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ATTACHMENT #2 N R C S Farm B4111 2002 Natural Resources Conservation Service United States Department of Agriculture Program Description Farmland Protection May 2002 Program Overview The Farmland Protection Program (FPP) is a voluntary program that helps farmers and ranchers keep their land in agriculture and prevents conversion of agricultural land to non - agricultural uses. The program provides matching funds to State, Tribal, and local governments and non- governmental organizations with existing farmland protection programs to purchase conservation easements. These entities purchase easements from landowners in exchange for a lump sum payment, not to exceed the appraised fair market value of the land's development rights. The easements are for a minimum of 30 years. To date, all easements accepted into the program have been for perpetuity. Authority FPP is authorized by the Food Security Act of 1985, as amended. FPP is reauthorized in the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Farm Bill). The Secretary of Agriculture delegated the authority for FPP to the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), who is a vice president of the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC). Scope FPP is available in all 50 States, the Caribbean Area (Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands), and the Pacific Basin Area (Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands). To participate in FPP, NRCS State offices must submit a State FPP plan. How FPP Works The CCC, through MRCS, requests proposals from Federally recognized Indian Tribes, States, units of local government, and non- governmental organizations to cooperate in the acquisition of conservation easements or other interests on farms and ranches. Once an entity is selected, the NRCS State conservationist enters into a cooperative agreement with, and obligates money to, the entity. The entity works with the landowner, processes the easement acquisition, and holds, manages, and enforces the easement. The Federal share of any easement acquisition is limited to a maximum of 50 percent of the appraised fair market value of the conservation easement. A contingent right interest in the property must be incorporated in each easement deed for the protection of the Federal investment. Eligibility Land. Entire farms or ranches may be enrolled in FPP. The farmland or ranch land must contain at least 50 percent of prime, unique, Statewide, or locally important soil or contain historic or archaeological sites. These lands must also be subject to a pending offer from an eligible entity for the purpose of limiting conversion of the land to non - agricultural uses. Eligible land includes cropland, rangeland, grassland, pasture land, and forest land that is part of an agricultural operation. Incidental land that would not otherwise be eligible may be considered eligible as part of a pending offer, if inclusion would significantly augment protection of the associated eligible farm or ranch land. Farms or ranches with historical or archaeological resources must meet the following criteria: • Be listed in the National Register of Historic Places (established under the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), 16 USC 470, et seq.); or The Natural Resources Conservation Service provides leadership in a partnership effort to help people conserve, maintain, and improve our natural resources and environment. An Equal Opportunity Provider and Employer