NY S04797

Land of a farm operation in the process of being certified as organic by a USDA-accredited certification authority is exempt from real property taxation for up to three years.

The exempt land must be certified organic at the end of the three-year period and used in accordance with USDA National Organic Program standards for crops, livestock, and livestock products.

The exemption cannot exceed 50% of the total assessed value of the farm operation's agricultural land in any one year, or 50% of the assessed value eligible for agricultural assessment if the owner filed an annual application.

The exempted land must remain in agricultural production as part of the farm operation for each year the exemption is granted.

When land is located in a governor-declared disaster emergency area, the 50% acreage limitation may be exceeded, but only up to the acreage damaged or destroyed by the disaster in that year.