698-005-0020 Definitions (1) “Agricultural Landowner or Operator” means a landowner, operator, manager or other person having responsibility for exercising control over the day-to-day operation of a farm or ranch. (2) "Board" means the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board created under ORS 541.900. (3) "Carbon Sequestration" means the process of capturing and storing atmospheric carbon dioxide. (4) "Carbon Storage" means the storage of carbon in plants, soils, geological formations, and the ocean. (5) “Commission” means the Oregon Agricultural Heritage Commission created under ORS 541.986. (6) “Conservation Management Plan” means specific actions planned for working lands to improve or maintain the agricultural and natural resource values. A Conservation Management Plan is independent of a working lands covenant or easement. (7) “Conversion”: (a) “Conversion” means: (A) Cessation of accepted farming practices; (B) Construction of dwellings not occupied by farm operators or workers or other structures not related to agriculture; (C) Removal of infrastructure required for accepted farming practices unless necessary to accommodate a change in accepted farming practices; or (D) Cancelling or transferring rights to use water for irrigation in a manner that reduces the long-term viability of agriculture on the working land. (b) As used in this definition, “accepted farming practices” shall have the meaning set forth in ORS 215.203(2)(c). (8) "Director" means the Executive Director of the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board or the Executive Director’s designee. (9) "Durable Adaptation and Resilience for Ecosystems" means the extent to which a project is expected to help an ecosystem, including human communities, adjust to, respond to, or recover from the effects of a changing climate. (10) “Farming and Ranching” means “farm use” as defined in ORS 215.203(2). (11) “Fragmentation” means the division of a working farm or ranch, or the isolation of a farm or ranch from other agricultural operations and/or from the agricultural infrastructure necessary to bring farm products to their appropriate markets. (12) "Grant Agreement" means the legally binding contract between the Board and the grant recipient in which the Board is not substantially involved in the funded program or activity other than involvement associated with monitoring compliance with the grant conditions. It consists of the conditions specified in these rules, the notice of grant award, special conditions to the agreement, a certification to comply with applicable state and federal regulations, the project budget and the approved application for funding the project. (13) “Grantee” means an organization or individual that is awarded a grant under one or more of OAHP’s grant programs. (14) “Limited Resource Farmer or Rancher” means an applicant with direct or indirect gross farm sales that are not more than the current indexed value in each of the previous 2 years, and who has a total household income at or below the national poverty level for a family of four, or less than 50 percent of county median household income in each of the previous 2 years. An entity or joint operation can be a Limited Resource Farmer or Rancher if all individual members independently qualify. (15) "Local Communities Disproportionately Impacted by Climate Change" includes communities such as Native American tribes, communities of color, rural communities, coastal communities, communities experiencing lower incomes, and other communities traditionally underrepresented in public processes, including seniors, youth, and persons with disabilities. (16) "OWEB" means the Oregon Watershed Enhancement Board state agency. (17) “Socially Disadvantaged Farmer or Rancher” means an Agricultural Landowner or Operator who is a member of a group whose members have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice because of their identity as members of a group without regard to their individual qualities. Those groups include African Americans, American Indians or Alaskan natives, Hispanics, and Asians or Pacific Islanders. (18) "Technical Committee” means a team of individuals who have expertise relevant to the ranking of OAHP grants, or other issues before the Commission. (19) “Veteran Farmer or Rancher” means a person who served in United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Space Force, or Coast Guard, including the reserve components thereof, and who was discharged or released therefrom under conditions other than dishonorable. (20) “Working Land” means land that is actively used by an agricultural owner or operator for an agricultural operation that includes, but need not be limited to, active engagement in “farm use” as defined in ORS 541.977(2). (21) “Working Land Conservation Covenant” means a nonpossessory interest in working land for a fixed term that imposes limitations or affirmative obligations for the purposes that support the use of the land for agricultural production and for the maintenance or enhancement of fish or wildlife habitat, water quality or other natural resource values and must provide for carrying out a purpose of a conservation easement, as defined in ORS 271.715. (22) “Working Land Conservation Easement” means a permanent nonpossessory interest in working land that imposes limitations or affirmative obligations for purposes that support the use of the land for agricultural production and for the maintenance or enhancements of fish or wildlife habitat, water quality or other natural resource values and must provide for carrying out a purpose of a conservation easement, as defined in ORS 271.715. (23) “Young or Beginning Farmer or Rancher” means someone who has been an Agricultural Landowner or Operator for 10 consecutive years or fewer, or an Agricultural Landowner or Operator who is 35 years old or younger. Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 541.979, ORS 541.988 & ORS 541.984 Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 541.977-541.989 History: OAHP 1-2025, amend filed 01/31/2025, effective 01/31/2025 OAHP 1-2019, adopt filed 01/28/2019, effective 02/01/2019