§ 323. State agricultural and farmland protection program. The commissioner shall initiate and maintain a state agricultural and farmland protection program to provide financial and technical assistance, within funds available, to counties, municipalities, soil and water conservation districts, and not-for-profit conservation organizations for their agricultural and farmland protection efforts. Activities to be conducted by the commissioner shall include, but not be limited to:

1. developing guidelines for the creation by counties and municipalities of agricultural and farmland protection plans;

2. providing technical assistance to county agricultural and farmland protection boards, as established in article twenty-five-AA of this chapter, and municipalities;

3. administering state assistance payments to county agricultural and farmland protection boards, municipalities and soil and water conservation districts;

4. disseminating information to county and municipal governments, soil and water conservation districts, owners of agricultural lands and other agricultural interests about the state agricultural and farmland protection program established pursuant to this article;

5. administering state assistance payments to not-for-profit conservation organizations; and

6. reporting biennially to the governor and the legislature regarding the activities of the commissioner, the types of technical assistance rendered to county agricultural and farmland protection boards, municipalities, soil and water conservation districts and not-for-profit conservation organizations, and the need to protect the state's agricultural economy and land resources.