§ 6420 — Gasoline Used On Farms

(a) Except as provided in subsection (g), if gasoline is used on a farm for farming purposes, the Secretary shall pay (without interest) to the ultimate purchaser of such gasoline the amount determined by multiplying— (1) the number of gallons so used, by (2) the rate of tax on gasoline under section 4081 which applied on the date he purchased such gasoline. (b) Not more than one claim may be filed under this section by any person with respect to gasoline used during his taxable year, and no claim shall be allowed under this section with respect to gasoline used during any taxable year unless filed by such person not later than the time prescribed by law for filing a claim for credit or refund of overpayment of income tax for such taxable year. For purposes of this subsection, a person’s taxable year shall be his taxable year for purposes of subtitle A. (c) For purposes of this section— (1) Gasoline shall be treated as used on a farm for farming purposes only if used (A) in carrying on a trade or business, (B) on a farm situated in the United States, and (C) for farming purposes. (2) The term “farm” includes stock, dairy, poultry, fruit, fur-bearing animal, and truck farms, plantations, ranches, nurseries, ranges, greenhouses or other similar structures used primarily for the raising of agricultural or horticultural commodities, and orchards. (3) Gasoline shall be treated as used for farming purposes only if used— (A) by the owner, tenant, or operator of a farm, in connection with cultivating the soil, or in connection with raising or harvesting any agricultural or horticultural commodity, including the raising, shearing, feeding, caring for, training, and management of livestock, bees, poultry, and fur-bearing animals and wildlife, on a farm of which he is the owner, tenant, or operator; (B) by the owner, tenant, or operator of a farm, in handling, drying, packing, grading, or storing any agricultural or horticultural commodity in its unmanufactured state; but only if such owner, tenant or operator produced more than one-half of the commodity which he so treated during the period with respect to which claim is filed; (C) by the owner, tenant, or operator of a farm, in connection with— (i) the planting, cultivating, caring for, or cutting of trees, or (ii) the preparation (other than milling) of trees for market, (D) by the owner, tenant, or operator of a farm, in connection with the operation, management, conservation, improvement, or maintenance of such farm and its tools and equipment. (4) In applying paragraph (3)(A) to a use on a farm for any purpose described in paragraph (3)(A) by any person other than the owner, tenant, or operator of such farm— (A) the owner, tenant, or operator of such farm shall be treated as the user and ultimate purchaser of the gasoline, except that (B) if the person so using the gasoline is an aerial or other applicator of fertilizers or other substances and is the ultimate purchaser of the gasoline, then subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall not apply and the aerial or other applicator shall be treated as having used such gasoline on a farm for farming purposes. (5) The term “gasoline” has the meaning given to such term by section 4083(a). (d) No amount shall be payable under this section with respect to any gasoline which the Secretary determines was exempt from the tax imposed by section 4081. The amount which (but for this sentence) would be payable under this section with respect to any gasoline shall be reduced by any other amount which the Secretary determines is payable under this section, or is refundable under any provision of this title, to any person with respect to such gasoline. (1) All provisions of law, including penalties, applicable in respect of the tax imposed by section 4081 shall, insofar as applicable and not inconsistent with this section, apply in respect of the payments provided for in this section to the same extent as if such payments constituted refunds of overpayments of the tax so imposed. (2) For the purpose of ascertaining the correctness of any claim made under this section, or the correctness of any payment made in respect of any such claim, the Secretary shall have the authority granted by paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of section 7602(a) (relating to examination of books and witnesses) as if the claimant were the person liable for tax. (3) Section 7504 (granting the Secretary discretion with respect to fractional parts of a dollar) shall not apply. (f) The Secretary may by regulations prescribe the conditions, not inconsistent with the provisions of this section, under which payments may by made under this section. (1) Payment shall be made under subsection (a), only to— (A) the United States or an agency or instrumentality thereof, a State, a political subdivision of a State, or an agency or instrumentality of one or more States or political subdivisions, or (B) an organization exempt from tax under section 501(a) (other than an organization required to make a return of the tax imposed under subtitle A for its taxable year). (2) For allowance of credit against the tax imposed by subtitle A, see section 34. (1) For exemption from tax in case of special fuels used on a farm for farming purposes, see section 4041(f). (2) For civil penalty for excessive claim under this section, see section 6675. (3) For fraud penalties, etc., see chapter 75 (section 7201 and following, relating to crimes, other offenses, and forfeitures). (4) For treatment of an Indian tribal government as a State (and a subdivision of an Indian tribal government as a political subdivision of a State), see section 7871.