§ 44-10-45 — Administration of program

In administering the program, the department shall, under the direction and advice of the council: (1) Give priority to project proposals that protect agricultural lands susceptible to development, subdivision, and fragmentation; (2) Adopt a scoring process for evaluating project proposals and prioritizing projects based on the extent that the project will: (A) Protect farmland in active or planned cultivation; (B) Prevent development or fragmentation that would result in farmland loss; (C) Support transition of affordable farmland to next-generation farmers; (D) Leverage local, federal, or private funding, taking into account whether such funding includes a match requirement; (E) Support conservation priorities, including, but not limited to, protection of habitat, water quality, watershed conservation, climate resiliency, local conservation plans, and public viewshed; (F) Preserve or enhance soil quality; and (G) Create or further enhance compatibility with existing military installations; and (3) Ensure that, per its terms, any agricultural conservation easement to be acquired through the project: (A) Is of perpetual duration; (B) May not be assigned to or enforced by a third party without the express written consent of the landowner; and (C) Aligns with existing federal and local programs to maximize potential for matching funds.

Legislative History

Added by 2023 Ga. Laws 13,§ 1, eff. 7/1/2023.