Bee Ag Exemption in Wood County, TX | Timber Creek Apiaries
Beekeeping for Your Texas Agricultural Exemption
Use honey bees to earn a 1-D-1 agricultural valuation on your Wood County land. Timber Creek Apiaries places, manages, and documents your hives. Free quote.
How honey bees qualify your land
If you own rural land in North Texas, honey bees may be one of the simplest and most affordable ways to earn an agricultural valuation — and cut your property tax bill dramatically. Timber Creek Apiaries places and manages the hives, keeps them healthy year-round, and documents everything your appraisal district needs. You own the land; we handle the bees.
Texas law (Property Tax Code §23.51) recognizes beekeeping as a qualifying agricultural use. Instead of taxing your land at market value, the county taxes it on its far lower agricultural productivity value — often cutting the taxable value by 90% or more.
To qualify with bees, your land must be:
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Between 5 and 20 acres of open (non-homestead) land. If you have a house on the property, the homestead usually takes about an acre — so plan on roughly 6 to 21 acres total.
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Actively managed with a county-required number of hives.
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In qualifying use for 5 of the previous 7 years — savings typically begin in Year 6. (If your land already has an ag valuation from cattle, hay, or another use, you can switch to bees right away and keep it — no waiting.)
Here's the part most landowners miss: the land qualifies, not you. You don't have to become a beekeeper. You can hire a professional service like Timber Creek to own and manage the colonies on your property, and your land still qualifies.
What it could save you
The savings come from the gap between your land's market value and its agricultural productivity value. On most rural Texas tracts that difference is large — it's common for landowners to save well 95% on taxes for qualifying land.The higher your land's market value, the bigger the savings.
Wood County Appraisal District (Wood CAD)
Mailing:
PO Box 1706, Quitman, TX 75783-1706
Office:
210 Clark St., Quitman, TX 75783-2442
Phone:
(903) 763-4891
Email:
Why landowners choose Timber Creek Apiaries
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Full-service, hands-off for you — we provide the bees, place the hives, and maintain them all season.
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We keep you compliant — proper hive counts, healthy colonies, and the documentation your appraisal district wants.
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Local and experienced — based in Greenville, caring for over 1,000 hives across 40+ North Texas counties.
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We replace losses — if a colony fails, we make it right, so your valuation stays protected.
How to get started
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Contact us for a free assessment of your property.
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We design your hive plan to meet your county's requirements for your acreage.
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We place and manage the bees, and provide your documentation.
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You file Form 50-129 with your county appraisal district before the May 1 deadline — we give you everything you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
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How many acres do I need for a bee ag exemption? - Between 5 and 20 acres of qualifying open land. If your property has a home on it, you'll generally need about an acre more to account for the homestead.
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How many hives will my land need? - It depends on your acreage and your county appraisal district's standard — commonly 6 hives for the first 5 acres, increasing with more land. We calculate the exact number for you.
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Do I have to sell honey to qualify? - No. You only have to produce a product with commercial value. You don't need to sell anything. We take care of everything with our commercial bee production and pollination
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Can I hire a beekeeper instead of doing it myself? - Yes. The valuation attaches to the land, not the owner, so a professional service can manage the colonies on your property and your land still qualifies.
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How much can I save? - Savings vary by property, but qualifying often lowers your taxable land value by 95% or more
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When do the tax savings start? - Usually in Year 6, after establishing 5 years of qualifying use — unless your land already carries an ag valuation, in which case you can switch to bees and keep it immediately.