Anyone raise or has raised cattle in wooded areas?

Would it qualify as growing timber for an Ag product.

Silvopasture.

I have been running my rearend off non stop for the last week or so.......

Cowrancher. The Texas comptroller's guidelines for this program never once mention any set $ amount and never even mention the word "profit'. Lots of it is left up to individual county thpo, as the terrain, climate and geography of Texas is so different North to South and East to West. I can, if I manage it tightly, raise a pair on 1 1/2 to 2 acres here in a non drought year but out West it would take me 10-20 X that..maybe many more times that.

There are 2 different kinds of property tax ag exemption in Texas.

1d-this is the program used if the producer derives the majority of his yearly income from agriculture. As such, the producer will be expected to make a profit as it is a business and his primary occupation. Participation in 1d has to be renewed each year.

From Texas Agrilife:



Few landowners qualify for the original 1966 1-d agricultural valuation. This designation is tied to both the land and the landowner and must be applied for each year it is claimed. Section 23.42 of the Texas Tax Code stipulates:



The land must have been exclusively devoted to or developed for agriculture for the past 3 years.

The landowner must use the land for agriculture as his/her occupation or as a business venture for profit in the current year.

Agriculture must be the landowner’s primary occupation and source of income.

This section defines agriculture as “the raising of livestock or growing of crops, fruit, flowers, and other products of the soil under natural conditions as a business venture for profit.” Wildlife and timber uses do not qualify for Section 1-d valuation.

1d1 or what some call Open Space is different.

Land has to have been in ag production for the previous 5 years before you can apply for 1d1 exemption.



We circulated a petition to request the county's appraisal district cease to require 75% cleared/no more than 25% wooded acreage and requested them to drop the minimum acreage from 20 ac down to 10 ac. The county commissioners had their monthly meeting with the appraisal BoD and Chief Appraiser last Tuesday, and the Commissioner Chair had told me and a few others beforehand that we needed to be there to present the petition, state our case and to inform as many people about the meeting as possible. It was, a shock to the BoD and they fought the commissioners about letting us in, but it fell under Texas Open Meeting law and as I heard one commissioner loudly tell them "the hell you aren't, it's a public meeting and they're all coming in!"

A normal 30 minute meeting stretched into 3 hrs and we got a lot done, but the Chief Appraiser never said a word, just sat there heard us and you could almost see the steam coming out around her mask. Before the week was over, both the landowners I lease from had gotten a phone call from the appraisal district to tell them their ag exemptions were restored, but we are not stopping and will continue with the petition and intend to pack that same building next week to capacity and me and one other person are working with one of the commissioners to form a San Jacinto County Ag and Cattle Association to work as a group going forward.

This is the petition I created and got over 200 signatures on in a period of about 2 weeks and we barely got out of my end of the county with it.



San Jacinto County has a very long and successful tradition of livestock being raised on forested lands, both in the US National Forest when the county was 'Open Range' and on private lands before and after the implementation of the stock law. During 'open range' hundreds if not thousands of head of cattle and hogs ran in and grazed the woodlands of the US National Forest of San Jacinto County, grew, bred, birthed and were gathered and hauled to market each year. There were cattle raised "in the woods" of this area before the county was created and even before Texas became a State.



Wooded land and the forage it provides is a vital element to the farmer and rancher, as well as any good steward of the land and nowhere is that more true than in the flood plain of the East Fork San Jacinto River. In the heat of July and August, when the native Bahia and common bermuda are dry and crunchy under foot, with very little nutritional value, the woods grasses, forbs and other plants are still green and growing, providing the livestock producer with an important supplement and often carries his livestock thru even the worst of droughts, as we all saw in 2011. The same is true in winter. Once the first frost comes, the Bahia is little more than poor hay, but those same protected grasses under the trees, withstand all but the first hard freeze, allowing the producer to minimize the tonnage of hay he has to feed.



Clearing land is an expensive and labor intensive endeavor with questionable prospects of ever recouping those costs via livestock production on the floodplain of the East Fork. The longer rivers in Texas such as the Brazos, the Red, the Colorado and the Sabine rise and fall slowly, often staying up for several days and in the case of the Trinity River, sometimes for weeks. Their watershed is of such size and great length, that their flood waters carry vital nutrients and trace elements. Those rivers' rise and fall is gradual, and just prior to, at and immdiately after crest, the sediment falls out of the water leaving the land the floodwater is on enriched and more productive than before.

Those rivers, are a positive force in building topsoil and keeping existing soil viable and productive, and have been for thousands of years.



The East Fork San Jacinto however is a short river, rising near Dodge in Walker County, flowing thru the counties of San Jacinto, SE Montgomery, NW Liberty county, and culminates in Lake Houston in Harris County. TSHA states that from it's beginning source to Lake Houston the East Fork is only 69 miles long. This river historically comes up fast at a high rate of flow, is usuallly out of it's banks for less than 36 hours, and goes back down into it's channel equally fast. During this river's annual floods, the water does not stay up long & there is not enough time on open ground for the river to drop much if any sediment, but the flow on open ground does present a serious and real erosion risk as well as leaching out vital nutrients and trace elements such as nitrogen, selenium, phosphorous, and potassium. The exception to that adverse action is in the wooded areas. The trees, vines, forbs and other plant life inhibit water flow, aid in the deposit of nutrients and the forest floor retains the moisture much longer than open pastures. Requiring a producer to remove 75% of this valuable asset is counter-productive to what this area has done for decades, going back to the late 1800s. Removing that high % of good deeply rooted ground cover is simply counter intuitive to good stewardship of the land and in this age of low livestock prices, the producer needs every bit of help from nature he can get. In addition, disturbing that amount of soil by clearing will result in every E. Texas invasive to spring to life as soon as sunlight hits the soil. All soils in Texas carry a vast seedbank of seeds, good and bad, Including but not limited to Chinese Tallow, Sweet Gum, and Honey Locusts, meaning the landowner has to embark on a liflelong battle to keep these hardy but useless invasives in check, either thru constant mowing or bi-annual herbicide applications, both of which are labor intensive and costly. This detracts from the from the landowner and cattleman's profit, which is already meager enough to begin with.

Yes, we can take the land from the forest, but the forest always wants the land back and it never ever stops trying.



It was and is the intent of the Texas Legislature to encourage 1d1 (Ag Exemption) participation in order to forever retain and encourage the rich and historical importance of livestock production thru out the State especially for the small livestock producer as well as other forms of agriculture. This important program helps the younger generation get a start in what appears to be a dying ag lifestyle and a loss of ag production acreage going forward. Rising land prices make it very difficult for young Texans to get started and succeed in agriculture, and one relief to that problem is to make it easier to access and qualify for 1d1. Our neighboring Walker County requires only 10 acres, Liberty County requires only 15 acres, Trinity County decides on a case-by-case basis, with only Montgomery and San Jacinto Counties requiring a minimum of 20 acres.



To that end, we the undersigned do petition the San Jacinto County Appraisal Board and the Chief Appraiser to reverse the requirement of 75% open pasture and only 25% wooded, and we petition the same to drop the 1d1 minimum acreage requirement to 10 acres.[/b]

We're just getting started.......

By all appearances, it seems the Chief Appraiser has set a course to increase land valuations by altering the landscape if one wants to be in agriculture and qualify for 1d1 open space. It's a given, that cleared land brings more (and appraises higher) than wooded land in East Texas (there's no shortage of forests here in East Texas..there's 59,746 ac of National Forest in this county alone and that's only 1/3 the total size of this National Forest and there are 3 other national forests in East Texas.)
It's also well known, that developers intending to build the newer type subdivisions where the homes are butted up right next to each other on 1/10 ac lots would prefer to acquire flat open land than forested lands where they have to go in and clear off the trees and underbrush.

Last year, my own son bought one of those homes about 40 miles from here in Tomball, (no considered an outer suburb of Houston Metroplex in a subdivision so new, that Google Earth six months ago still showed it to be part of a "Land and Cattle Co". That has changed now. I did some research and the asking price for that ranchland was 15,000-20,0000/ac 3 years ago. Taking into account the streets and infrastructure the developer had to put in, he could probably only get 8 homesites per acre on the property and not 10. Typical price (and what my son paid) for the completed homes is $330,000 and I suspect they appraise for tax purposes and market value accordingly. Almost over night, each of those previous farm acres valuation went from $15,000-$20,000/ac to $2.6 Million/ac. Guess who the big winner is?
If you said the Harris county tax assessor/collector then you would be correct...

Houston has moved as far East as it can go, out into Chambers County to the East because of the vast low lying Trinity River bottom and Trinity Bay. As far west as the town/city of Katy on I-10 West because beyond that is too far to drive to work in Houston. It can't go South because that's mostly marshy land and much of it is protected wetlands, and then the Gulf of Mexico. There is only North left, and Houston has already taken in much of Montgomery county, has a good start on Liberty County and we (San Jac County) is next.
Those big subdivisions..."coming to a farm near me..."

It is the prerogative of each chief appraiser in each Texas county to set classes and sub-classes of any soil type, pasture, geographical anomaly or anything else in regards to how a grazing operation is carried out. Some counties do exactly that and in the economic regions of East Texas and Deep East Texas, some do so in regards to woods pastures. See Anderson and Waller county. It took a lot to put the following together, and I made a lot of phone calls to get this information but it is accurate only to the extent that each county’s CAD website or it’s CAD personnel via phone conversation were correct as of this week. Only 2 counties did not respond. Red River County's website was down and they did not return my phone call. Lamar County, no one answered the phone and their website has no information regarding 1d1 open space ag exemptions. I did not include much information nor did I ask about row crops, orchards, timber exemption requirements, bees or much else besides cattle grazing, tho some do include goats and hay production. 
All of these counties have a lot of pine forest on them, some more than others. All of them share that their primary ag product is beef  cattle production. 



EAST AND DEEP EAST TEXAS AG GUIDELINES



ANDERSON County:

Improved Pasture¹: Includes but not limited to pasture that is mowed, shredded, fertilized, cultivated, seeded, and planted with grasses. (fence and livestock required)

Unimproved Pasture¹: Pasture with native grasses, and has none of the above completed, could have less than 30 trees per acre. (Fence and livestock required)

WOODED Pasture²:Pasture that has less than 200 trees per acre. Must have sufficient forage base to sustain livestock to qualify! (fence and livestock required)

¹ Open pasture should have a minimum of one(1) head of livestock per 3 acres.

(15 acres and less requires a minimum of FIVE (5) head of livestock)

²Wooded Pasture should have a minimum of one(1) head livestock per 5 acre. Wooded pasture must have sufficient forage base to sustain livestock to qualify.

(25 acres and less requires a minimum of five (5) head of livestock)



SAN JACINTO County.
(my county)
20 acres is required with 75% of the tract cleared open space for grazing. At Least 6 head of reproducing cows, with tracts larger than 20 ac having 1 additional cow to every 1-15 acres.

A minimum of approximately 20 acres is required.

At least 75% open for grazing with no more than 25% wooded.

8au 1st 20-40 acres, 1 cow for each additional 5 acres.

5 acres for hay production.



TYLER County

10-20 acres good to average pasture with intensity on a case by case basis.

5-10 acres for hay.



POLK County

Minimum 10 acres for hay and 15 acres for cattle grazing with approx 2au/7ac but case by case basis.



LIBERTY County

NATIVE Pasture.

15ac -20ac minimum 1 au per 7 ac.. WITH A MINIMUM OF

5 ANIMAL UNITS.

Improved Pasture. 10 acres required. 1 au per 3 ac.

Hay=10 ac required with 2 cuttings/year .



TRINITY County

1)Cattle Smaller size tracts will be reviewed on a case by case basis.

2) At least 75% open to grazing with no more than 25% wooded.

3) At least five (5) head of mother cows.

4) Larger tracts should have one (1) cow to every five(5) ac.



HARDIN County

10 acres. Improved pasture= 1 au/3acres. Native pasture= 1au/5AC with at least 3 total.



SAN AUGUSTINE County.

10acres both native and improved. Case by case basis for intensity.

5ac for hay.



NACOGDOCHES County.

20 ac with 6AU.

10Ac Hay.



HARRIS County.

Improved Pasture-7 acs required, Minimum of four (4) au. Must have one (1) animal unit per 4 acs on larger tracts.

Native Pasture-8 acres required. must produce sufficient forage to sustain a minimum of 4 animal units. Minimum of four (4) au. Must have one (1) animal unit per 7 acs on larger tracts.

Hay 7 acres with 2400 lbs each cutting.



ANGELINA County

Cow/Calf Native Pasture ...................20........................................... 1 unit to 5 acres

Cow/Calf Improved Pasture................15........................................... 1 unit to 3 acres.

Hay..10 ac 2-3 cuttings/yr.



GRIMES County

not less than 10 acres.

5 animal units (1 cow = 1AU) for small tracts

Minimum stocking rates for larger tracts: improved pasture, one cow to 5 acres; native pasture, one cow to 10 acres; woods and brush, one cow to

20 acres.

Hay 10 acres with 2-3 cuttings of approx 6000lbs/ac/yr on improved land.



WALKER County.

10 acres intesity will vary for both native and improved pasture.

5 acres minum for hay.



NEWTON County.

Improved pasture=5ac with 3au.

Native pasture=5ac with 3au



JASPER County

10 ac and will accept less if managed intensively. 3 mommas/10ac.

Hay 5 acres.



ORANGE County

Native..15 Acre 1 animal unit per 5 acres with a

minimum of 3 animal units

Improved..Same as Native except 1 animal per 3 acres.



SHELBY County.

Grazing is case by case basis.

Hay-4ac

row crop 4 ac/truck produce 4 ac.



HOUSTON County

10 acres. 3-5 momma cows per 10 acres. My be used in coinjucntion with off site pasture.



CHEROKEE County.

Small acerage not ok for cow/calf but ok for backgrounding yearlings. Hay 7 acres.

Cow/Calf-15-20 ac min.



RUSK County.

16 acres with 4 cows 1 bull or 16 calves.

5 acres for hay.



MARION County.

10 acres with 3 au. 5 acres for hay.



RAINS County.

5 acres grazing with 1AU. or 5 acres hay.



HOPKINS County

20acres with 1au/4ac. Hay=10 ac.



GREGG County.

16 acres for grazing..improved pasture.

20 acres native.

Hay=5 acres with max 20 acres.



FANNIN County.

Native and improved 10 acres with 2au/5ac. Hay 10ac with 2000lb from native and 4000 from Improved.



PANOLA County.

10 ac with 1 cow per 2 acres. 10 acres=hay.



SABINE County.

10 acres grazing and or hay. 2au/5 acres.



UPSHUR County.

3 acre min-1AU per 3 ac. Hay 5 acres and must retain reciepts current year.



VAN ZANDT County.

10 ac with 1au per 5 acres. Hay 10 acres.Goats 5acres.



DELTA County.

5 acre minimum with 1 au/3acres. Hay 5 acres-4000lbs per acre.



FRANKLIN County.

10 ac with 5 hd/10 acres. Hay 5 acres.



WOOD County.

5 acres. 1au/5acres. Hay 5 acres and 2 cuttings.



MORRIS County.

5 acres hay or grazing no min AU or tonnage.



CASS County.

8 acres-1 au/4 acres. Hay 5 acres.



KAUFMAN County.

9 acres. 4au + 1 cow for each additional 5-8 acres. Hay 9ac min, should be fertilized ea yr.



CAMP County

5 acres min. 1au.

Hay 5ac.



HENDERSON County.

10 acres @ 2au. Hay-10 acres.



BOWIE County.

Cattle and Hay-7 acres. 2au/7 ac.



BRAZOS County.

Min 15 acres native or improved. Min 5au cattle, Hogs 5 ac. Hay 8 ac.



FREESTONE County.

minimum 5-7 ac for improved and 7-2 for native pasture. 5 ac for hay. 1-2 rounds or 20-40 sq/acre 2 cuttings/yr.



GRAYSON County.

15 ac improved with 3au/5 ac=5 cow minimum.

Native-1au/7 acres. 35 acres minimum. 5 cow minimum.



WALLER County.

Pasture Land Native** Minimum 15ac. Must have one(1) animal unit * per 7 acres with a minimum of 5 animal units

Improved*** Minimum of 10ac. Must have one(1) animal unit * per 5 acres with a

minimum of 5 animal units

Wooded Minimum of 20ac. Ratio depends on density of woods; One (1)

animal unit per 10‐12 acres.



CHAMBERS County

3ac min Improved pasture with 1au or 2 cuts hay/yr.

6ac min Native pasture with 1au.



HUNT County.

Degree of Intensity in acreage

For purposes other than beekeeping, which has its own acreage requirements

specified by law, a degree of intensity of 3 ACRES will be required to distinguish

Qualifying Agriculture Tracts from Hobby operations. This is a guideline only and

any application for agriculture valuation below 3 acres will be considered on a

case by case basis. One such consideration would be an application for a tract

of land used with other qualified agricultural property being owned by the same

person(s) or family member.

PASTURE:

MINIMUM # OF HEAD

PER 5 ACRES

Cattle Adult Cows or Bulls = 1au/5 acres



BRAZORIA County.

Improved pasture 9 ac required with min of 3au.

Native pasture 15 ac with min of 3 au.



FORT BEND County

Improved pasture cattle and Hay production:

1 AU per 5Ac or 2 tons hay/ac.

Minimum of 5AU with 25 acre minimum.

Native Pasture:

1AU per 8 ac.

Minimum of 5AU with 40 ac minimum.



JEFFERSON County

10ac with 3AU. Smaller parcels will qualify if hay is also cut.



SMITH County

5 acres minimum with 2au for grazing and/or hay.



Our most recent meeting with the appraisal Board of directors and Chief Appraiser went pretty good considering the big increase in Covid cases.  Had about 60 people in attendance, but about 1/2 were residential landowners complaining about high market values, but they all applauded mine and another person's presentations. Altho I would prefer they do completely away with the 75% cleared/25% wooded requirement, I can live with the way Anderson County has done. 

My primary concern and involvement in all of this is to try to get this county to make changes to ensure agriculture remains solvent here and that it supports the local farmers and especially the young people that have that fire inside to raise cattle. They have to be able to afford to get into it even on a small scale and 20 acre requirement in a county where land prices are averaging $6000 to $8000 (or more) per acre for raw land is simply putting a roadblock up to anyone that can't inherit land. 4H and FFA leaders do a great job in helping to plant that ember of a fire to raise livestock in young folks, but the rest of us have to fan the flames and nurture and grow that passion. Between 2012 and 2017, according to USDA, my county lost 25% more ag land than it did the previous three 5 year spans. We will never get it back..gone forever.  This county, is doing something wrong. I'm old, 70 now, not really affected personally by any of this but I have one good fight left in me I hope, and this is it. 
(If any of you Texans think there is an error in any of the county data, let me know and I will contact that county again, but I won't change it just on word of mouth from the public. I cannot go in front of officials with hearsay.)

I know of numerous examples of people that make good $$ in East Texas on less acreage than 20 acres...some of them more than I make selling calves off 105 acres. 
One lady right up the road from me has 10 acres of blackberries and blueberries and she would be making several thousand $ profit each year, but for the fact she has to pay full market value tax because she doesn't qualify for ag exemption since she doesn't have 20 acres. 
The craftsman that did such a good job on the kitchen and bathroom cabinets of my home quit doing it because he could make more $$ raising and selling purple hull and crowder peas to the public than he could building cabinets. He has 15 acres so he doesn't qualify either.  Something is wrong here...