Changes are coming in 2020 to the Current Agricultural Use Value program. Changes to CAUV will mean tax breaks for farmland in conservation, according to Ross County Auditor Tom Spetnagel, Jr.
“Beginning with this year’s CAUV application, landowners are asked to itemize acres by land use. Farmland owners enrolled in a federal program such as CRP should include a copy of their contract with the CAUV application and a map showing the conservation areas.
FSA Ross County Executive Director, Chelsea Bingham says the Farm Service Agency is helping farmers get copies of lost documents. “We only share contract information with our clients, so producers need to contact us to get the documentation they’ll need to take to the auditor.” Binham also added...“Producers should call before visiting so we can find the right documents and have copies ready. We can also email the files.”
Both the auditor and the FSA are fielding questions as the March 5th CAUV deadline approaches.
Meanwhile, the Ross Soil and Water Conservation District is welcoming the CAUV changes. District Administrator Bob Neal hopes the tax breaks will bring more land into conservation to prevent erosion and protect water quality.