FYI: Masonry Bees for Ag Exemption

[Keith]

Nope, the only thing I’m contributing is to the pollination...and thereby receive the ag exemption.
Again, we got lucky apparently as I found the right beekeeper...that didn’t charge me for his services. I’m not exactly sure of the stipulations but I think the beekeeper just has to be registered with the county and certified by the Texas Apiary Inspection Service. My guy is president of the Northeast Texas Bee Association. He is the benefactor in terms of profits from the honey production. Our agreement is, he maintains at least 9 hives on my property and I receive a gallon of honey a year....and of course the ag exemption.
There are CAD requirements that are different by county. My property had a current history of agricultural use in hay production and so became immediately eligible to move to the beekeeping exemption. It’s my understanding that if the property is not kept current under an ag exempt, you will be required to build a 5 year history of ag use before it qualifies the 6th year.

I called my county tax office about getting bees for the ag exemption and they told me this.

[Drycreek3189]

I had my place (84 acres) under the timber exemption for twenty + years, but two years ago they disallowed anything under 10 acres in my county. It didn’t affect me, but my son’s place is only 7.5 acres right next to mine. I saw the handwriting on the wall and flipped mine to wildlife exemption. They give several choices of things to do but only require 3 or 4 to comply. I try to do all I can, (which I would do regardless), and I also put a folder together as the year progresses to document what I do. Receipts for seed, fertilizer, protein, mineral blocks, etc. as well as pictures of deer at my mineral station or protein feeder. I also include pics of food plots, my wood duck box, any coons or coyotes trapped, etc. Mine is always approved within a week and nobody has ever visited. If they do, that’s ok, because everything I’ve done is here for them to see. The reduction in taxes is well worth it, and really, I’m not doing anything that I wouldn’t normally do, just documenting it.

[Keith]

I just saw a free beekeeping class for beginners on book of faces group "Beekeeping for beginners". https://www.facebook.com/groups/7525...1358128583123/

It is through Penn State