What is the minimum cropland acreage Marion CAD publishes?

Marion CAD's chart sets cropland at 10 acres. A 9-acre cropland tract is 1 acre below that published minimum, while a 10-acre tract meets the acreage threshold.

How much pasture acreage does Marion CAD require?

The published chart sets both improved pasture and native pasture at 10 acres. Therefore, 10 acres is the stated minimum for either pasture category; the chart does not state an acres-per-animal-unit stocking rate.

Can a 5-acre Marion County tract qualify for beekeeping?

Marion CAD's chart lists Bee Keeping at 5 acres, so a 5-acre tract meets its published acreage minimum. The CAD does not publish a hive-count or per-acre colony formula in the available document, so confirm the required hive count before applying.

How many wildlife-management practices must be listed on a Marion County application?

The official application requires at least 3 practices from the 7 listed wildlife-management practices. Listing 3 practices reaches the stated minimum; listing only 2 is 1 practice short.

Marion County, TX — Ag Exemption Requirements (2026)

Last verified 2026-07-13 · Source: Marion Central Appraisal District official guidelines

Marion County is in the Piney Woods of Northeast Texas, centered on Jefferson near the Louisiana border, where rural land is commonly used for pasture, crops, beekeeping, and timber. Marion CAD's published chart is particularly useful for small tracts because it gives category-specific acreage floors: 10 acres for both improved and native pasture or cropland, and 5 acres for beekeeping and timber production.

Min. Acreage

5 ac

History Requirement

Land must have been devoted principally to agricultural use for five of the preceding seven years.

Application Window

January 1 – April 30

CAD Phone

903-665-2519

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 are statewide default values — confirm with your CAD.

Animal	Animal Units	Source
cow	1	Statewide default
cow calf	1	Statewide default
horse	1	Statewide default
sheep	0.2	Statewide default
goat	0.17	Statewide default
deer	0.2	Statewide default
turkey	0.018	Statewide default
chicken	0.01	Statewide default

Wildlife Management Option

Marion 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 official application requires the owner to list at least three wildlife-management practices and attach a wildlife management plan using the appropriate Texas Parks and Wildlife Department form. The land must have been part of a larger tract qualified for 1-d-1 or timberland appraisal on Jan. 1 of the previous year; an annual-report requirement is not addressed in the published materials.