Certification and recertification of a county program are intended to assure that the county program operates to: Maintain rural communities and areas capable of supporting agricultural and forestry activities that enable positive economic contributions of agriculture and forestry and the important roles that farming and forestry play in enhancing Maryland’s environment; Complement the Foundation’s mandate to preserve viable agricultural and forest lands; Make agricultural and forest land preservation part of an overall effort to manage growth and preserve environmental quality; and Assure the cost effectiveness of: County expenditures directed toward preservation of agricultural and forest land; and Expenditures by the county of the agricultural land transfer tax.