Wood County, TX — Ag Exemption Requirements (2026)
Wood County lies in northeast Texas around Lake Fork, where pasture and hay ground, truck crops, orchards, and timber production are all recognized local agricultural uses. Wood CAD's current guideline gives a straightforward five-acre, one-animal-unit-per-five-acres benchmark for pasture or hay while also publishing thresholds for beekeeping, crops, timber, and wildlife management.
Grazing Intensity Standards
| Pasture Type | Acres per Animal Unit | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Pasture or Hay Production | 5 acres / AU | ✓ Verified |
Beekeeping Intensity Standards
| Acreage Range | Base Hives | Extra Hives/Acre (above base) | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5–20 acres | 6 | 0 | ✓ 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 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
Wood 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.
Land must have qualified for agriculture or timber for at least five of the preceding seven years and must actively use the land in three of seven listed practices. Wood CAD sets a 15-acre minimum and requires a written Wildlife Management Plan.
Required Documents
- Form 50-129, Application for 1-d-1 (Open-Space) Agricultural Use Appraisal
- Written Wildlife Management Plan, if applying for wildlife management
- Current written timber management plan, if applying for timber appraisal
Discretionary Caveats
"Wood CAD defines an animal unit as 1000 lbs. of animal weight but does not publish livestock-specific animal-unit equivalencies in its current guideline; statewide default values are used."
"The published beekeeping standard specifies a 5-to-20-acre range and a minimum of 6 colonies, but no additional-colony formula or acreage bands."
"Orchard and vineyard planting-density standards are published, but the county-data schema has no field for trees or plants per acre."
Frequently Asked Questions — Wood County
- Wood CAD requires one animal unit per 5 acres. At 25 acres, 25 ÷ 5 = 5 animal units.
- The district designates 5 to 20 acres for beekeeping and requires a minimum of 6 colonies. Its current guideline does not state an increasing colony count within that acreage range.
- Fifteen acres meets Wood CAD's published wildlife minimum. The land must also have qualified for agriculture or timber for 5 of the preceding 7 years, use at least 3 of the 7 listed practices, and have a written Wildlife Management Plan.
- Wood CAD sets a 5-acre minimum for truck crops. Watermelons and sweet potatoes have a separate 10-acre minimum.
Wood County Appraisal District
- Phone
- 903-763-4891
- tracyn@woodcad.org
- Address
- P.O. Box 1706, Quitman, TX 75783-1706
- Website
- https://www.woodcad.net
Nearby Counties
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