Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP)

Land Use

Cropland, Grazing land

Focus

Easement program

Resource Concern

Soil erosion, Water quality, Air quality, Wildlife habitat

Purpose

The environmental purpose is to help keep land in agriculture and limit urban sprawl. The program's focus is to stabilize highly erodible lands and areas of historic or archeological importance.

Landowner Benefits

Landowners will receive revenue from the sale of the conservation easement. They maintain the right to own, use, and enjoy their property. Some landowners may enjoy an additional reduction in property taxes.

Description

This program is designed to keep land in agriculture. Landowners sell a conservation easement to state or local government or non-profit organizations. The conservation easement restricts the development of the property to only agricultural purposes. In exchange for payment, participating landowners agree not to convert their land to non-agricultural uses and to develop and implement a conservation plan for any highly-erodible land.

Practices

Landowners who sell a conservation easement are still responsible for managing the property.

Costs to Landowner

The landowner pays up to 25% of the value of the easement.

Eligibility

Lands must satisfy the following criteria: 1) Contain prime soils or historical significance. 2) Be included in a pending offer with the easement buyer. 3) Be privately owned. 4) Be covered by a conservation plan for highly erodible lands. 5) Be large enough to sustain agricultural production. 6) Be accessible to markets. 7) Be surrounded by parcels that can support long-term agricultural production.

Contract

Minimum covenant for conservation easements is 30 years. Applications for permanent easements are given priority.

Other Notes

Landowner Initiation

• Contact the local Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) where you own land.
• Ask about enrolling land into the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP).