Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP)

The Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) is a voluntary program designed to protect agricultural use and related conservation values of eligible land by limiting non-agricultural uses of the land. The program protects valuable farm and ranch lands for future generations.  This is achieved by working cooperatively with State, Tribal, and local governments and non-governmental organizations; the United States Department of Agriculture is authorized to facilitate and provide funding for the purchase of conservation easements and other interests in eligible land that is subject to a pending offer from an eligible entity.

The emphasis of FRPP is to:

1. Protect agricultural productivity by limiting nonagricultural uses of land.

2. Preserve farmland for future generations.

3. Protect prime, unique, or statewide or locally important soils, land containing historic or archaeological sites from conversion to nonagricultural uses, and land that furthers State and local farm and ranch lands protection program policies.

4. Additional considerations are to
       a.      Sustain rural economic stability and development.
       b.      Maintain, restore, and enhance ecosystems
       c.      Protect scenic beauty.

Benefits

Applications for FRPP are under a continuous sign-up, with applications accepted by NRCS at any time. There is a cut-off date, however, where applications will be ranked and tentatively selected for funding. Applicants after that date will automatically be deferred to the next funding cycle. 

The FRPP provides matching funds to State, Tribal, or local governments or non-governmental organizations that have active farm and ranch land protection programs, to acquire conservation easements. These easements prohibit the conversion of farm and ranch land to nonagricultural uses, and ensure that the agricultural capacity of the soils remains viable for future generations. State, Tribal, or local governments or non-governmental organizations must have an active program to purchase agricultural conservation easements to participate in the FRPP and meet the other requirements of eligible entities described below.

Eligible entities that have pending offers that meet the program eligibility may submit their proposed parcels to NRCS State offices continuously throughout the year. Entities requesting funding must submit a pending offer for each parcel in the proposal and have the required matching funds in cash at the time of application. When FRPP funds are available, the Chief of NRCS allocates funds to each NRCS State office. The State office staff ranks the proposed parcels and selects parcels for funding.

NRCS enters into cooperative agreements with eligible entities that are associated with the parcels selected and obligates the NRCS funds for their acquisition. NRCS refers to eligible entities that have entered into an FRPP cooperative agreement as “cooperating entities.”  Each state will establish ranking criteria that will prioritize enrollment of FRPP parcels. 

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