Who qualifies for the Green Acres Program?

Owners who possess agricultural property that is devoted to the production for sale of agricultural products may qualify. The property must:

Additional Qualifying Characteristics

In addition to the preceding qualifications of size and classification, the property must also meet one of the following characteristics:

  • Be the homestead of the owner; or the owner’s surviving spouse, child, or sibling or be farmed in conjunction with the homestead property
  • Have been in the possession of the applicant, the applicant’s spouse, parent, or sibling for a period of at least seven years prior to application or be farmed in conjunction with property within four townships or cities from property that has been in possession of the owner, the owner’s spouse, parent or sibling for a period of at least seven years prior to application
  • Be in the possession of a nursery or greenhouse or an entity owned by a proprietor, partnership, or corporation which also owns the nursery or greenhouse operations on the parcel or parcels
  • Be the homestead of a shareholder in a family farm corporation or authorized farm entity under Minnesota Statute 500.24
  • Be the homestead of a member/shareholder of a poultry entity other than a limited liability entity in which the majority of the members, partners or shareholders are related and at least one of the members, partners or shareholders either resides on the land or actively farms the land
  • Be the homestead of an individual who is part of a corporation that derives 80% or more of its gross receipts from the wholesale or retail sale of horticulture or nursery stock

Single Ownership

All parcels being enrolled for the deferred tax must be under the same ownership.

Show All Answers

1. What is the Green Acres program?
2. Why do some counties administer the Green Acres Program?
3. Who qualifies for the Green Acres Program?
4. How will Green Acres benefit an agricultural property owner?
5. How does the Green Acres Program work?
6. What is the agricultural value of a property?
7. Can special local assessments be deferred under the program?
8. If a property no longer qualifies for Green Acres, how many years can the County Auditor-Treasurer go back to collect additional taxes on the deferment?
9. What if a property loses its eligibility prior to the expiration of the three-year period?
10. If a property has deferred special local assessments and loses its Green Acres eligibility, when does the deferment become due?
11. Are deferred taxes and special assessments considered a lien on the property?
12. What if only part of the property is sold or ceases to be used for agricultural purposes?
13. Does the tax deferment continue if the property is sold and used for agricultural purposes?
14. What if the property no longer qualifies for Green Acres because it loses its agricultural classification?
15. How do I qualify?
16. How do I apply?