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6 <br /> (1) Are best suited for providing food, seed, fiber, forage,timber, and <br /> oil seed crops; <br /> (2) Have good soil qualities; <br /> (3) Are favorable for all major crops common to Orange County; <br /> (4) Have a favorable growing season; and <br /> (5) Receive the available moisture needed to produce high yields for <br /> an average of eight(8)out of ten(10) years; <br /> OR be one on which at least two-thirds of the land has been actively used <br /> in agricultural,horticultural or forestry operations as defined in the N.C. <br /> General Statutes, Section 105-277.2 (1,2, and 3), during each of the five <br /> (5)previous years, measured from the date on which the determination <br /> must be made as to whether the land in question qualifies. <br /> C. Be managed, if highly erodible land exists on the farm,in accordance with <br /> the Soil Geasef-i-afien Natural Resources Conservation Service <br /> defined erosion-control practices as specified in the 1985 Food Security <br /> Act. <br /> d. Be the subject of a conservation agreement, as provided in Article 4 of <br /> Chapter 121 of the N.C. General Statutes, between Orange County and the <br /> owner of such land that prohibits non-farm use or development of such <br /> land for a period of at least ten(10)years,except for the creation of not <br /> more than three (3) lots that meet applicable Orange County zoning and <br /> subdivision regulations. <br /> D. APPLICATION AND CERTIFICATION PROCEDURES <br /> A farmland owner may apply for either certification as qualifying farmland or for <br /> qualifying farmland certification and designation as a voluntary agricultural district. For <br /> a farmland owner to receive the benefits provided by this ordinance,the farm must be <br /> certified as qualifying farmland by the Ag+ieW4wa4 Pis#iets A&isefy Ben <br /> Agricultural Preservation Board and designated as a voluntary agricultural district by <br /> the Board of County Commissioners. <br /> 1. Applications for qualifying farmland certification and for voluntary agricultural <br /> district designation shall be made to the Orange County PlaffpAag Environment <br /> and Resource Conservation Department on forms provided by that <br /> department. <br /> 6 <br />