SECTIONS 10201-10202 - California Statutes

PUBLIC RESOURCES CODE

SECTION 10201-10202

10201. The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of the
following:
(a) The agricultural lands of the state contribute substantially
to the state, national, and world food supply and are a vital part of
the state's economy.
(b) The growing population and expanding economy of the state have
had a profound impact on the ability of the public and private
sectors to conserve land for the production of food and fiber,
especially agricultural land around urban areas.
(c) Agricultural lands near urban areas that are maintained in
productive agricultural use are a significant part of California's
agricultural heritage. These lands contribute to the economic
betterment of local areas and the entire state and are an important
source of food, fiber, and other agricultural products. Conserving
these lands is necessary due to increasing development pressures and
the effects of urbanization on farmlands close to cities.
(d) The long-term conservation of agricultural land is necessary
to safeguard an adequate supply of agricultural land and to balance
the increasing development pressures around urban areas.
(e) A program to encourage and make possible the long-term
conservation of agricultural lands is a necessary part of the state's
agricultural land protection policies and programs, and it is
appropriate to expend money for that purpose. A program of this
nature will only be effective when used in concert with local
planning and zoning strategies to conserve agricultural land.
(f) Funding is necessary to better address the needs of conserving
agricultural land near urban areas.

10202. It is the intent of the Legislature, in enacting this
division, to do all of the following:
(a) Encourage voluntary, long-term private stewardship of
agricultural lands by offering landowners financial incentives.
(b) Protect farming and ranching operations in agricultural areas
from nonfarm or nonranch land uses that may hinder and curtail
farming or ranching operations.
(c) Encourage long-term conservation of productive agricultural
lands in order to protect the agricultural economy of rural
communities, as well as that of the state, for future generations of
Californians.
(d) Encourage local land use planning for orderly and efficient
urban growth and conservation of agricultural land.
(e) Encourage local land use planning decisions that are
consistent with the state's policies with regard to agricultural land
conservation.
(f) Encourage improvements to enhance long-term sustainable
agricultural uses.