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�Ow� N RCS Natural Resources Conservation Service United States Department of Agriculture Fact Sheet May 2002 t� Farm Bill 2002 Farmland Protection Program Overview The Farmland Protection Program (FPP) is a voluntary program that helps farmers and ranchers keep their land in agriculture. The program provides matching funds to State, Tribal, or local governments and non- governmental organizations with existing farmland protection programs to purchase conservation easements or other interests in land. FPP is reauthorized in the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Farm Bill). The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) manages the program. Benefit/Accomplishments Through 2001, more than 108,000 acres have been protected in 28 states. How FPP Works USDA works through State, Tribal, and local governments and non - governmental organizations to conduct the FPP. These entities acquire conservation easements from landowners. Participating landowners agree not to convert their land to non - agricultural uses and to develop and implement a conservation plan for any highly erodible land. All highly erodible lands enrolled must have a conservation plan developed based on the standards in the NRCS Field Office Technical Guide and approved by the local conservation district. Landowners retain all rights to use the property for agriculture. To participate, a landowner submits an ' application to an entity —a State, Tribal, or local government or a non - governmental organization —that has an existing farmland protection program. The NRCS State conservationist, with advice from the State Technical Committee, awards funds to qualified entities to conduct their farmland protection programs. Although a minimum of 30 years is required for conservation easements, priority is given to applications with perpetual easements. Eligibility To qualify for FPP, the land offered must be part or all of a farm or ranch and must: • Contain prime, unique, or other productive soil or historical or archaeological resources; • Be included in a pending offer from a State, Tribal, or local government or non- governmental organization's farmland protection program; • Be privately owned; • Be covered by a conservation plan for any highly erodible land; • Be large enough to sustain agricultural production; • Be accessible to markets for what the land produces; and • Be surrounded by parcels of land that can support long -term agricultural production. If the land cannot be converted to non- agricultural uses because of existing deed restrictions or other legal constraints, it is ineligible for FPP. Funding FPP is funded through the Commodity Credit Corporation. The FPP share of the easement cost must not exceed 50 percent of the appraised fair market value of the conservation easement or other interest in the land. A State, 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