A lawsuit filed against the Angelina County Appraisal District by Pilgrim's Pride could set a legal precedent, according to the chief appraiser.

The suit was filed over this year's appraised value of the Pilgrim's Pride Lufkin location, including company property and inventory such as chickens, Angelina County Chief Appraiser Jerry Hogg said.

"They are attempting to get an agricultural exemption on their inventory and other equipment on the commercial property — several million dollars' worth," Hogg said. "If they get it, to my knowledge that would be a legal first.

"Their argument for warranting an ag exemption is that although the chickens aren't at the plant while being raised, the company owns them — purchased with the intention of sending them to a farmer to raise," he continued. "They say they're in possession of the chickens until the finished product hits the shelves."

A Pilgrim's Pride spokesman said the company will not comment on the case as it is a pending legal action.

Hogg said that since this is a new case, it will take a while for litigation to start and that the district is working on an action plan for the lawsuit.

A three-year, ongoing suit against the district filed by Consolidated Communications over property value is expected to be settled this year, according to Hogg. The company also sued the Montgomery County Appraisal District at the same the Angelina County suit was issued. That suit was settled last year.

The district has $50,000 budgeted yearly for litigation. Whatever money is left over at the end of the year goes back into the general fund, Hogg said.