The commissioner may lease agricultural and grazing lands for the period of up to four years for the purpose of approved land renovation practices such as summer–fallowing, mechanical or chemical control, ripping, furrowing, contouring, deferred grazing, wildlife production, or conservation plans as approved by the local conservation district, if in his opinion it is necessary to do so in order to bring the land back into production, the lessee to pay only one year’s rent for such land. If any lands are leased as above provided, the person leasing such land, before the lease is approved by the commissioner, shall pay to the county treasurer of the county in which the land is situated the total amount of rent therefor. If the lessee so renting the land fails or neglects to implement the above renovation practices at the proper time or in the proper manner, the commissioner in his discretion may declare the lease canceled and the amount paid thereon shall be forfeited. However, any lessee of such common school, indemnity, or endowment lands is, at the expiration of a lease, entitled, at his option, to a new lease for the land included in his original lease, or such portion thereof as has not been sold, for a period of five years.

Source: SL 1917, ch 339, § 15; RC 1919, § 5647; SDC 1939, § 15.0412; SL 1985, ch 37, § 3; SL 1987, ch 47, § 3.