My California agricultural equipment appraisals almost always involve sorting the fleet into three distinct categories: general-purpose machinery, crop-specific specialty equipment, and newer AI-enabled systems. I start the sorting process when we receive the asset list and refine it during the inspection process. The first asset group is general-purpose agricultural equipment — the backbone of most…Read More
Valuing Walnut Processing Equipment in a Down Market
I’ve appraised a number of walnut processing faculties in the past few years, some for California Section 2000 shareholder disputes, others for IRS gift and estate tax, and one outcome has been consistent: the value of walnut processing equipment is not what it was. These current low values are mostly due to two intertwined factors:…Read More
State Board of Equalization Equipment Appraisal Presentation
At the State Board of Equalization meeting Friday, December 6, 2019, I served as one of five panelists for a discussion of Assessment of Personal Property & Fixtures: Ensuring Accurate & Consistent Valuations & Application Methods. The other equipment appraiser on the panel was my colleague Garret Schwartz. Panelists affiliated with the assessor’s office were…Read More