Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program Signup Announced

Gainesville, FL., March 30, 2009 - The Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) administered by the USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), is accepting applications for funding on a continuous basis. NRCS State Conservationist Carlos Suarez noted that the 2008 Farm Bill provided for a continuous signup to allow eligible entities more opportunities to sign up eligible parcels.  Eligible entities must submit applications on or before June 1, 2009 to receive consideration for funding in fiscal year 2009.  Funds must be obligated by July 15, 2009.

 Only eligible entities may submit applications of eligible farm and ranch land.  Eligible entities are State, Tribal, or local governments and non-government organizations that meet specific requirements.  The entities must have an established farm and ranch land protection program, have the authority to hold and manage easements; have the capacity to acquire, manage, and enforce the easements; and the funds to match the Federal contribution.

 The FRPP can provide up to fifty percent of the appraised fair market value of the easement on the farm or ranch.  At least fifty percent of the appraised fair market value of the easement must be provided by the eligible entity.  Landowners may accept less than the appraised fair market value of the easement; the difference between the appraised value and the purchase price the landowners are willing to accept is considered a landowner donation.  The eligible entity must provide at least twenty-five percent of the purchase price in cash.  The eligible entity must also secure the appraisal, survey, and title search, prepare the conservation easement deed, and pay for the closing.

 Land proposed for funding in FRPP must meet one of three eligibility categories:

• contain at least fifty percent prime and unique farmland soils and soils of Statewide and local importance;
• contain historic or archeological resources; or
• contain land that supports the farm and ranch land protection policies of state or local programs.

 Owners of the parcels must have an adjusted gross income of less than one million dollars and be in compliance with the USDA highly erodible land and wetland compliance requirements.

 Application must be made by the eligible entities to the state offices of NRCS at the following address USDA-NRCS, 2614 NW 43^rd Street, Gainesville, FL  32606.  The applications will be evaluated on state and national developed criteria.  Entities and landowners will be evaluated for eligibility.  The individual parcels will be evaluated for eligibility and quality; the highest quality parcels for which the NRCS state office has funding will be selected for funding.  The ranking and selection of parcels will take place immediately after June 1, 2009.

NRCS will obligate funding for the selected parcels in a cooperative agreement with the eligible entities that submitted the selected parcel.

 FRPP has enrolled over 620,000 acres on 3,100 farms and ranches since Congress first authorized the program in 1996.  For further information, contact Ronald Howard, FRPP State Program Manager, at (352) 338-9508 or email at ron.howard@fl.usda.gov.

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