NS - Grant Application Federal Farm & Ranch Land Protection Program for Ag Conservation Easements

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NC Bulletin 300-4-10 Page 3 eligibility and approval of the respective program (EQIP, WHIP, NC Agricultural Cost Share Program, etc). Planning to the resource management system level is desirable and should be encouraged. If the plan does not meet the RMS level of planning, then the NRCS planning policy on progressive planning will be followed (i.e. the plan will list and explain the practices needed to reach the RMS level). However, at a minimum, conservation plans on all enrolled land must meet the criteria as outlined in Attachment 2, FRPP Conservation Planning Requirements. Questions concerning the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program should be addressed first to the local NRCS field office, then to the appropriate NRCS area office, and then to the program manager, Dick Fowler. Information on the web can be found at: http://www. nres.usda.gov/programs/frpp Proposals from eligible entities should be forwarded to: Dick Y. Fowler USDA-NRCS 4405 Bland Road, Suite 205 Raleigh, NC 27609 All proposal packages should address and include each of the items listed in the request for proposals. The attached NRCS Farmland Protection Program ranking worksheet should be completed and submitted for each farm included in the proposal. Please note that part 6 of the ranking worksheet must be completed by the local NRCS district conservationist and SWCD representative. Narratives should be submitted to cover any required items that are not addressed by the worksheet or any item in the worksheet that the applicant feels would benefit from additional clarification. The Summary of Pending Easement Offers (Attachment 4) should be completed with information for all farms included in the proposal. Incomplete proposal packets may result in the proposal not being considered for funding. A Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program committee will evaluate proposals and a prioritized recommendation for funding will be sent to the NRCS State Conservationist for consideration. The numerical score from the ranking worksheet, along with all other supporting data, will be used to prioritize funding requests. The State Conservationist will determine the funding amounts for the successful applicants. The program manager will notify all entities as to their funding status once final allocations are determined. Funding decisions are expected to be available within 30 days after the close of the Request For Proposals. All funds must be encumbered to agreements with eligible entities by September 30, 2004. ~~ Mary K. Combs State Conservationist Attachments