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D. <br />M <br />CERTIFICATION AS QUALIFYING FARMLAND <br />1. To secure certification as qualifying farmland, a farm must: <br />a. Be participating in the farm present use -value taxation <br />program established by N.C. Gen. Stat. Section 105 -277.2 <br />through 105 -277.7 or is otherwise determined by the <br />County to meet all the qualifications of this program set <br />forth in N.C. Gen. Stat. Section 105 - 277.3. <br />b. Be certified by the Soil Conservation Service of the <br />United States Department of Agriculture as being a farm <br />on which at least two- thirds of the land is composed of <br />soils that: <br />(1) Are best suited for providing food, seed, fiber, <br />forage, timber, and oil seed crops; <br />(2) Have good soil qualities; <br />(3) Are favorable for all major crops common to <br />Orange County; <br />(4) Have a favorable growing season; and <br />(5) Receive the available moisture needed to produce <br />high yields for an average of eight (8) out of ten <br />(10) years; <br />OR be one on which at least two - thirds <br />been actively used in agricultural, ho <br />forestry operations as defined in N.C. <br />105 -277.2 (1,2 & 3) during each of the <br />years, measured from the date on which <br />must be.made as to whether the land in <br />qualifies. <br />of the land has <br />rticultural or <br />Gen. Stat. Section <br />five (5) previous <br />the determination <br />question <br />C. Be managed, if highly erodible land exists on the farm, <br />in accordance with the Soil Conservation Service defined <br />erosion - control practices. <br />d. Be the subject of a conservation agreement, as defined in <br />N.C. Gen. Stat. Section 121 -35, between the Orange County <br />and the owner of such land that prohibits non -farm use or <br />development of such land for a period of at least ten <br />(10) years, except for the creation of not more than <br />three (3) lots that meet applicable Orange County zoning <br />and subdivision regulations. <br />B. APPLICATION AND CERTIFICATION PROCEDURES <br />1. Applications for qualifying farmland certification and for <br />voluntary agricultural district certification shall be made to <br />