2VAC5-20-10: Purpose

The Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services adopts these Standards for Classification of Real Estate as Devoted to Agricultural Use and to Horticultural Use under the Virginia Land Use Assessment Law to:

1. Encourage the proper use of real estate in order to assure a readily available source of agricultural, horticultural, and forest products and of open space within reach of concentrations of population.

2. Conserve natural resources in forms that will prevent erosion.

3. Protect adequate and safe water supplies.

4. Preserve scenic natural beauties and open spaces.

5. Promote proper land-use planning and the orderly development of real estate for the accommodation of an expanding population.

6. Promote a balanced economy and ease pressures that force the conversion of real estate to more intensive uses.

The real estate must meet all of the standards in this chapter to qualify for agricultural or for horticultural use.