Liberty County, TX — Ag Exemption Requirements (2026)
Liberty County sits in Southeast Texas along the Trinity River, between the Houston area and the Piney Woods. Its published guidelines cover cattle pasture, rice and row crops, hay, beekeeping, wildlife management, and timber; the clear native-versus-improved pasture rates and five-animal-unit floor are especially useful for small livestock operations.
Grazing Intensity Standards
| Pasture Type | Acres per Animal Unit | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| NATIVE | 7 acres / AU | ✓ Verified |
| IMPROVED | 3 acres / AU | ✓ Verified |
Beekeeping Intensity Standards
| Acreage Range | Base Hives | Extra Hives/Acre (above base) | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5–20 acres | 6 | 0.4 | ✓ Verified |
Animal Unit Equivalencies
An animal unit (AU) is a standardized measure used to compare livestock of different sizes. One AU = one 1,000-lb cow. Your total stocking rate is calculated in AUs, then multiplied by the acres-per-AU standard for your pasture type. These values are published by the county.
| Animal | Animal Units | Source |
|---|---|---|
| cow | 1 | County-published |
| brood mare | 1 | County-published |
| goat | 0.2 | County-published |
| sheep | 0.2 | County-published |
| hog | 0.2 | County-published |
Wildlife Management Option
Liberty County allows wildlife management as a qualifying use. Landowners must implement at least 3 of the seven recognized wildlife management practices defined by Texas Parks and Wildlife.
The land must have qualified for agricultural appraisal in the year before conversion, be at least 15 contiguous acres under common ownership, and have a wildlife management plan. The owner must perform three of the seven listed wildlife-management activities.
Required Documents
- Form 50-129, Application for 1-d-1 (Open-Space) Agricultural Use Appraisal
- Wildlife management plan, if applying for wildlife management
Discretionary Caveats
"Exceptions to this guide will be handled on a case-by-case basis."
"Variance in degrees of intensity will be considered on a case by case basis for persons 65 or older who live on the property."
"For qualification purposes, other land owned or leased may be combined to satisfy degree of intensity guidelines."
"These guidelines should be used as a general rule. There may be other circumstances or factors which merit consideration. These variances from the general rule will be handled on a case by case basis."
"Therefore, final discretion should be left to the Chief Appraiser."
"The minimum acreage varies by agricultural category; no universal minimum acreage is stated in the published document — confirm with CAD."
"Livestock pasture requires a minimum of 5 animal units."
Frequently Asked Questions — Liberty County
- Liberty CAD's native-pasture rate is 1 animal unit per 7 acres. 35 acres ÷ 7 acres per animal unit = 5 animal units, which also meets the district's five-animal-unit minimum.
- Improved pasture is rated at 1 animal unit per 3 acres, and the district requires at least 5 animal units. 5 animal units × 3 acres = 15 acres of improved pasture.
- The standard begins with 6 hives on the first 5 acres and adds 1 hive for each additional 2.5 acres. The additional 7.5 acres require 3 more hives, so 12.5 acres requires 9 hives.
- Yes, the published wildlife-management minimum is 15 contiguous acres under common ownership, but the tract must have qualified for agricultural appraisal the preceding year, have a wildlife management plan, and use at least 3 of the 7 listed practices.
Liberty County Appraisal District
- Phone
- 936-336-5722
- lramirez@libertycad.com
- Address
- P.O. Box 10016, Liberty, TX 77575-2916
- Website
- https://www.libertycad.com
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