Bee Leasing
Do you own 5-21 acres of land? Are you looking for an "Ag Exemption" (Ag Valuation)? We can help! Texas offers a reduced tax rate for land owners with 5-21 acres* of land who use their land for agricultural purposes and keeping bees qualifies for Ag Exempt (Ag Valuation) status.
*21 acres requires a 1-acre homestead exemption
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Depending on the county and how many acres you have determines how many beehives you will need for the Ag Exemption (generally between 5-13 hives).
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We manage everything about the beehives including treatments and replacing lost hives. The only things we ask are to have about 20 feet of clearance around the hives and the ability to access the location by vehicle.
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If you do not have a current Ag Exemption, to immediately qualify for the exemption, Texas requires proof of agricultural activity for 5 of the previous 7 years. If the land doesn't meet that requirement, hope is not lost! It just means we can start the process today and we can file once your land becomes eligible. We do offer 5-year contracts in these scenarios making your proof for the state of Texas one simple document.
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One important note, homestead exemptions do not count toward the land eligible for Ag Exemptions. For example, if a landowner has a 1-acre homestead exemption, the landowner would need an additional 5 acres (the landowner would own a total of 6 acres: 1 acre homestead and 5 acres for agriculture) to qualify for the agricultural exemption.
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Here's an Example:
Let's Assume:
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The land does not already have an Ag Valuation and no agricultural history on the land
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The annual Market Tax for land is $10,000 per year
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Once an Agriculture Valuation is applied, the tax rate would be reduced to $1200 per year
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The Bee Leasing Rate is $2000 per year*
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After Year 5, the landowner applies for the Agriculture Valuation
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*These rates are just an example, rates are dependent on the several factors such as number of hives required, lot size, etc.
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Here is what the potential payments/savings would look like:
The initial cost will be slightly above the market rate, since the landowner would need the agricultural history for five years, but once the Ag Valuation is applied, the landowner will save a significant amount of money every year even when accounting for the bee lease.