Directs State Agriculture Development Committee to identify farmland ineligible for county farmland preservation programs, notify owners of State requirements, and invite applications for farmland preservation under State program.
Establishes program for acquisition, by local government units and nonprofit organizations, of development easements on privately-owned woodlands.
Establishes program in SADC for acquisition of development easements on privately-owned woodlands.
Authorizes special occasion events at certain commercial farms on preserved farmland, under certain conditions; appropriates $85,000.
Authorizes State Agriculture Development Committee to maintain and use its own list of property appraisers, or to employ dedicated pool of property appraisers, or both, to facilitate valuation of land for farmland preservation purposes.
Authorizes State, local, and nonprofit acquisition of fee simple titles to, and development easements on, farmland, in certain cases, for negotiated purchase prices exceeding appraised value thereof.
Requires SADC and any local board acquiring farmland for preservation purposes to provide partial payment to landowner, in advance of settlement, to demonstrate good faith intent to proceed with settlement and acquisition.
Establishes Farmland Assessment Review Commission to annually review and recommend changes to farmland assessment program, as necessary to ensure fair, equitable, and uniform Statewide application and enforcement of program requirements and allocation of program benefits.