The value of Ward County farmland is up about 1.4% this year.

Tax Director Ryan Kamrowski presented the Ward County Commission Tuesday with the latest land certification information from the North Dakota Tax Department, which shows the average value is $597 an acre, up $8.23 from the previous year. The commission voted to continue with past practice and approve a tax value that is 94% of the certified value. This falls within the tolerance allowed by state law and brings the tax value average to $561 an acre.

The commission also considered two other recommendations of the Ward County Soils Committee.

One change would reduce the tax value of acreage after five years if it is used for a lower valued purpose, such as turning cropland into pasture. Currently, a valuation change can’t occur for 20 years. Commissioners discussed whether the valuation adjustment should occur in the first year, but they opted to follow the committee’s recommendation. Commissioner John Pietsch explained land use can vary over a short period of years, depending on the crop rotation system, which is why the committee recommended the five years.

The commission also adopted the committee’s recommendation to remove the two-acre maximum for farmyards. Under current policy, the portion of a farmstead larger than two acres could end up taxed at cropland value, even though it never is cropped. The change provides for farmstead size to be determined based on an actual survey.