This paper provides an overview of the designation criteria used by the twelve counties around Puget Sound, and provide recommendations on what makes a good set of criteria for counties wishing to strengthen protections for agricultural land through planning and zoning. There is little consistency in the process counties go through to develop their designation criteria, and county planners often lack opportunities to engage with their counterparts and exchange notes. This analysis is important to provide a comprehensive look at who is doing what, and some insight into what is working. Although not a replacement for conversations among planners, it may give those working on planning for agriculture a sense of why designation criteria matter and how they can be written to protect farmland most effectively.