Applications to protect farm and ranch lands sought, May 13 ranking deadline set

SPOKANE, Wash., (March 12, 2009) — In an effort to protect working agricultural lands in Washington, USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) has announced that $1.8 million will be available to successful applicants this year through the agency’s Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP).

There is a continuous sign-up for the program, but May 13 has been set as the deadline for evaluating applications for this year’s funding.

“This program can help communities preserve farm or ranch land and cultural resources,” Jeff Harlow, NRCS program liaison, said. “The program offers an excellent way to keep prime farmland in agriculture and, at the same time, keep farming and ranching communities thriving by relieving development pressures,” he said.

Since its inception in 1996, about 6300 acres of Washington’s farm and ranch lands have been enrolled in the program.

“Interested land owners need to contact an eligible entity that would pay 50 percent of the easement cost,” Harlow said. However, to be considered for funding, the application needs to identify an entity with the capability to acquire easements, he said.  

“Basically,” Harlow said, “the entity applies and nominates a parcel that has a pending offer of value at the time of application. If they do not have a pending offer from a land owner in writing at the time of application, the application is not eligible for ranking.” 

NRCS is seeking proposals from local, state and federally recognized tribal governments and non-governmental organizations interested in working together to acquire conservation easements on farms and ranches.  Proposals should be sent to Jeff Harlow at the NRCS Area office, 1835 Black Lake Blvd., S.W., Suite D, Olympia, WA 98512. Applications postmarked or received by the close of business Wednesday, May 13 will be ranked and considered for funding. Final project selections are expected to be announced in June.

FRPP protects productive agricultural land by purchasing conservation easements to limit conversion of farm and ranch lands to non-agricultural uses. NRCS provides up to 50 percent of the appraised fair market value of the conservation easement in this voluntary program. State, tribal and local entities can match that amount and they can include landowner donations in their match.

To be eligible for the program a farm or ranch must have the following components:     

• Contain productive soils or historic or archaeological sites;
• Be part of a pending offer from a non-governmental organization, state, tribe or local farmland protection program;
• Be privately owned;
• Covered by a conservation plan;
• Large enough to sustain agricultural production;
• Accessible to markets for what the land produces; and
• Surrounded by parcels of land that can support long-term agricultural production.

 
For more information on FRPP, please visit http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/frpp or contact Jeff Harlow at 360/704-7784.

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