Poultry producers urged to attend Sept. 6 Town Hall regarding property taxes

The potential for Mississippi poultry farmers to face sharply higher ad 
valorem taxes will be the topic of an open-to-the-public forum and 
educational meeting set for 10:30 a.m., Friday, Sept. 6 at the 
Waynesboro City Auditorium on Benton Street.

The gathering seeks to spotlight the potential impacts created by 
updates to the state's oversight manual for tax assessors by the 
Mississippi Department of Revenue. 

For poultry houses, specifically, the new state-established guidelines 
set a square-foot value on the structure, not equipment, which could 
result in significant annual property tax increases for growers. 

Other concerns to be addressed at the meeting involve inflation in 
poultry house construction costs, a more than 10-year gap since the 
previous taxation manual update and depreciation values for existing 
poultry houses. 

This public session will bring together representatives -- including 
boards of supervisors; state senators and representatives; federal 
senators and representatives; statewide office holders; agricultural 
organizations; financial institutions and farmers -- to discuss how 
these concerns can be addressed in advance of and during the upcoming 
regular session of the Mississippi Legislature.

Those with interests in the poultry sector are especially invited to 
attend the gathering in Waynesboro.