91.84 Agricultural enterprise areas; general.

(1) Designation.

(a)

1. The department may by order designate agricultural enterprise areas targeted for agricultural preservation and development.

2. The department may by order modify or terminate the designation of an agricultural enterprise area.

(b) The department may designate agricultural enterprise areas with a combined area of not more than 2,000,000 acres of land.

(e) The department may not designate an area as an agricultural enterprise area unless all of the following apply:

1. The department receives a petition requesting the designation and the petition complies with s. 91.86.

3. The parcels in the area are contiguous. Parcels that are only separated by a lake, stream, or transportation or utility right-of-way are contiguous for the purposes of this subdivision.

4. The area is located entirely in a farmland preservation area identified in a certified farmland preservation plan.

5. The land in the area is primarily in agricultural use.

(f) In designating agricultural areas under this subsection, the department shall give preference to areas that include at least 1,000 acres of land.

(1m) Publication of order. The department shall publish a notice of an order designating, modifying, or terminating an agricultural enterprise area, including a general description of the towns affected by the order, in the official state newspaper.

(2m) Effectiveness of prior designations. A rule designating an agricultural enterprise area under s. 91.84 (2), 2009 stats., remains in effect until December 31, 2012.

(3) Effect of designation. The designation of an area under sub. (1) allows owners of eligible land within the area to enter into farmland preservation agreements with the department. If the department modifies or terminates the designation of an area under sub. (1) and that modification or termination results in land covered by a farmland preservation agreement no longer being located in a designated area, the farmland preservation agreement remains in effect for the remainder of its term, but the department may not extend or renew the farmland preservation agreement.

(4) Map. In an order designating an agricultural enterprise area, the department shall include a map that clearly shows the boundaries of the proposed agricultural enterprise area so that a reader can easily determine whether a parcel of land is located within the agricultural enterprise area. The department shall make the map available on its Internet site.

(5) Effective date of orders. The designation of an agricultural enterprise area takes effect on January 1 of the calendar year following the year in which the order designating the area is published, unless the order specifies a later effective date. An order modifying or terminating the designation of an agricultural enterprise area takes effect upon publication under sub. (1m).

History: 2009 a. 28; 2011 a. 253; 2013 a. 352.