3-162. Arizona register of heritage agriculture; qualifying criteria; definition

A. The Arizona register of heritage agriculture is established.

B. Any person may apply in writing to the historical advisory commission to nominate agricultural property in this state for listing on the register. If the person nominating the property is not the current owner of the property, the nomination must include the current owner s written assent to the nomination.

C. To qualify for listing on the register, the agricultural property must meet both of the following requirements:

1. The property must comprise at least ten acres of real property that has been owned by the same family and in continuous commercial agricultural production for at least fifty years. Property that has been in active production may qualify regardless of occasional periods of inactivity due to:

(a) Acts of God.

(b) Federal farm conservation programs.

(c) Crop rotation practices.

(d) Generally accepted range management and pasture rotation practices.

(e) Temporarily inadequate water supplies.

2. The property must include at least one house, barn, shed, crib, granary, silo, windmill or fence that is at least twenty-five years old.

D. For purposes of this section, " family" includes individuals or a trust, estate, corporation, partnership, joint venture or similar entity or combination of entities, if the individuals or at least eighty per cent of the beneficiaries, shareholders, partners or joint venturers share a family relationship as parents or ancestors of parents, children or descendants of children, siblings, cousins of the first degree, aunts, uncles, nieces or nephews of the first degree, spouses of any of the listed relatives and listed relatives by the half-blood or by adoption.