Farmland Assessments

General Farmland Guidelines:

  • No minimum acreage requirements
  • Acreage must be actively farmed for a minimum of 2 years:
    • A Tract of land used solely for the growing and harvesting of crops
    • For feeding, breeding and management of livestock or poultry, swine, sheep, beef cattle, ponies or horses, fur farming, bees, fish & wildlife farming (must be more than 1 or 2 animals)
    • For dairying or for any other agricultural or horticultural use of combination thereof.
  • Only the acreage used for farming will be assessed as farmland
  • In order to have a farmland classification on the entire property, 51% of the property must be actively farmed.
  • Additional information regarding the guidelines is available from the Illinois Department of Revenue in the Illinois real Property Appraisal Manual, pages 95-97.
Beekeeper Guidelines:
  • Beekeepers in Jo Daviess County may be eligible for a farmland assessment. It is important to note that all General Farmland Guidelines apply. Please review the attached document to learn about the requirements and access helpful links.
  • Beekeeper Guidelines & Resources packet
Other Available Programs (Preferential Assessments)
 
CONSERVATION EASEMENT
 
217.785.8284 or 217.785.8774
 
  • Filed with the IDNR (Illinois Department of Natural Resources)
  • A PTAX-337-R must be completed; this form will be returned to you by IDNR
  • Easement property is valued at 8 1/3% of market value
  • Once your Conservation Easement is recorded, the recorded document and a copy of the approved PTAX-337-R (with Part 3 & Part 4 completed) MUST be submitted to the Jo Daviess County Assessment Office – THIS IS THE OWNER'S RESPONSIBILITY.  
  • Reference INSTRUCTIONS on page 2 of the PTAX-337-R Application.  This form available at www.jodaviesscountyil.gov/assessmentforms under General Forms
  • A verified application from the IDNR requesting the valuation of registered land or conservation rights must be received by January 31st of the first year that the valuation is desired.
 
CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM (CSP)
 
217.785.8284 or 217.785.8774
 
FILED with the IDNR (Illinois Department of Natural Resources)
Valued at 5% of market value, must have 5 or more contiguous acres
Effective the following January 1 after approval
 
CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM (CRP)
 
Jo Daviess Farm Service Agency
815-858-3418
 
  • Once a program is approved, it is the owner's responsibility to deliver a copy of the paperwork to the Jo Daviess County Assessment Office to go into effect.
 
FORESTRY MANAGEMENT PLANS
 
Paul Bane (Mississippi Palisades SP)
815.273.2768
 
  • Program design through a Forester
  • Forester sends application to IDOR, IDOR sends approval to County
  • Valued as 1/6 of the value of cropland
  • Must have 10 or more contiguous acres
  • Effective the following January 1 after approval