Section 324.36205 - Application; evaluation criteria; priority; determination of grant awards; amount; notification; report to commission; maximum expenditure; portion of acquisition cost to be provided by applicant or another person(1) An application submitted to the board under section 36203 shall be evaluated according to selection criteria established by the board. The criteria shall place a priority on the acquisition of agricultural conservation easements on farmland that meets 1 or more of the following: (a) Farmland that has a productive capacity suited for the production of feed, food, and fiber.(b) Farmland that would complement and is part of a documented, long-range effort or plan for land preservation by the local unit of government in which the farmland is located.(c) Farmland that is located within an area that complements other land protection efforts by creating a block of farmland that is subject to an agricultural conservation easement under this part or part 361, or a development rights agreement under part 361, or in which development rights have been acquired under part 361.(d) Farmland in which a greater portion of matching funds or a larger percentage of the agricultural conservation easement value is provided by a local unit of government or sources other than the fund.(e) Other factors considered important by the board.(2) After reviewing grant applications for the acquisition of agricultural conservation easements and evaluating them according to the criteria established in subsection (1), the board shall determine which grants should be awarded and the amount of the grants. Upon making its determination, the board shall notify the department and shall submit a report containing this information to the commission.(3) The board may establish a maximum amount per acre that may be expended with money from the fund for the purchase of agricultural conservation easements.(4) A grant shall require that a portion of the cost of acquiring an agricultural conservation easement shall be provided by the applicant or another person.Add. 2000, Act 262, Imd. Eff. 6/29/2000.