NRCS Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program/FRPP

The Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) provides matching funds to eligible entities to help purchase conservation easements on  productive farmland.  Working through existing farmland protection programs, the USDA joins with land trusts and state, tribal, or local governments to acquire conservation easements.  The USDA provides up to 50 percent of the fair market easement value. The Program was established in the 1996 Farm Bill.  To qualify, farmland must: 

• be privately owned
• be subject to a pending offer from an eligible entity
• have a conservation plan
• be large enough to sustain agricultural production
• be accessible to markets for what the land produces
• have adequate infrastructure and agricultural support services
• have surrounding parcels of land that can support long-term agricultural production

2011 Colorado FRPP Information

The 2008 Farm Bill (the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008) made some significant changes to the program.  One of the changes was to establish a continuous sign-up period.  There will no longer be one "Request for Proposals" issued by the national office.  Instead, applications may be submitted continuously.  When funding is available, the State Conservationist will announce a "cut-off date" at which time those applications on file will be evaluated and ranked.  Funds will be awarded to the highest ranked applications.  More information is available on our national website at:  http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/frpp.
 

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Last Modified: 09/20/2011