# Will Clearing Land Affect Your Ag Valuation? > Clearing ag-valued land in Bell County: when clearing keeps agricultural use, when a homesite triggers a rollback tax, and what to ask the appraisal district. URL: https://arcadytemplelandclearing.com/guide/clearing-ag-land-and-property-taxes/ - [Home](https://arcadytemplelandclearing.com/) - [Services](https://arcadytemplelandclearing.com/#services) - [Service Areas](https://arcadytemplelandclearing.com/service-areas/) - [Guides](https://arcadytemplelandclearing.com/guide/) - [Free Tools](https://arcadytemplelandclearing.com/tools/) - [About](https://arcadytemplelandclearing.com/about/) - [Contact](https://arcadytemplelandclearing.com/contact/) Learn Clearing brush to improve grazing keeps land in agricultural use. Clearing it for a house can be a change of use. Here is the difference, and what to ask before you start. **Short answer:** clearing brush to improve grazing or farming is consistent with agricultural use and does not, by itself, cost you an ag valuation. Clearing land to build a house, a shop or another non-agricultural use can be a change of use, and Texas law then charges an additional “rollback” tax for the three previous years. Ask the Bell County Appraisal District before you start. [Arcady Temple Land Clearing](https://arcadytemplelandclearing.com/) clears pasture and acreage across Bell County, and the question of use comes up on almost every rural job, so it is worth settling first. Key takeaways - Brush management for grazing fits agricultural use. - A change of use can trigger a rollback tax for three prior years. - The appraisal district decides; ask first and keep records. ## What an ag valuation is Much of rural Bell County is appraised as open-space agricultural land, often called “ag exempt,” though it is a special valuation rather than an exemption. The land is taxed on its productive agricultural value rather than its market value, which is usually much lower. The valuation depends on the land being used for agriculture, such as grazing or crops, to the degree typical in the area. ## Clearing that keeps agricultural use Clearing brush to bring pasture back is ordinary ranch work. Removing mesquite and cedar so grass can grow, opening fence lines so they can be maintained, and clearing for stock tanks and pens all support agricultural use. [Pasture clearing](https://arcadytemplelandclearing.com/pasture-clearing/) covers the methods, and USDA NRCS cost-share programs for brush management exist for that kind of work, with eligibility set by the local NRCS office. ## Clearing that can change the use Clearing part of an ag-valued tract to build a house, a barndominium, a shop or a commercial site is different. The land under and around the new use is no longer in agriculture. Under Texas Tax Code section 23.55, when land appraised as open-space agricultural land changes use, an additional tax is imposed equal to the difference between the taxes paid and the taxes at market value for each of the three previous years it was appraised that way. How much land the change covers, whether the rest of the tract keeps its valuation, and when the change is counted are questions for the appraisal district, not for a clearing contractor. ## Why brush management is ranch work Mesquite and cedar compete with grass for the same water and light. A pasture that has thickened into brush carries fewer cattle, because there is less forage under the canopy and stock cannot reach what grows in the thickets. Clearing that brush and letting grass return restores the grazing the valuation is based on, which is why it fits agricultural use. The same logic explains the opposite case: clearing that ends in a slab, a yard or a parking area produces no forage at all. ## Questions to ask the appraisal district 1. Does the work I plan count as continued agricultural use? 2. If I build on part of the tract, how much land changes use, and does the rest keep its valuation? 3. When would a rollback be calculated, and roughly how much would it be? 4. What records should I keep to show continued agricultural use on the rest? Ask before clearing, not after, and keep the answer in writing. ## Records worth keeping - Dates and areas of clearing, with photos before and after. - Grazing leases, livestock numbers or crop records. - Receipts for brush management, fencing and pasture work. ## Burning and debris on ag land Outside city limits, state rules allow land owners to burn brush cleared from their own property unless the county has a burn ban in place. See [burning brush in Bell County](https://arcadytemplelandclearing.com/guide/burning-brush-in-bell-county/). Ash wood stays in the county under the emerald ash borer quarantine. ## Planning the work On ag land, the usual plan is to improve grazing first and decide on any homesite separately, so the two are not confused on paper. For mesquite pasture, the guide on [why mesquite comes back](https://arcadytemplelandclearing.com/guide/why-mesquite-comes-back/) explains grubbing depth, and [whether brush grows back](https://arcadytemplelandclearing.com/guide/will-brush-grow-back-after-clearing/) covers follow-up. The [Bell County rules guide](https://arcadytemplelandclearing.com/guide/land-clearing-rules-bell-county/) lists the other rules that can apply, and the [cost guide](https://arcadytemplelandclearing.com/guide/land-clearing-cost/) includes AgriLife’s farm and ranch rates for comparison. This guide is general information, not tax advice. For your tract, the appraisal district and a tax professional have the final word. For pasture clearing on ag land, call or send the details below. Questions ## Questions about this guide ### Does clearing brush cause me to lose an ag valuation? Not by itself. Clearing to improve grazing or crop use is consistent with agricultural use. A change of use, such as building a house on part of the land, is what can trigger a rollback. ### What is a rollback tax in Texas? Under Texas Tax Code section 23.55, when land appraised as open-space agricultural land changes use, an additional tax is due equal to the difference between the taxes paid and the taxes at market value for each of the three previous years. ### Who decides whether my use has changed? The Bell County Appraisal District. Ask before clearing, keep the answer in writing, and keep records of how the land is used. Service ## Related service - [**Pasture Clearing** Shredding, mulching or grubbing to bring grass back.](https://arcadytemplelandclearing.com/pasture-clearing/) Guides ## More guides - [Learn**Why Does Mesquite Grow Back After Shredding?** Mesquite keeps its growing buds just below the ground. Cut above them and it comes back with more stems. Here is how the bud zone works and how to get below it.](https://arcadytemplelandclearing.com/guide/why-mesquite-comes-back/) - [Learn**Will Brush Grow Back After Clearing?** Some of it will, and which part depends on what was growing and how it was cut. Here is what comes back, species by species, and why.](https://arcadytemplelandclearing.com/guide/will-brush-grow-back-after-clearing/) - [Learn**Can You Burn Brush in Bell County?** It depends on which side of a city line the brush is on. Here is the rule for Temple, Belton, Salado and the county, and what to do instead.](https://arcadytemplelandclearing.com/guide/burning-brush-in-bell-county/) - [Learn**What Rules Apply to Land Clearing in Bell County?** Cities, the county, the state and federal agencies each control part of a clearing job. Here is who regulates what, address by address, and what each rule changes on the ground.](https://arcadytemplelandclearing.com/guide/land-clearing-rules-bell-county/) - [Cost Guide**How Much Does Land Clearing Cost in Temple, TX?** Typical Central Texas ranges for mulching, clearing and grubbing, the local figures that sit inside a price, and why two quotes for the same acre can be thousands apart.](https://arcadytemplelandclearing.com/guide/land-clearing-cost/)