qualifications

J. Scott Crosby

EDUCATION:

UNIVERSITY OF UTAH, Salt Lake City, UT. Graduated with an MBA Degree. 

BRIGHAM YOUNG UNIVERSITY-IDAHO, Rexburg, Idaho. Graduated with a B.A. Degree in Agricultural Business, Minored in Economics.   

DESIGNATIONS:

MONTANA CERTIFIED GENERAL REAL ESTATE APPRAISER, Certificate #8183 

WYOMING CERTIFIED GENERAL REAL ESTATE APPRAISER, Certificate #1512

NORTH DAKOTA CERTIFIED GENERAL REAL ESTATE APPRAISER, Certificate #21769

SOUTH DAKOTA CERTIFIED GENERAL REAL ESTATE APPRAISER, Certificate #1659

IDAHO CERTIFIED GENERAL REAL ESTATE APPRAISER, Certificate #4314  

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES:

American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, Montana Chapter: Accredited Member American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, Wyoming Chapter: Accredited Member  

EXPERIENCE: 

1994 to 2016: Crosby Farms, Cowley, Wyoming.

Farming work included managing the production of sugar beets, malt barley, corn and alfalfa while assisting in beef production.     

2007 to 2015: Custom Ag Solutions, Cowley, Wyoming.

Consulting work includes work for the United States Department of Agriculture in the area of risk management in 40 states. Specifically, I delivered training to farmers and ranchers in the operation, benefits, and limitations of Federal Crop Insurance Programs. I also delivered information about risk management plans and strategies, the features and best uses of available crop insurance programs and other risk management tools.

2013 to Present: Wicks & Associates, LLC, Billings, Montana. 

I am partnered with Wicks & Associates out of Billings, Montana to provide appraisal services throughout Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Idaho. In addition to our appraisal services, we provide consulting in the areas of farm and ranch management, and agricultural economics.  Appraisal assignments include appraising the value of partial interests in property, conservation easement appraisals, estate, lender appraisals, and valuation and partition analysis for agricultural properties and machinery and equipment, as well as income projection analyses. 

SUMMARY OF KINDS OF WORK COMPLETED: 

I have completed over 1,200 real estate appraisals as of 2024 with a total of over 1,500,000+/- acres. These appraisals included Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) and Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions (Yellow Book) appraisals. These appraisals include agricultural, commercial and subdivision analysis and conservation easements.  There are some personal property (machinery, equipment, vehicles, livestock) valuations included in the total number of appraisals completed. I am also a qualified expert witness in the areas of land valuation and earning capacities of real estate and specialize in appraising rural and recreational/"trophy" properties. I am also a qualified expert witness and have completed damage calculations in lawsuits related to agricultural and real estate damage claims.

LIST OF REAL APPRAISAL COURSES COMPLETED:        

Basic Appraisal Principles Basic Appraisal Procedures National Uniform Standards and Professional Appraisal Practices Commercial Appraisal Review Expert Witness for Commercial Appraisers General Appraiser Market Analysis Highest and Best Use General Appraiser Sales Comparison Approach General Appraiser Site Valuation and Cost Approach General Appraiser Income Approach

General Appraiser Report Writing & Case Studies

Statistics, Modeling and Finance ASFMRA Ethics DNRC Water Rights Education Update of Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice 2020-2021 Valuation of Conservation Easements and Partial Interests

National Certified General Appraiser Examination

The Valuation of Intangible and Non-Financial Assets

Income Approach Applications

Eminent Domain

Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions (Yellow Book)

Report Writing

Valuing Rural America: The Complexities of Data Analysis in a Low Volume, Non-Uniform World

Mapping Software and Data for Rural Land Appraisal

Legal Perspective of Heirs Property Partition Action

Back to Earth: Current State of Section 1031 Exchanges

Advanced Rural Case Studies  

TYPICAL CLIENTS APPRAISAL WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED FOR: 

1. Various private farms, ranch and commercial property owners located in Montana, Wyoming, and North Dakota including sole proprietors, partnerships and corporations. Properties ranged in size from a few acres to 100,000+ acres.

2. Government Agencies including the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, United States Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Bureau of Indian Affairs, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Farm Service Agency in Montana, Wyoming and North Dakota. 

3. Various private institutions such as banks located in Montana and Wyoming, Farm Credit Services, private trust organizations, Westmoreland Coal Company, Spring Creek Coal Company, Montana Land Reliance, Western River Conservancy and Land Trust Organizations.

EDUCATION: 

UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY, Logan, UT. Graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Statistics, Minor in Sociology.

DESIGNATIONS:

MONTANA CERTIFIED GENERAL REAL ESTATE APPRAISER, Certificate #13693

WYOMING CERTIFIED GENERAL REAL ESTATE APPRAISER, Certificate #1995 

EXPERIENCE:

2012 to 2014: Northwest College, Powell, Wyoming.

Taught mathematics and statistics at Northwest College.

2018 to Present: Wicks & Associates, LLC, Billings, Montana

I am partnered with Wicks & Associates out of Billings, Montana to provide appraisal services throughout Montana and Wyoming. In addition to our appraisal services, we provide consulting in the areas of farm and ranch management, and agricultural economics.  Appraisal assignments include appraising the value of partial interests in property, conservation easement appraisals, estate, lender appraisals, and valuation and partition analysis for agricultural properties and machinery and equipment, as well as income projection analyses. 

2012 to Present: Crosby Analytics, Cowley Wyoming

Co-founded Crosby Analytics in 2012. Handle all day-to-day operations of the company since its' conception including (but not limited to) completing all registrations/certifications required to compete for federal contracts, grants, etc., all accounting/bookwork, marketing and advertising. 

Currently self-employed and doing work in the areas of real estate appraisals, data analyses, financial and statistical consulting. Focus on real estate appraisals with an agricultural/recreational influence.

Appraisal assignments include appraising the value of properties for, estates, lender appraisals, attorneys, accountants, Farm Credit Services, and machinery and equipment.   

SUMMARY OF KINDS OF WORK COMPLETED:

I have completed over 350 real estate appraisals as of 2024 with a total of over 500,000+/- acres. These appraisals included Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP). These appraisals include agricultural, commercial and subdivision analysis and conservation easements.  There are some personal property (machinery, equipment, vehicles, livestock) valuations included in the total number of appraisals completed.

LIST OF REAL APPRAISAL COURSES COMPLETED:  

Basic Appraisal Principles

Basic Appraisal Procedures

National Uniform Standards and Professional Appraisal Practices

General Appraiser Market Analysis Highest and Best Use

General Appraiser Sales Comparison Approach

General Appraiser Site Valuation and Cost Approach

General Appraiser Income Approach

General Appraiser Report Writing & Case Studies

Statistics, Modeling and Finance

Conservation Easement

Introduction to Expert Witness Testimony for Appraisers

Divorce and Estate Appraisals: Elements of Non-Lender Work

Commercial Appraisal Review

Expert Witness for Commercial Appraisers

TYPICAL CLIENTS APPRAISAL WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED FOR: 

1. Various private farms, ranch and commercial property owners located in Montana and Wyoming including sole proprietors, partnerships and corporations. Properties ranged in size from a few acres to 50,000+ acres.

2. Government Agencies including the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, Montana Department of Fish and Wildlife, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the Farm Service Agency in Montana and Wyoming. 

3. Various private institutions such as banks located in Montana and Wyoming, Farm Credit Services, private trust organizations, Montana Land Reliance, and Land Trust Organizations.

In Memoriam of John E. Wicks 

August 29, 1938 - December 30, 2023

EDUCATION:

MONTANA STATE UNIVERSITY, Bozeman, Montana.   Graduated with an M. S. Degree in agricultural Economics.                                

COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY, Fort Collins, Colorado.  Graduated with a B. S. Degree in Dairy Science.                                                                    

Numerous seminars and schools on the subjects of appraising and farm and ranch management. A partial list is shown at the end of this document.  

DESIGNATIONS: 

MONTANA CERTIFIED GENERAL REAL ESTATE APPRAISER, Certificate #5 

WYOMING CERTIFIED GENERAL REAL ESTATE APPRAISER, Permit #89, Certificate #93

MONTANA REAL ESTATE BROKER, License #4439  

PUBLICATIONS:   

MANAGEMENT ALTERNATIVES OF A COW-CALF RANCH,  Roger Brownson and John E. Wicks; Montana State University, Bulletin 1090, September 1971. ECONOMICS OF SPRINKLER IRRIGATION, John E. Wicks; Montana State University, April 1972. INTERPRETING ECONOMIC, FEED AND LIVESTOCK OUTLOOK INFORMATION FOR THE COW-CALF RANCH MANAGER, John E. Wicks; Montana State University, August 1971. COST OF PRODUCING A CALF, Limousine Journal, John E. Wicks; 1979. FARM AND RANCH MANAGEMENT MANUAL, American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, Co-Author, John E. Wicks, 1980.  

EXPERIENCE: 

1963 to 1973:  Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana.

I was a County Extension Agent for seven years and then Extension Economist for three years, specializing in farm and ranch management education.  

1973 to 1979:  Western Agri Services, Billings, Montana.

I originated this firm and owned it until I sold the firm to Doane-Western in 1979.  During this time period I was doing land appraisals, farm and ranch management and economic consulting work.  

1979 to 1981:  Doane-Western, Inc., Billings, Montana and Fort Collins, Colorado.

During this time period, as manager of the Fort Collins office and then the Billings, Montana office, I was involved in corresponding long-term loans for Aetna and Mutual of New York Insurance Companies in Montana, Wyoming, North and South Dakota and Colorado.  This included doing the appraisal work for these companies.  In addition, I did fee appraisals, farm and ranch management and consulting work.  

1981 to 2023: Wicks & Associates, LLC (Formally Wicks Agri Services), Billings, Montana. 

Self-employed working as a real estate appraiser, as well as farm and ranch management, agricultural economics and financial consulting. Appraisal assignments include appraising the value of partial interests in property, valuation of corporation stock for farm and ranch corporations, business valuation of agricultural related businesses, conservation easement appraisals, estate, lender appraisals, and valuation and partition analysis for agricultural properties.  Completed management plans for dry and irrigated farms and ranches for owners and potential owners of agricultural land. I have calculated and testified as to economic damages in various types of litigation related to agricultural and the death of agricultural employees and operators. Prepared the economic and cost analysis for agricultural justification section for the enlargement of the North Fork Dam Smith River.  

SUMMARY OF KINDS OF WORK COMPLETED:

I am a qualified expert witness in the areas of land valuation and earning capacities of real estate.  I have testified and completed damage calculations in numerous lawsuits related to agricultural and real estate in the Montana and Wyoming Federal and State Courts and the U.S. Court of Claims, Washington D.C.  In addition, I have completed damage calculations in many lawsuits that were later settled out of court.  I have testified in approximately 90 agricultural Chapter 12 or Chapter 11 Bankruptcy hearing on either real estate appraisals or the Debtors financial plan analysis.  I have managed a 2,200 cow/calf ranch; a 200 cow/calf, 4,000 head feedlot and 2,000-acre irrigated cropland ranch; a 3,000-acre dry farm operation; an 800 cow/calf and 1000-acre irrigated hayland ranch; a 1,200-acre irrigated corn and hay ranch; and several small irrigated or dryland farms.  

I have completed approximately 1,226 real estate appraisals as of March 3, 2013, with a total of approximately 5,180,000+/- acres and a total value of $1,635,175,700+/-. These appraisals included Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (USPAP) and Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions (Yellow Book) appraisals. These appraisals include agricultural, commercial and subdivision analysis and conservation easements. I complected 45 conservation easement appraisals.  There are some personal property (machinery, equipment, vehicles, livestock) valuations included in the total number of appraisals completed.  

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES:

Past Member of American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers, Montana Chapter: Accredited Member, President Montana Chapter in 1976, National Board of Directors in 1976, Past member of the National Farm Management Committee, Member of Montana Chapter Board of Directors 1998-2001.  

PARTIAL LIST OF REAL APPRAISAL COURSES COMPLETED:

A-15 Report Writing                                      

A-20 Principles of Rural Appraising 

A-25 Eminent Domain Appraising (Included some Yellow Book discussion) 

A-30 Advanced Rural Appraising 

A-12 Standards and Ethics School-1/2005 

Applied Sales Comparison 

Valuation Using Spreadsheets 

Valuation of CRP Contracts 

The Appraiser as a Witness in Civil Litigation 

Mineral Appraising Seminar 

Farm and Ranch Management Course 

Environmental Liabilities and Risk Management in 

Real Estate - Realities and Practicalities 

Discounted Cash Flow Analysis 

Subdivision Analysis 

Business Valuation - 201 

Business Valuation - 202 Income 

Capitalization Unleveraged - A-27 

Conservation Easements Seminar (Included some Yellow Book discussion) 

Highest & Best Use Course - A29 

Rural Residential Appraisal 

Instructed ASFMRA Farm & Ranch Management Course 

FannyMae Appraisal Guidelines 

Appraisal of Transitional Properties 

Land Access Seminar 

Uniform Appraisal Standards for Federal Land Acquisitions (Yellowbook) 

Update of Uniform Standards of Professional Appraisal Practice (10/06) 

Discounting and Leases Seminar Valuation of Conservation Easements (1/08) 

ASFMRA Code of Ethics (2/08) Subdivision Regulations (2/08) 

Requirements of UASFLA (10/08) 

Cost Approach (2-09) 

Wind Leases (2/09) 

Cost Estimating (2/3/10) 

Sales Comparison Approach (2/8/11) 

Montana Navigable Waterways & Origins of Ownership (2/9/11) 

CAFO & AFO (Animal Feeding & Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations State Regs. (2/9/11) Trends in Agricultural Finance (2/9/11)  

Land Easement Seminar (2-9-12) 

Cadastral Seminar (2-9-12) 

Appraising Natural Resources (2-5-13) 

Wind Power (2-6-13) 

ASFMRA Ethics (2-4-14) 

DNRC Water Rights Education (2-4-14)

TYPICAL CLIENTS ECONOMIC CONSULTING & APPRAISAL WORK HAS BEEN COMPLETED FOR:

1. Various private farm, ranch and commercial property owners located in Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, S. Dakota and Mississippi including sole proprietors, partnerships and corporations.  Properties ranged in size from a few acres to 180,000 acres.  

2. Government Agencies including, Farmers Home Administration, Internal Revenue Service, Bureau of Reclamation, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, FDIC, Montana Fish & Wildlife and City of Billings, Montana.  

3. Various private institutions such as banks located in Montana, Wyoming and South Dakota; Farm Credit Services, The Northern Trust Company, private trust organizations, Peabody Coal Company, Cargill Grain Company, Land Trust Organizations, Westmorland Coal, Conoco Pipeline and Cenex Pipeline, Pacific Power and Light.