27—20.70 (161A) Definition of terms. In addition to the definitions in rule 27—10.20(161A), the following terms are defined:
“Adjacent tracts” means two or more tracts of land in the same legal section of land or in touching legal sections lying such that the two tracts have a common side or common corner.
“Conservation agreement” is defined in Iowa Code section 161A.42 to mean a commitment by the owner or operator of a farm unit to implement a farm unit soil conservation plan or, with the approval of the commissioners of the district within which the farm unit is located, a portion of a farm unit soil conservation plan. The commitment shall be conditioned on the furnishing by the district of such technical or planning assistance in the establishment of, and cost-sharing or other financial assistance for establishment and maintenance of the soil and water conservation practices necessary to implement the plan, or a portion of the plan.
“Conservation folder” is defined in Iowa Code section 161A.42 to mean compiled information concerning the topography, soil composition, natural or artificial drainage characteristics and other pertinent factors concerning a particular farm unit, which are necessary to the preparation of a sound and equitable conservation agreement for that farm unit. The specific items to be contained in a conservation folder shall be prescribed by administrative rules of the division of soil conservation and water quality. The division shall provide by rule that an updated farm plan prepared for a particular farm unit within 10 years prior to the effective date of this subsection shall be considered an adequate replacement for the conservation folder for that farm unit.
“Contiguous” means two or more tracts of land lying in the same legal section that have separate legal descriptions, but which have at least a partially common boundary line.
“District staff” means all individuals assigned to, assisting, or employed by a soil and water conservation district.
“Farm plan” as used in these rules refers to any conservation plan or other plan developed in cooperation with the landowner, which provides compiled information concerning the topography, soil composition, natural and artificial drainage characteristics, permanent soil and water conservation practices, and other pertinent factors for the farm unit.
“Farm unit” is defined in Iowa Code section 161A.42 to mean a single contiguous tract of agricultural land, or two or more adjacent tracts of agricultural land, located within a single district, upon which farming operations are being conducted by a person who owns or is purchasing or renting all of such land, or by a tenant or tenants. If a landowner has multiple farm tenants, the land on which farming operations are being conducted by each tenant shall constitute a separate farm unit. This definition does not prohibit land which is within a single district and is owned or being purchased by the same person, or is being rented by the same tenant, from being treated as two or more farm units if the commissioners of the district deem it preferable to do so.
“Farm unit soil conservation plan” is defined in Iowa Code section 161A.42 to mean a plan jointly developed by the owner and, if appropriate, the operator of a farm unit and the commissioners of the district within which that farm unit is located, based on the conservation folder for that farm unit and identifying those permanent soil and water conservation practices and temporary soil and water conservation practices the use of which may be expected to prevent soil loss by erosion from that farm unit in excess of the applicable soil loss limit or limits. The plan shall, if practicable, identify alternative practices by which this objective may be attained.
[ARC 2192C, IAB 10/14/15, effective 11/18/15]