HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Doucette, W. H. Articles by Whiteside, E. P. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Doucette, W. H., Jr. Articles by Whiteside, E. P. Agricola Articles by Doucette, W. H. Articles by Whiteside, E. P.

Computer-Assisted Farmland Appraisal Systems¹

ABSTRACT

A computer-assisted, farmland appraisal system (the Agvalue System) based on agricultural productive capacity was developed and analyzed. The heart of the Agvalue System is a computer-generated land value map (LVM). The appraiser interprets the LVM, using a transparent overlay that portrays pertinent information not contained in the LVM, e.g., property boundaries and roads.

Seven Agvalue System procedures were tested in a pilot study appraisal of 45 farmland parcels ranging in size from 4.32 to 40.0 ha (10.8 to 100.0 acres) in Alpine Township of Kent County, Mich. The Agvalue appraisal procedures tested consisted of seven different combinations of: (i) soil information sources (Series 1926, updated 1926, and 1973 soil maps), (ii) computed storage cell sizes (1 and 4 ha or 2.5 and 10.0 acres), and (iii) LVM interpretation methods (broken or full cell).

The pilot study showed that all seven Agvalue System procedure values were highly correlated to the state of the art manual appraisal values using 1973 soil maps. The Agvalue System procedure employing 1973 soils information, 1 ha (2.5 acres) cells, and broken cell LVM interpretations most closely duplicated the manual appraisal values, r = 0.994. Even the 1926 soils information and 4 ha (10 acres) cell size were also found to be highly correlated to the manual procedure, r = 0.960, but with greater variance than the most accurate procedures.

The Agvalue System essentially allows for the use of the Michigan State Tax Manual procedure en masse on all farms in a township at a cost of between $250 and $380 per year (1977 dollars) above 1977 expenditures. However, savings in appraiser's time more than offset these costs. Supplied with net income data, an Agvalue System can be used for an income approach to farmland appraisals.

¹ Michigan Agric. Exp. Stn. J. Article no. 9085.

² Former Graduate Assistant, Michigan State Univ., currently Extension Soils Specialist at North Carolina State Univ.; and Professor Emeritus, Michigan State Univ., East Lansing, MI 48824, respectively.

Received for publication July 16, 1979. Accepted for publication January 11, 1980.