Agenda - 03-24-1992 - Laserfiche WebLink

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C. CERTIFICATION AS QUALIFYING FARMLAND 1. To secure certification as qualifying farmland, a farm must: a. Be participating in the farm present use -value taxation program established by the N.C. General Statutes, Sections 105 -277.2 through 105- 277.7, or is otherwise determined by the County to meet all the qualifications of this program set forth in the N.C. General Statutes, Sections 105 - 277.3. b. Be certified by the Soil Conservation Service of the United States Department of Agriculture as being a farm on which at least two - thirds of the land is composed of soils that: (1) Are best suited for providing food, seed, fiber, forage, timber, and oil seed crops; (2) Have good soil qualities; (3) Are favorable for all major crops common to Orange County; (4) Have a favorable growing season; and (5) Receive the available moisture needed to produce high yields for an average of eight (8) out of ten (10) years; OR be one on which at least two - thirds of the land has been actively used in agricultural, horticultural or forestry operations as defined in the N.C. General Statutes, Section 105 -277.2 (1,2, and 3), during each of the five (5) previous years, measured from the date on which the determination must be made as to whether the land in question qualifies. C. Be managed, if highly erodible land exists on the farm, in accordance with the Soil Conservation Service defined erosion - control practices as specified in the 1985 Food Security Act. d. Be the subject of a conservation agreement, as provided in Article 4 of Chapter 121 of the N.C. General Statutes, between the orange County and the owner of such land that prohibits non -farm use or development of such land for a period of at least ten (10) years, except for the creation of not more than three (3) lots that meet applicable Orange County zoning and subdivision regulations.