(a) A county or a city may by ordinance establish a farmland preservation program under this Article. The ordinance may authorize qualifying farms, as defined in G.S. 106-737, to take advantage of one or more of the benefits authorized by the remaining sections of this Article.
(b) A county or a city may develop programs to promote the growth, development, and sustainability of farming and assist farmers in developing and implementing plans that achieve these goals. For purposes of this Article, the terms "agriculture", "agricultural", and "farming" have the same meaning as set forth in G.S. 106-581.1.