How many acres do you need for ag valuation in Texas? (by county)
Short answer: Texas law does not set a statewide minimum acreage for hay, grazing or crops. Each county appraisal district sets its own degree-of-intensity standard, and many publish a typical minimum, such as 10 acres in Grayson County or 9 contiguous acres in Kaufman County. Beekeeping is the exception: state law allows it on 5 to 20 acres.
Published minimums in the counties we serve
The table below quotes only what each appraisal district has published. Where we could not find a published number, it says so. Guidelines change, and districts decide case by case, so confirm with your district before you rely on any figure.
| County | Published guideline | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Bastrop | Grazing: 5 animal units, 15 acres improved or 25 acres native pasture. Hay: 10 acres (improved, hay grazer or Johnson grass). | Bastrop CAD Ag Manual |
| Bell | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Tax Appraisal District of Bell County |
| Blanco | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Blanco County Appraisal District |
| Bosque | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Bosque Central Appraisal District |
| Brazos | Livestock: at least 15 acres. Hay: at least 8 acres. Neither counts a 1 acre homesite. | Brazos CAD 2026 guidelines |
| Burnet | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Burnet Central Appraisal District |
| Caldwell | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Caldwell County Appraisal District |
| Collin | Grazing: 2 animal units, recommended 6 to 10 acres improved or 8 to 12 acres native. Hay: 5 acres. | Collin CAD ag guidelines |
| Cooke | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Cooke County appraisal district |
| Coryell | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Coryell Central Appraisal District |
| Denton | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Denton County appraisal district |
| Ellis | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Ellis County appraisal district |
| Erath | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Erath County Appraisal District |
| Falls | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Falls County Central Appraisal District |
| Fannin | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Fannin County appraisal district |
| Fayette | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Fayette County Appraisal District |
| Grayson | At least 10 acres for agricultural valuation, adopted by the Grayson County Agricultural Advisory Board, plus evidence of use. | Grayson CAD guidelines |
| Hays | Grazing: 3 animal units, recommended 15 acres of improved pasture, 36 acres of good native pasture or 54 acres of fair native pasture. | Hays CAD 2025 guidelines |
| Hill | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Hill County Appraisal District |
| Hood | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Hood Central Appraisal District |
| Hunt | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Hunt County appraisal district |
| Johnson | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Central Appraisal District of Johnson County |
| Kaufman | Grazing, hay and crops: a minimum of 9 contiguous acres owned or leased and devoted to the use. | Kaufman CAD ag guidelines |
| Lampasas | Beef cattle and sheep: 20 acres minimum, per the district's 2026 1-d-1 presentation. | Lampasas CAD 1-d-1 presentation |
| Lee | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Lee Central Appraisal District |
| Llano | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Llano Central Appraisal District |
| McLennan | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | McLennan County appraisal district |
| Milam | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Milam County appraisal district |
| Navarro | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Navarro Central Appraisal District |
| Parker | Grazing: 5 acres of improved (seeded or planted) pasture, or 10 acres of native pasture. | Parker CAD ag department |
| Robertson | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Robertson Central Appraisal District |
| Rockwall | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Rockwall County appraisal district |
| Somervell | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Somervell County appraisal district |
| Travis | Grazing: 4 animal units, which TCAD says generally means about 12 acres east of IH-35 and 20 acres west. The same 12 and 20 acre guideline applies to hay and dryland or irrigated farming. | TCAD FAQ |
| Williamson | Grazing east of IH-35: 8 acres improved pasture or 10 acres native. West of IH-35: 16 acres improved or 18 acres native. | WCAD Ag Manual 2026 |
| Wise | We did not find a published minimum. Check with your appraisal district. | Wise County Appraisal District |
Why the numbers differ
Districts set standards from local soils, rainfall and typical practice. Several split the county along IH-35, because land to the west usually carries fewer animals per acre. Most measure grazing in animal units (about 1,000 pounds of livestock) and count the acres needed to carry the minimum number.
Small tract options
- Beekeeping on 5 to 20 acres. See our beekeeping guide.
- Leasing with a neighbor. Some districts, such as Kaufman, count contiguous acres owned or leased together. Brazos says it does not combine neighboring properties. Ask yours.
- Hay often has a lower published minimum than grazing, as in Brazos (8 acres) and Collin (5 acres).
Ready to put your land to work? Tell us about your land. Farm, ranch or keep bees? List free as a producer. Or browse the counties we serve.
Questions
Is there a statewide minimum acreage for ag valuation in Texas?
No, except for beekeeping, which state law limits to 5 to 20 acres. Each appraisal district sets its own standards.
Does my homesite count toward the minimum?
Usually not. Brazos CAD, for example, excludes a 1 acre homesite. Check your district's guidelines.
What if my county isn't listed with a number?
We did not find a published minimum for it. Check with your appraisal district, which decides whether land qualifies.
Get matched
Tell us about your land or your operation. We review every submission by hand and introduce landowners to producers who work their county and fit their acreage, access and the uses they're open to.
I own land I farm, ranch or keep bees
Producers list free. Landowners pay a placement fee based on acreage: $149 up to 20 acres, $249 for 21 to 100 acres, and $499 over 100 acres, the same for every use. A $49 deposit opens your placement, and the remainder is due only when you sign a lease.
Sources: each appraisal district document linked in the table; Texas Tax Code Section 23.51; Texas Comptroller: Agricultural Appraisal. General information, not tax or legal advice.
More: all guides · counties we serve