[§205-43]  Important agricultural lands;policies.  State and county agricultural policies, tax policies, land useplans, ordinances, and rules shall promote the long-term viability ofagricultural use of important agricultural lands and shall be consistent withand implement the following policies:

(1)  Promote the retention of important agriculturallands in blocks of contiguous, intact, and functional land units large enoughto allow flexibility in agricultural production and management;

(2)  Discourage the fragmentation of importantagricultural lands and the conversion of these lands to nonagricultural uses;

(3)  Direct nonagricultural uses and activities fromimportant agricultural lands to other areas and ensure that uses on importantagricultural lands are actually agricultural uses;

(4)  Limit physical improvements on importantagricultural lands to maintain affordability of these lands for agriculturalpurposes;

(5)  Provide a basic level of infrastructure andservices on important agricultural lands limited to the minimum necessary tosupport agricultural uses and activities;

(6)  Facilitate the long-term dedication of importantagricultural lands for future agricultural use through the use of incentives;

(7)  Facilitate the access of farmers to importantagricultural lands for long-term viable agricultural use; and

(8)  Promote the maintenance of essential agriculturalinfrastructure systems, including irrigation systems. [L 2005, c 183, pt of §2]