Subd. 1. Citation.

This section may be cited as the "Minnesota Agricultural Property Tax Law."

Subd. 2. Public policy.

The present general system of ad valorem property taxation in the state of Minnesota does not provide an equitable basis for the taxation of certain agricultural real property and has resulted in inadequate taxes on some lands and excessive taxes on others. Therefore, it is hereby declared to be the public policy of this state that the public interest would best be served by equalizing tax burdens upon agricultural property within this state through appropriate taxing measures.

Subd. 3. Requirements.

1. (a) Real estate consisting of ten acres or more or a nursery or greenhouse, and qualifying for classification as class 1b, 2a, or 2b under section 273.13, subdivision 23, paragraph (d), shall be entitled to valuation and tax deferment under this section only if it is primarily devoted to agricultural use, and meets the qualifications in subdivision 6, and either:

   1. (1) is the homestead of the owner, or of a surviving spouse, child, or sibling of the owner or is real estate which is farmed with the real estate which contains the homestead property; or
   2. (2) has been in possession of the applicant, the applicant's spouse, parent, or sibling, or any combination thereof, for a period of at least seven years prior to application for benefits under the provisions of this section, or is real estate which is farmed with the real estate which qualifies under this clause and is within four townships or cities or combination thereof from the qualifying real estate; or
   3. (3) is the homestead of a shareholder in a family farm corporation as defined in section 500.24, notwithstanding the fact that legal title to the real estate may be held in the name of the family farm corporation; or
   4. (4) is 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.

2. (b) Valuation of real estate under this section is limited to parcels the ownership of which is in noncorporate entities except for:

   1. (1) family farm corporations organized pursuant to section 500.24; and

   2. (2) corporations that derive 80 percent or more of their gross receipts from the wholesale or retail sale of horticultural or nursery stock.

      Corporate entities who previously qualified for tax deferment pursuant to this section and who continue to otherwise qualify under subdivisions 3 and 6 for a period of at least three years following the effective date of Laws 1983, chapter 222, section 8, will not be required to make payment of the previously deferred taxes, notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision 9. Special assessments are payable at the end of the three-year period or at time of sale, whichever comes first.

3. (c) Land that previously qualified for tax deferment under this section and no longer qualifies because it is not primarily used for agricultural purposes but would otherwise qualify under subdivisions 3 and 6 for a period of at least three years will not be required to make payment of the previously deferred taxes, notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision 9. Sale of the land prior to the expiration of the three-year period requires payment of deferred taxes as follows: sale in the year the land no longer qualifies requires payment of the current year's deferred taxes plus payment of deferred taxes for the two prior years; sale during the second year the land no longer qualifies requires payment of the current year's deferred taxes plus payment of the deferred taxes for the prior year; and sale during the third year the land no longer qualifies requires payment of the current year's deferred taxes. Deferred taxes shall be paid even if the land qualifies pursuant to subdivision 11a. When such property is sold or no longer qualifies under this paragraph, or at the end of the three-year period, whichever comes first, all deferred special assessments plus interest are payable in equal installments spread over the time remaining until the last maturity date of the bonds issued to finance the improvement for which the assessments were levied. If the bonds have matured, the deferred special assessments plus interest are payable within 90 days. The provisions of section 429.061, subdivision 2, apply to the collection of these installments. Penalties are not imposed on any such special assessments if timely paid.

Subd. 4. Determination of value.

The value of any real estate described in subdivision 3 shall upon timely application by the owner, in the manner provided in subdivision 8, be determined solely with reference to its appropriate agricultural classification and value notwithstanding sections 272.03, subdivision 8, and 273.11. In determining the value for ad valorem tax purposes, the assessor shall use sales data for agricultural lands located outside the seven metropolitan counties having similar soil types, number of degree days, and other similar agricultural characteristics. Furthermore, the assessor shall not consider any added values resulting from nonagricultural factors.

Subd. 5. Separate determination of market value and tax.

The assessor shall, however, make a separate determination of the market value of such real estate. The tax based upon the appropriate local tax rate applicable to such property in the taxing district shall be recorded on the property assessment records.

Subd. 6. Agricultural use.

Real property qualifying under subdivision 3 shall be considered to be in agricultural use provided that annually:

1. (1) at least 33-1/3 percent of the total family income of the owner is derived therefrom, or the total production income including rental from the property is $300 plus $10 per tillable acre; and

2. (2) it is devoted to the production for sale of agricultural products as defined in section 273.13, subdivision 23, paragraph (e).

   Slough, wasteland, and woodland contiguous to or surrounded by land that is entitled to valuation and tax deferment under this section is considered to be in agricultural use if under the same ownership and management.

Subd. 7.

Repealed, 1969 c 1039 s 10

Subd. 8. Application.

Application for deferment of taxes and assessment under this section shall be filed by May 1 of the year prior to the year in which the taxes are payable. Any application filed hereunder and granted shall continue in effect for subsequent years until the property no longer qualifies. Such application shall be filed with the assessor of the taxing district in which the real property is located on such form as may be prescribed by the commissioner of revenue. The assessor may require proof by affidavit or otherwise that the property qualifies under subdivisions 3 and 6.

Subd. 8a.

Repealed, 1984 c 593 s 46

Subd. 9. Additional taxes.

When real property which is being, or has been valued and assessed under this section no longer qualifies under subdivisions 3 and 6, the portion no longer qualifying shall be subject to additional taxes, in the amount equal to the difference between the taxes determined in accordance with subdivision 4, and the amount determined under subdivision 5, provided, however, that the amount determined under subdivision 5 shall not be greater than it would have been had the actual bona fide sale price of the real property at an arm's-length transaction been used in lieu of the market value determined under subdivision 5. Such additional taxes shall be extended against the property on the tax list for the current year, provided, however, that no interest or penalties shall be levied on such additional taxes if timely paid, and provided further, that such additional taxes shall only be levied with respect to the last three years that the said property has been valued and assessed under this section.

Subd. 10. Lien.

The tax imposed by this section shall be a lien upon the property assessed to the same extent and for the same duration as other taxes imposed upon property within this state. The tax shall be annually extended by the county auditor and if and when payable shall be collected and distributed in the manner provided by law for the collection and distribution of other property taxes.

Subd. 11. Special local assessments.

The payment of special local assessments levied after June 1, 1967, for improvements made to any real property described in subdivision 3 together with the interest thereon shall, on timely application as provided in subdivision 8, be deferred as long as such property meets the conditions contained in subdivisions 3 and 6 or is transferred to an agricultural preserve under sections 473H.02 to 473H.17. If special assessments against the property have been deferred pursuant to this subdivision, the governmental unit shall file with the county recorder in the county in which the property is located a certificate containing the legal description of the affected property and of the amount deferred. When such property no longer qualifies under subdivisions 3 and 6, all deferred special assessments plus interest shall be payable in equal installments spread over the time remaining until the last maturity date of the bonds issued to finance the improvement for which the assessments were levied. If the bonds have matured, the deferred special assessments plus interest shall be payable within 90 days. The provisions of section 429.061, subdivision 2, apply to the collection of these installments. Penalty shall not be levied on any such special assessments if timely paid.

Subd. 11a. Continuation of tax treatment upon sale.

When real property qualifying under subdivisions 3 and 6 is sold, no additional taxes or deferred special assessments plus interest shall be extended against the property provided the property continues to qualify pursuant to subdivisions 3 and 6, and provided the new owner files an application for continued deferment within 30 days after the sale.

For purposes of meeting the income requirements of subdivision 6, the property purchased shall be considered in conjunction with other qualifying property owned by the purchaser.

Subd. 12. Statutory construction.

This section shall be broadly construed to achieve its purpose. The invalidity of any provision shall be deemed not to affect the validity of other provisions.

Subd. 13. General applicability.

This section shall apply to assessments for tax purposes made in 1968 and thereafter.

Subd. 14. Applicability of special assessment provisions.

This section shall apply to special local assessments levied after July 1, 1967, and payable in the years thereafter, but shall not apply to any special assessments levied at any time by a county or district court under the provisions of chapter 116A.

Subd. 15. Dissected parcels; continued deferment.

Real estate consisting of more than ten, but less than 15, acres which has:

1. (1) been owned by the applicant or the applicant's parents for at least 70 years;
2. (2) been dissected by two or more major parkways or interstate highways; and

3. (3) qualified for the agricultural valuation and tax deferment under this section through assessment year 1996, taxes payable in 1997,

   shall continue to qualify for treatment under this section until the applicant's death or transfer or sale by the applicant of the applicant's interest in the real estate. When the property ceases to qualify for treatment under this section, the recapture provisions of subdivision 9 will apply with respect to the last ten years that the property has been valued and assessed under this section.