(a) To qualify for designation as an agricultural district, a district shall initially contain at least fifty (50) contiguous acres and may include any number of individual property ownerships; however, no single ownership shall contain less than fifteen (15) acres.

(b) Agricultural districts shall include only ownerships engaged in agricultural production.

(c) Before designation of an agricultural district, landowners must submit a petition to the local soil and water conservation district commissioners requesting designation of an agricultural district. The petition shall include the following information:

(i) A general description of the proposed agricultural district including total number of ownerships, total acreage, land use information, social and economic information about the respective area of the county and potential impacts on development of agricultural production;

(ii) Location of the proposed agricultural district boundary on a standard United States Geological Survey Quadrangle map (1:2000 scale);

(iii) Location of the proposed agricultural district boundary on the local county tax assessor map including location and identification of each ownership within the agricultural district as well as identification of all ownerships adjacent to the agricultural district;

(iv) A description of the type and extent of agricultural production activity for each ownership within the proposed agricultural district;

(v) Other pertinent information as the local soil and water conservation district commissioners may require to evaluate the petition.

(d) Individual ownership participation in an agricultural district is entirely voluntary, and no land shall be included in the agricultural district without the consent of the owner.

(e) Upon receipt of a petition the local soil and water conservation district commissioners shall notify the county board of supervisors and/or any local or regional planning or zoning body that may apply by sending a copy of the petition to such body.

(f) In evaluating a petition for the establishment of an agricultural district the local soil and water conservation district commissioners shall consider the following:

(i) The capability of the land to support continued agricultural production as indicated by soil conditions, climate, topography and other natural conditions;

(ii) The ability of the local, regional, state and international markets to support continued agricultural production; and

(iii) Any matter which might be relevant to evaluation of the petition.