Orange County NC Website
2. Be certified by the Soil Conservation Service <br />of the United States Department of Agriculture <br />as being a farm on which at least two - thirds of <br />the land is composed of soils that: <br />a. Are best suited for providing food, seed, <br />fiber, forage, timber, and oil seed crops; <br />b. Have good soil qualities; <br />c. Are favorable for all major crops common <br />to Orange County; <br />d. Have a favorable growing season; and <br />e. Receive the available moisture needed to <br />produce high yields for an average of <br />eight (8) out of ten (10) years; <br />OR be one on which at least two - thirds of the <br />land has been actively used in agricultural, <br />horticultural or forestry operations as defined <br />in the N.C. General Statutes, Section 105 -277.2 <br />(1,2, and 3), during each of the five (5) <br />previous years, measured from the date on which <br />the determination must be made as to whether <br />the land in question qualifies. <br />3. Be managed, if highly erodible land exists on <br />the farm, in accordance with the Soil <br />Conservation Service defined erosion - control <br />practices as specified in the 1985 Food <br />Security Act. <br />The Orange Soil & Water Conservation District Office <br />and the Tax Supervisor have provided memoranda <br />which indicate that the Walters' property complies <br />with the above requirements. In addition, the <br />property is comprised of three separate tracts, <br />totaling 228.70 acres. Thus, the acreage requirement <br />of Section V.B.1.b. is satisfied, since the farm <br />consists of two or more contiguous tracts containing <br />at least 155 acres. <br />The property in question is located adjacent to <br />property also in the ownership of Victor Carl <br />Walters, Jr. and Elizabeth T. Walters. That property <br />was designated as Orange County's first voluntary <br />agricultural district (284.50 acres) by the Board of <br />Commissioners on June 29, 1992. When combined with <br />the current application, the total district will <br />have an area of 513.20 acres. <br />At its July 8, 1992 meeting, the Agricultural <br />Districts Advisory Board voted unanimously to <br />