available on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.Subscribe at http://www.agculturepodcast.com and keep an eye out for future episodes, bringing insights and stories from the vibrant world of agriculture.00:00 – Why R&D tax credits matter for agriculture 02:05 – What R&D tax credits actually are 05:30 – The 4-part qualification test 09:00 – Practical dairy farm examples 12:05 – The George v. Commissioner case 14:30 – Paul’s on-farm experience 16:00 – Documentation made simple 21:20 – Genetics & breeding as R&D 24:00 – AgTech & AI applications 27:00 – Payroll tax offset for startups 28:45 – How the credit reduces taxes 30:40 – The Big Beautiful Bill explained 32:30 – Audit risk & defensible claims 37:00 – What agriculture underestimates