Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program
Mielke Barn - Washington
The Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program (FRPP) provides matching funds to help purchase development rights to keep productive farm and ranchland in agricultural uses. Working through existing programs, USDA partners with State, tribal, or local governments and non-governmental organizations to acquire conservation easements or other interests in land from landowners. USDA provides up to 50 percent of the fair market easement value of the conservation easement.
To qualify, farmland must be, or have:
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part of a pending offer from a State, tribe, or local farmland protection program
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be privately owned;
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a conservation plan for highly erodible land
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large enough to sustain agricultural production
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accessible to markets for what the land produces
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adequate infrastructure and agricultural support services
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surrounding parcels of land that can support long-term agricultural production
Depending on funding availability, proposals must be submitted by the eligible entities to the appropriate NRCS State Office during the application window.
Additional Information
NRCS Partners with Land Trust Alliance to provide training resources to FRPP partner entities
Land Trust Alliance press release | Application for LTA /NRCS partnership training resources (PDF, 23KB)
State Conservationist FRPP Certification Letter December 2011 - a letter from the Acting Director (as of December 2011) of the Easement Program Division, describing the FRPP certification process.
