The Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously Monday to make achange in the county farmland preservation program that will maintain consistency in incentive payments for farmers.

The county Agriculture Preservation Advisory Board recommended the change, said William Powel, county program administrator.

The change means the county will pay farmers incentives for preserving their land based on the average per-acre agriculture value, as determined by county appraisals during fiscal 1989.

The change wasprompted by a change in the way the state pays farmers for development rights to their land, Powel said. Because of the state change, farms with poorer soils would receive higher payments, and the county would end up paying farmers higher incentives, he said.

The change also allows the commissioners to decide how much county money will be spent for incentive payments.