Land which is actively devoted to agricultural, horticultural or forest use shall be eligible for valuation, assessment and taxation as provided in this section when it meets the following qualifications:
(1) It has been so devoted for at least the 2 successive years immediately preceding the tax year for which valuation under this section is requested;
(2) The area of such land:
(a) Is not less than 10 acres in such use, and the gross sales of agricultural, horticultural or forestry products produced thereon together with any agricultural program payments and sales of commodities received under government entitlement programs have averaged at least $1,000 per year within a 2-year period of time immediately preceding the tax year in issue, or there is clear evidence of anticipated yearly gross sales and such payments amounting to at least $1,000 per year, within a 2-year period of time; or
(b) Is less than 10 acres in such use and the gross sales of agricultural, horticultural or forestry products produced thereon together with any agricultural program payments and sales of commodities received under government entitlement programs shall have averaged at least $10,000 per year within a 2-year period of time immediately preceding the tax year in issue, or there is clear evidence of anticipated yearly gross sales and such payments amounting to at least $10,000 per year within a 2-year period of time. In computing such anticipated yearly gross sales for land under 10 acres in such use, the maximum amount computed from future sales of forestry products shall not be more than $2,000 annually.
In applying these criteria, and in determining whether the minimum acreage requirements are met, all contiguous parcels of land held by identical owners in identical proportions of ownership and in identical legal form of title, shall be considered as a single unit.
(3) Application by the owner of such land for valuation under this section is submitted on or before February 1 of the year immediately preceding the tax year to the assessor of the taxing district in which such land is situated on the form prescribed by the State Farmland Evaluation Advisory Committee together with evidence in writing of the required sales, payments and anticipated sales and payments.