Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program

The Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) is a voluntary conservation program that helps farmers and ranchers keep their land in agriculture.  This program provides funds to assist States, Tribes, local government or non-profit entities with the purchase of conservation easements or development rights on productive farmland, and on farms containing significant historical or archaeological resources.  The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides up to 50% of the purchase cost for perpetual easements on eligible farmland.

Eligible Farmland

• Contains prime, statewide important, unique locally identified, or other productive farmland, or includes important historical or archaeological sites
• Is privately owned and is part of a working farm or ranch
• Has a pending offer for purchase of development rights or a conservation easement from a State, Tribal,  local or private farmland protection program
• Meets wetland conservation and highly erodible land provisions of the Food Security Act
• Is owned by someone who is compliant with the adjusted gross income limitations of the 2008 Farm Bill
• Has location, size, and existing protections, such as zoning, that support long-term agricultural use
  

Who can participate?

State, Tribal,  local or private entities with a qualifying farmland protection program can participate as an eligible entity.  A qualifying program utilizes voluntary easements or other legal devices to protect productive farmland.

NRCS provides up to 50% of the purchase cost of the easement to the cooperating entity.  The cooperating entity acquires, manages, and enforces the easement.

News Release

Application Process

• A landowner contacts an eligible organization or unit of government and submits an application to that entity's existing farm or ranch land protection program.  There is no NRCS application form.
• When funds are available, NRCS announces a Request for Proposals (RFP) to solicit funding proposals from eligible entities with existing farm or ranch land protection programs (not individual landowners).
• Eligible entities submit funding proposals to work with NRCS to acquire conservation easements on productive farm and ranch lands.
• The NRCS State Conservationist receives proposals by the date specified in the RFP.
• The NRCS determines entity and land eligibility.
• The NRCS State Conservationist makes awards to eligible entities.  NRCS enters into cooperative agreements with the selected entities and, following signatures, funds are obligated to the project.

Applications

Applications for 2009 Minnesota FRPP funding are currently being accepted and are due on June 19, 2009.

Application Documents

The following documents require Microsoft Word

Minnesota Eligibility and Ranking Form (DOC; 56 KB)
Minnesota Application (DOC; 91 KB)

Program Contacts

Tim Koehler, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs
Phone: 651-602-7857
Email: tim.koehler@mn.usda.gov