Indiana Farmland Owners Brace for Higher Property Taxes in 2014

Feb 08, 2013

Agriculture economist says that base rate for assessed land value to increase

Indiana farmland owners should expect to pay higher property taxes in 2014 says Purdue Extension agricultural economist Larry DeBoer.

The expected increase in property taxes is due to the increase in the base rate for assessing land value. The base rate is the starting point for calculating taxes for farmland. It has increased from $1,630 per acre in 2012 to $1,760 for 2013; taxes assessed on this year’s base rate will be paid in 2014.

The trend of increased base rate has doubled in the past seven years; in 2007 it was only $880 per acre. In Indiana, farmland is assessed on the use value compared to the market value – it is based on the income that the land can generate, not the actual selling price.

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.