COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Ohio Farm Bureau Federation is examining the complex formula used in calculating Current Agricultural Use Value.
Many landowners have raised concerns as values are rising at the same time crop prices are falling. The Ohio Farm Bureau’s goal is to provide solutions to those concerns while preserving the integrity and purpose of the program, OFBF Executive Vice President Jack Fisher said in an Oct. 15 news release.
“The CAUV program has worked very well over the past 40 years and is a program that must be preserved,” Fisher said. “While the recent increases in values have been anticipated, it doesn’t make them easier to stomach, especially at a time when crop prices are declining.”
The CAUV formula was discussed at OFBF’s state policy development committee meeting in September, and presentations were made by three other state farm bureaus on how their states’ agricultural property tax programs are conducted and calculated.
OFBF’s board of trustees plans to address CAUV during its October meeting.
In addition, Farm Bureau members are encouraged to provide additional data about their situations and suggestions for changes to the formula by completing an online CAUV survey at ofbf.org. The survey must be completed by Oct. 31.
The accumulated information will be used in the state policy development session in November to formulate proposals for consideration at OFBF’s annual meeting in December.
The OFBF has conducted more than 20 meetings and webinars statewide to help members understand the CAUV formula and the reasons for recent increases.
OFBF also conducted a CAUV educational session for members of the Ohio General Assembly and their staffs, met with various legislators individually, and sent a letter to all lawmakers making them aware of the organization’s research and seeking their input for possible improvements.
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I was told by the local farm bureau and county tax officials that the price of corn, soy bean, and wheat were a big factor in the cauv prices. This was when they went up three years ago now the corn, soy bean, and wheat prices are down and they still want more. How much is enough? Where is all the tax money going from the gas and oil bonus money and the product itself? The farm bureau back the increase back three years ago now why are they complaining? The way the cauv is calculated is unfair for the non crop growing farmers but it helps the big crop growers by averaging the crop productions with the high producing counties and the low producing counties. Also the state puts high averages on the non producing counties to bring the cauv up. What can we do?