New Director for ISU Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation
Kristine Tidgren has been named the director of the Iowa State University Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation.
Tidgren joined the extension-focused center in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences as a staff attorney in 2013, and has been serving as its assistant director for the past two years. William Edwards, an emeritus professor of economics and extension farm economist, had served for the past year as the center's interim director.
The Center for Agricultural Law and Taxation, established by the Iowa Board of Regents in 2006, provides timely, objective information to agricultural producers, professionals and agribusinesses on the application of important developments in agricultural law and taxation, and is a primary source of professional educational training in agricultural law and taxation. One of the center's programs is the annual farm income tax school, which Iowa State has conducted for nearly 45 years.
Tidgren's work focuses on studying and interpreting laws that impact the agricultural industry, specifically agricultural taxation.
"I'm excited to carry on the work of the center and provide education and information regarding new tax interpretations," Tidgren said.
Tidgren grew up on a farm near Logan, Iowa. Before coming to Iowa State she worked for a legal publishing company and as a practicing attorney. She received her law degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1998 and her bachelor's degree in journalism from Iowa State in 1989.
Since she started at the center, Tidgren has written articles and blog posts keeping tax professionals, practicing attorneys, producers and agribusiness professionals informed about legal developments impacting their business. She writes technical chapters for the National Income Tax Workbook, articles for farm publications and is frequently interviewed by media regarding tax and agricultural law issues.
In addition, Tidgren speaks to thousands of professionals and producers each year regarding tax and agricultural law topics. She also organizes and provides instruction at center-hosted seminars, including the annual federal income tax schools.
Since 2016, Tidgren has been teaching a four-credit agricultural law class to upper-level undergraduate students and is an adjunct assistant professor of agricultural law in the Agricultural Education and Studies Department.
Tidgren also regularly collaborates with other agricultural law and tax professionals throughout the country, including those from the Rural Tax Education Committee, the American Agricultural Law Association and the Land Grant University Tax Education Foundation.
