# Honeybees used to avoid taxes?



## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

Stossell? Hmm. People pay property taxes on honeybees somewhere?


----------



## bison (Apr 27, 2011)

Beekeeping is a legitimate agricultural activity that can indeed qualify land for tax breaks. While one could argue it's economic value versus residential tax rates (the Bon Jovi arguement), it can be relatively much more significant than other accepted ag uses of marginal land. For example, grazing cattle can be a legit ag use but generates very little revenue (perhaps a couple thousand dollars for 1,000 acres). Also requires very little labor. Compare that to a couple hundred bee hives that generate $150 per hive for pollenation, plus package bees plus honey and require a fair amount of labor (plus benefit the surrounding area). 

So yes, beekeeping is a legit use for ag land that quaifies for tax breaks. Doesn't mean you can convert your suburban backyard to "ag land" and get the break though!


----------



## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

jim lyon said:


> Stossell? Hmm. People pay property taxes on honeybees somewhere?


Jim,

I think this is about ag land use vs non ag use of land. Not hives or bees.

Below is a link to someone selling package out of NM with a link regarding the same issue there. Not sure how legit it is ... Have no reason to doubt it. Take a peek. 

http://www.nmhoney.com/nmhoney/Sub ...educe Your Property Taxes with Honey Bees.htm


----------



## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

Honey-4-All said:


> Jim,
> 
> I think this is about ag land use vs non ag use of land. Not hives or bees.
> 
> ...


Wow, interesting! Move to New Mexico I guess.


----------



## JWChesnut (Jul 31, 2013)

*ALL* 50 states give some form of Agricultural exemption on Property taxes.

Oregon's law requires $650 Gross income on 5 acres, or $100/acre for larger parcels. It is a trivial submission, and is widely used in Oregon.

California's law is much more restrictive, and land must be contracted under the "Williamson Act" for specific 10 year periods. Williamson Act qualification for bees is difficult -- the act is really focused on ranchland preservation. An economic viability test is made. Ranchland requires (in my county) a 100 acre minimum, vineyards 40 acres. 

A Forbes article has some more sober details than the inflamatory Fox article.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/ashleaebeling/2012/06/06/farm-like-a-billionaire-harvest-tax-breaks/2/


----------



## Rader Sidetrack (Nov 30, 2011)

In Tennessee, a break on "farm" property taxes is possible with 15 acres or more. You must be able show $1500 annually averaged over a 3 year period in farm income to qualify. More here:

http://www.comptroller.tn.gov/sboe/pdf/GreenbeltBrochure.pdf


----------



## Adrian Quiney WI (Sep 14, 2007)

There is something similar in Wisconsin. If you qualify your land is taxed at cow pasture rates.


----------



## Flyer Jim (Apr 22, 2004)

"And try not to enjoy yourself too much—the IRS uses “personal pleasure” as evidence you’re just a hobbyist,"

So, I gotta quit having so much fun? :scratch:


----------



## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

Ag exemptions as relates to land use are not only legitimate but, I would think, mandatory to properly tax land for its specific use. Allowing the same exemption for an entire parcel of land where hives are located on only a tiny fraction of said land is....well..... a pretty good deal for a landowner looking to save money on property taxes. I guess if its legal......


----------



## Honey-4-All (Dec 19, 2008)

JWChesnut said:


> *ALL* 50 states give some form of Agricultural exemption on Property taxes.
> 
> A Forbes article has some more sober details than the inflamatory Fox article.
> 
> http://www.forbes.com/sites/ashleaebeling/2012/06/06/farm-like-a-billionaire-harvest-tax-breaks/2/


Nothing less inflammatory than a headline like : "Farm like a billionaire" to create a little class envy. 

if your idea of equality is equal result then forget it. Those promoting equal treatment would care less if the same rule applies to the rich and the poor in all law.

We have land that could be put under the Williamson act. Its a great tool if you like to get paid to tie yourself up and do everything but hang yourself. In standard California fashion it makes you give something up to get something back. All these other laws only require you to be a farmer...... Well I guess thats a prime example of giving something up to get something back. We are used to it. :scratch:


----------



## JBJ (Jan 27, 2005)

This subject is a major issue here in Oregon. I have been involved in two land use disputes against the State and County that have had to be settled by the courts. We won a case in 2000 recognizing honey bees as farm use and have an appeal before the courts right now on a recent case that we lost. Under our state law honeybees are legally defined as livestock and recognized as farm use, however the state is seeking to set a new precedent that will restrict the use of bees to maintain EFU(Exclusive Farm Use) tax status on certain soil types. This is a dangerous position because it will reduce incentive for land owners to host apiaries and allow the state to tell you what you can farm. I find it preposterous that the field next door qualifies as farm use with a couple of horses and some of the worst hay I have ever seen and my land owner's property is being disqualified despite being my biggest and most used bee yard. We rear a lot of our queens on site and just the queens alone contribute more downstream agricultural economy than any field of hay or horse ever could. The Oregon Department of Revenue is telling the landowner that he must plant crops or have other livestock despite meeting the farm income requirements with his lease to me. The State is making a big mistake here and I think common sense and basic economics will prevail. The Feds are already paying some farmers not to plant and maintain wild sections for pollinator habitat. Here we are meeting the stated intent of the EFU zoning (preservation of farm land) and also providing wild land for pollinators that is not being sprayed with fungicides and pesticides.


----------



## KevinR (Apr 30, 2010)

Rader Sidetrack said:


> In Tennessee, a break on "farm" property taxes is possible with 15 acres or more. You must be able show $1500 annually averaged over a 3 year period in farm income to qualify. More here:
> 
> http://www.comptroller.tn.gov/sboe/pdf/GreenbeltBrochure.pdf


Unless your tree farming.... = ) 40 Acres of 15 year old pines in greenbelt, but won't make a profit for years... If it gets cut..


----------



## cg3 (Jan 16, 2011)

Ohio has lower agricultural property tax rates, beekeeping is specifically mentioned. But the amount of your property used by the bees is decided locally by the county tax assessor. Some counties count any fallow ground as bee pasture. Mine counts only the actual space taken by woodware. 2.5 sq ft per hive.


----------



## KevinR (Apr 30, 2010)

cg3 said:


> Mine counts only the actual space taken by woodware. 2.5 sq ft per hive.


... That's probably not worth the effort to do the paperwork and have the guy come out... Then again, maybe you should add/remove hives and have him come out and measure each time.. *grins*


----------



## cg3 (Jan 16, 2011)

KevinR said:


> ... That's probably not worth the effort to do the paperwork and have the guy come out...


I don't know. I'm already using .0011 acre.


----------



## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

Just for the record there are no ethanol fuel rebates of any kind in existence. The "blenders" credit paid to ethanol refineries went out a couple years ago. There is, however, still a 10% ethanol mandate but the EPA has recently proposed ending that as well. Whether it makes sense to use food produced from prime farmland for fuel or not is quite rightly a controversial issue but in fairness it should be pointed out that it has largely evolved into a self sustaining industry.


----------



## KevinR (Apr 30, 2010)

jim lyon said:


> self sustaining industry.


Perhaps your more well versed on the subject that I am, but I fail to see how it's a sustainable model. I haven't looked at the conversion rates in a long time, but I vaguely remember that it was ~3 gallons of diesel to make 1 gallon of ethanol, when the entire chain was taken into consideration. Planting, Harvesting, Trucking, Conversion, Handling, Trucking back, etc..


----------



## jim lyon (Feb 19, 2006)

KevinR said:


> Perhaps your more well versed on the subject that I am, but I fail to see how it's a sustainable model. I haven't looked at the conversion rates in a long time, but I vaguely remember that it was ~3 gallons of diesel to make 1 gallon of ethanol, when the entire chain was taken into consideration. Planting, Harvesting, Trucking, Conversion, Handling, Trucking back, etc..


I have heard lots of numbers put out there by opponents and it's hard to know exactly how they are arrived at. I have long considered the whole notion of a government encouraging the use of our best farmland for fuel and not food as politics at its very worst (and I own farm ground) but the current situation is what it is, corn prices have dropped relative to crude oil, the facilities are there and are operating at capacity. Obviously at the moment it's working, what will happen if the EPA no longer mandates a 10% blending of ethanol is anyone's guess. It's probably pretty safe to assume that politics will reenter the picture at some point though.


----------



## gmcharlie (May 9, 2009)

KevinR said:


> I vaguely remember that it was ~3 gallons of diesel to make 1 gallon of ethanol, when the entire chain was taken into consideration. Planting, Harvesting, Trucking, Conversion, Handling, Trucking back, etc..


Not even close. The biggest issues with ethanol, are freight and water. Moving the Biomass needed is an issue, which is why certain locations were picked. it also limits the size these facilities can obtain, as trucking the Biomass is a expense. As of 2012 the problem was that gas needed to be above the 3.00 range to make it economical feasible. That was why it had to be subsidized. Now that a lot of facilities are in place that cost is lowered, not sure where its at now.

Right now this season there were a lot of premiums paid for high moisture corn for ethanol production. .15 a bushel was standard here in the midwest for High moisture. 

Just info, not intent on entering the fray......


----------

