§ 323. State agricultural and farmland protection program. The
commissioner shall initiate and maintain a state agricultural and
farmland protection program to provide financial and technical
assistance, within funds available, to counties, municipalities, soil
and water conservation districts, and not-for-profit conservation
organizations for their agricultural and farmland protection efforts.
Activities to be conducted by the commissioner shall include, but not be
limited to:

1. developing guidelines for the creation by counties and
municipalities of agricultural and farmland protection plans;

2. providing technical assistance to county agricultural and farmland
protection boards, as established in article twenty-five-AA of this
chapter, and municipalities;

3. administering state assistance payments to county agricultural and
farmland protection boards, municipalities and soil and water
conservation districts;

4. disseminating information to county and municipal governments, soil
and water conservation districts, owners of agricultural lands and other
agricultural interests about the state agricultural and farmland
protection program established pursuant to this article;

5. administering state assistance payments to not-for-profit
conservation organizations; and

6. reporting biennially to the governor and the legislature regarding
the activities of the commissioner, the types of technical assistance
rendered to county agricultural and farmland protection boards,
municipalities, soil and water conservation districts and not-for-profit
conservation organizations, and the need to protect the state's
agricultural economy and land resources.