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Rural Preserve enrollment begins
Published 04:32 p.m., November 17, 2009
Residents have until May to decide if they’ll enroll their Green Acres property into a new program called Rural Preserve.
The Otter Tail County Assessor’s Office is sending more than 900 letters to residents notifying them of the program, according to Assessor Bob Moe.
Fact sheets about both programs are available on the Minnesota Department of Revenue’s Web site, www.taxes.state.mn.us.
Land that is used for productive agricultural purposes — class 2A land — can remain enrolled in Green Acres.
However, land that is considered nonproductive agriculture land, or class 2B land, can no longer be enrolled in the Green Acres program, effective in 2013, and can be enrolled in the new Rural Preserve program, Moe said.
Land that isn’t eligible for Green Acres and isn’t enrolled in the Rural Preserve program will be fully taxable or may be eligible for a different program, Moe said.
Moe noted that several more legislative sessions will occur before 2013 and information could change.
He outlined several other differences between the two programs for Otter Tail County commissioners Tuesday. The commissioners requested more information so they would be able to answer their constituents’ questions about the programs.
In Green Acres, the land must be 10 acres of productive land or a nursery or greenhouse, and also be primarily for the production and sale of agriculture products, according to Moe.
In Rural Preserve, the land must be 10 contiguous acres that are under a conservation plan. A conservation plan for the property must be approved by a Soil and Water Conservation District plan writer, according to Moe.
A conservation plan isn’t necessary in the Green Acres program, Moe said.
The conservation plan also plays a part in program costs. There’s a possibility of a charge for the plan in the Rural Preserve program, while there isn’t any cost to apply for the Green Acres program, Moe said.
Under Green Acres, the land must either be homestead or owned within the family for at least seven years. Land in the Rural Preserve program must either be homestead or enrolled in Green Acres, according to Moe.
While a covenant isn’t required under Green Acres, a covenant must be recorded with the Rural Preserve program. The covenant is for a minimum of 10 years and notice of cancellation must occur five years prior to cancellation, Moe said.
The covenant runs with the land and sale of the land doesn’t affect it, Moe said.
The potential benefit payback is the same in both programs — a maximum of the last three years in the program, Moe said.
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