Besides checking the Farmland preparation automation checkbox itself of course.
My wish is to end up with all dirt at +4.
I tried scanning filter dirt at +3 elevation limit (it selected only dirt and not rock, so that's wrong); filter rock at +3 found nothing; filter anything at +4 doesn't do anything; filter NONE at +3 planned a 4 square dig (there's dozens of squares of surface rock); debris clearing doesn't work. I have have no idea what else to try.