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Agricultural productivity index dip reduces farmland assessments; farm-home exemption tightened
Summary
Staff said the county's crop productivity index average fell about 9% from the prior year due to drought, lowering agricultural assessments and bringing the county back into tolerance; staff also noted a farm-home exemption qualification change from 50% of net income to 66% of gross income, moving eight parcels from exempt to taxable.
Assessment staff told the board recent changes in productivity indices required lowering agricultural assessments. "We have to be within 10% of that value and not over," the presenter said, citing the county average per NDSU and an approximate 9% decline from the prior year driven by drought, which reduced the county's average productivity index and required downward adjustments.
Staff also explained the farm-home exemption qualification shifted: historically the exemption used a 50% net-income threshold; "Now it's 66% of your gross income," the presenter said. As a result the office moved eight parcels from exempt to taxable this year, typically when ownership changed and new owners did not meet the new income threshold. The board heard the explanation and accepted the adjustments as part of the overall assessment package.
