There is definitely an advantage to having a pre-existing exemption. Mine was designated improved pasture. Out of 200 acres, I would be shocked if you could find 2 acres of grass. My nightmare has been trying to clear enough land for food plots. If anyone ever finds a market for sweetgum trees, I will be rich.
I'm not sure I follow you on the 50/50 problem. You can still sell hay (or raise cattle) and have a Wildlife exemption. As long as the crop is a secondary use for the land. I may have read your response wrong and your are worried about getting the ag exemption on the wooded area. In that case, you probably do need to go with cattle. I have not had to deal with trying to get a 1st time ag exemption so there is probably someone else out there more qualified to speak to that.
