901-2-01 Definitions.

As used in this chapter:

(A) “Agriculture” means commercial animal or poultry husbandry, aquaculture, apiculture, the production for a commercial purpose of timber, field crops, tobacco, fruits, vegetables, nursery stock, ornamental trees, sod, flowers, or the growth of timber for a noncommercial purpose, if the land on which the timber is grown is contiguous to or part of a parcel of land under common ownership that is otherwise devoted exclusively to agricultural use, or were devoted to and qualified for payments or other compensation under a land retirement or conservation program under an agreement with an agency of the federal government pursuant to section 5713.30 of the Revised Code.

(B) “Agricultural Area” means land that a political subdivision has identified in an adopted local comprehensive land use plan as significant for agriculture.

(C) “Agricultural District” means a tract, lot, or parcel of land that is enrolled with the county auditor as land devoted to agricultural use pursuant to Chapter 929. of the Revised Code.

(D) “Agricultural Easement” means an incorporeal right or interest in land that is held for the public purpose of retaining the use of land predominantly in agriculture; that imposes any limitations on the use or development of the land that are appropriate at the time of creation of the easement to achieve that purpose in perpetuity; that is in the form of articles of dedication, easement, covenant, restriction, or condition; and that includes appropriate provisions for the holder to enter the property subject to the easement at reasonable times to ensure compliance with its provisions pursuant to section 5301.67 of the Revised Code.

(E) “Agricultural Easement Value” means the difference between the market value and the farmland value using the comparable sales method of appraisal.

(F) “Agricultural Security Area” means an area of at least 500 acres of contiguous land that is enrolled with the county commissioners and township trustees for a period of ten years and devoted to agricultural use pursuant to sections 931.01 to 931.09, 931.99, and 5709.28 of the Revised Code.

(G) “Applicant” or “Local Sponsor” means a municipal corporation, county, township, or charitable organization that applies for a state-local matching grant on behalf of the landowner.

(H) “Application Property” means the land or lands that make up the holdings, on a single application, for which a state matching grant is being sought in exchange for the sale of a perpetual agricultural easement.

(I) ””Best Management Practices” means those farming methods generally accepted in the agricultural community as beneficial in conserving the productivity of farmland.

(J) “Century Farm” is an Ohio department of agriculture program designed to recognize families who have maintained a farm or homestead in their family for at least 100 years with an emphasis on preserved working farms.

(K) “Charitable Organization” means an organization that is exempt from federal taxation in accordance with subsection 501(a) and 501(c) of the internal revenue code of 1954, as amended and that is organized for the purpose of the preservation of agricultural land, in accordance with division (B) of section 5301.69 of the Revised Code.

(L) “Department of Agriculture” or “ODA” means the department of agriculture, state of Ohio.

(M) “Director” means the director of the Ohio department of agriculture or their designees.

(N) “Farmland Preservation Advisory Board” means the board as defined in section 901.23 of the Revised Code.

(O) “Farmland Value” means the price as of the valuation date for land, exclusive of buildings and related site improvements, used for agriculture which a willing and informed seller who is not obligated to sell would accept for the land, and which a willing and informed buyer who is not obligated to buy would pay for the land. A general real estate appraiser who is certified under Chapter 4763 of the Revised Code shall determine this value. This value applies only to the comparable sales method of appraisal, not the points based appraisal method.

(P) “Fund” means the “Clean Ohio Agricultural Easement Fund” as defined by division (F) of section 901.21 of the Revised Code, and the agricultural easement purchase fund as defined by division (E) of section 901.21 of the Revised Code.

(Q) “Grantor” means the landowner, partnership, corporation, or trust who sells or donates an agricultural easement to the director of the Ohio department of agriculture, a political subdivision, or a charitable organization.

(R) “Farmstead” means the portion of an application property on which is located a dwelling house, yard, or outbuildings such as a barn or garage is located.

(S) “Legal Entity” means a person, firm, corporation, association, or partnership, or other entity authorized under Ohio law.

(T) “Local Comprehensive Land Use Plan” means a municipal, county, or township, soil and water conversation district, comprehensive long range land use plan that identifies areas for agricultural protection and has been adopted by the local political subdivision.

(U) “Local Holder” means the municipal corporation, county, township, soil and water conversation district, or charitable organization as designated in the agricultural easement, which shares legal responsibility with the director of the Ohio department of agriculture to hold, monitor, supervise and enforce the provisions of the agricultural easement.

(V) “Local Sponsor” or “Applicant” means a municipal corporation, county, township, or charitable organization that applies for a state-local matching grant on behalf of the landowner.

(W) “Market Value” means the price as of the valuation date for land exclusive of buildings and related site improvements, in accordance with its highest and best use which a willing and informed seller who is not obligated to sell would accept for the land and which a willing and informed buyer who is not obligated to buy would pay for the land. A general real estate appraiser who is certified under Chapter 4763. of the Revised Code shall determine this value. This value applies only to the comparable sales method of appraisal, not the points based appraisal method.

(X) “NRCS” – natural resource conservation service. A division of the United States department of agriculture whose mission is to help people conserve, maintain and improve our natural resources and environment.

(Y) Ohio DNR – The department of natural resources division of soil and water conservation provides leadership and services that enable Ohioans to conserve, protect and enhance soil, water, and land resources.

(Z) “Option to Purchase an Agricultural Easement” means an agreement between the landowner and the department of agriculture in which ODA agrees to pay for the landowner’s transfer to the Ohio department of agriculture an agricultural easement on property at a fixed price within a certain time.

(AA) “Political Subdivision” means a municipal corporation, county, or township.

(BB) “Regional Balance” is based upon, but not limited to: 1) the number of applications received from a region in proportion to the total number of applications submitted; and 2) The total amount of funds a region has previously received in proportion to the total amount of funds distributed.

(CC) “Soil and Water Conservation District” (SWCDs) -SWCDs provide assistance to urban and agricultural land users. Their specialties are soil erosion prevention and water management. The SWCDs are promulgated in the “soil conservation and domestic allotment Act of 1935”, 16 U.S.C. §§590a -0590q-3.

Effective: 03/21/2006

R.C. 119.032 review dates: 11/22/2005 and 03/21/2010

Promulgated Under: 119.03

Statutory Authority: 901.22(A)

Rule Amplifies: 901.21, 901.22, 901.23

Prior Effective Dates: 02/01/02, 02/21/05