Orange County NC Website
Browse       Search
]. 0 <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 as s ecified in the 1985 Food <br />Security Act. <br />[The additional wording was added to clarify that the SCS <br />practices would be those required under the 1985 Food <br />Security Act. Without such a reference, the SCS District <br />Supervisor would not know what standards to apply.j <br />d. Be the subject of a conservation agreement, as Rrovided <br />in Article -4 of Cha ter 121 of the N.C. General Statutes, <br />between the Orange County and the owner of such land that <br />prohibits non -farm use or development of such land for a <br />period of at least ten (10) years, except for the <br />creation of not more than three (3) lots that meet <br />applicable Orange County zoning and subdivision <br />regulations. <br />[The reference to G.S. 121 -35 was changed to refer to the <br />entire Article 4, the Conservation and Historic <br />Preservation Agreements Act, since G.S. 122 -35 only <br />refers to the "definition" of a conservation agreement.] <br />D. APPLICATION AND CERTIFICATION PROCEDURES <br />A farmland owner may aRRIX for either certification as qMalifyina <br />farmland or for amalifying farmland certification and deli nation <br />as a voluntary agricultural-district. For a farmland owner to <br />