Section 48-5-41.1. Exemption of qualified farm products and harvested agricultural products from taxation

   (a) As used in this Code section, the term:

   (1) "Family owned farm entity" means a family corporation, a family partnership, a family general partnership, a family limited partnership, a family limited corporation, or a family limited liability company all of the interest of which is owned by one or more natural or naturalized citizens related to each other within the fourth degree of civil reckoning. It shall include an estate of which the devisees or heirs are one or more natural or naturalized citizens related to each other within the fourth degree of civil reckoning. It shall include a trust of which the beneficiaries are one or more natural or naturalized citizens related to each other within the fourth degree of civil reckoning. Such family owned farm entity must have derived 80 percent or more of its gross income from bona fide agricultural uses within this state within the year immediately preceding the year in which the exemption provided by this Code section is sought.

   (2) "Family owned qualified farm products producer" means an individual or family owned farm entity primarily engaged in the direct cultivation of the soil, including soil removed from the land and placed in pots or containers, or operation of land for the production of qualified farm products. A family owned qualified farm products producer shall not include wholesalers, distributors, storage facility owners, manufacturers, processors, or other similar entities that primarily prepare qualified farm products for any intermediate or final market or that primarily operate to move or facilitate the movement of qualified farm products from a producer to any intermediate or final markets.

   (3) "Farm products" means only those farm products eligible to qualify for exemption from ad valorem taxation pursuant to the former provisions of paragraph (10) of subsection (a) of Code Section 48-5-41 as it existed prior to January 1, 1999.

   (4) "Harvested agricultural products" means only those harvested agricultural products eligible to qualify for exemption from ad valorem taxation pursuant to the former provisions of paragraph (10) of subsection (a) of Code Section 48-5-41 as it existed prior to January 1, 1999.

   (5) "Initial production" means:

      (A) When applied to a laying hen, a period beginning at the time the laying hen comes into production at age six months rather than a period beginning when the laying hen is hatched; or

      (B) When applied to a brood cow, a period of nine months from the time the brood cow is able to conceive at age 12 months rather than a period beginning when the brood cow is born.

   (6) "Producer" means any entity that produces farm products.

   (7) "Qualified farm products" means livestock; crops; fruit or nut bearing trees, bushes, or plants; annual and perennial plants; Christmas trees; and plants and trees grown in nurseries for transplantation elsewhere. Qualified farm products shall not include standing timber.

(b) The following property shall be exempt from all ad valorem property taxes in this state:

   (1) All farm products grown in this state and remaining in the hands of the producer during the one year beginning immediately after their initial production;

   (2) Harvested agricultural products which have a planting-to-harvest cycle of 12 months or less, which are customarily cured or aged for a period in excess of one year after harvesting and before manufacturing, and which are held in this state for manufacturing and processing purposes; and

   (3) All qualified farm products grown in this state:

      (A) Remaining in the hands of a family owned qualified farm products producer;

      (B) Still in their natural and unprocessed condition, unless processed solely for further use in the production of other qualified farm products; and

      (C) Not held for direct retail sale by someone other than the original family owned qualified farm products producer.

(c) Farm tractors, combines, and all other farm equipment other than motor vehicles, whether fixed or mobile, which are owned by or held under a lease purchase agreement and directly used in the production of agricultural products by family owned qualified farm products producers shall be exempt from all ad valorem property taxes in this state.

Code 1981, § 48-5-41.1, enacted by Ga. L. 1998, p. 1150, § 3; Ga. L. 1999, p. 81, § 48; Ga. L. 2000, p. 950, § 1; Ga. L. 2001, p. 887, § 1; Ga. L. 2005, p. 140, § 1/HB 203.