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Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program
- Wisconsin
The Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) keeps productive
farmland in privately owned agricultural use by assisting States, Tribes,
and local government or non-profit entities with the purchase of conservation easements or development rights on productive farmland,
and on farms containing significant
historical or archaeological resources. Through a cooperative agreement, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
provides up to 50% of the purchase cost for perpetual easements (in
Wisconsin) on eligible farmland.
2009 Funding Announced
For FY2009, $2,008,840 in FRPP funds will be available in Wisconsin.
Applications will be accepted beginning March 23, 2009. The first ranking
period for proposals will be on May 23, 2009. All eligible applications
will be scored and ranked at that time. Top-ranked proposals from the
first ranking period will sign cooperative agreements and obligate funds by July
15, 2009.
Eligible Farmland
- Contains at least 50% prime, statewide
important, unique, or other productive farmland,
or includes important historical or archaeological sites
- Is privately owned and is part of a working farm
- Has a pending offer for purchase of development rights (conservation easement) from a State, Tribal,
church, hospital, school or local farmland protection program
- Meets highly erodible land provisions of the Food
Security Act
- Has location, size, and existing protections, such as zoning, that support
long-term agricultural use
Who can participate?
State, Tribal, church, hospital, school or local entities with a qualifying farmland protection program can participate. A qualifying program utilizes voluntary easements or other legal devices to protect productive farmland.
NRCS provides up to 50% of the purchase cost of the easement to the cooperating entity. The cooperating entity acquires, manages, and enforces the easement.
Application procedures
Each year the NRCS issues a Request for Proposals, detailing the current application guidelines and priorities.
Eligible entities then submit proposals to the Wisconsin NRCS State Conservationist. The proposal includes:
- An overview of the State, Tribal, local or non-profit farmland protection program
- The amount and source of funds available for easement acquisition
- The criteria used to set acquisition priorities
- Information on pending offers including: parcel size and location, acres of prime farmland, easement cost and duration,
historical or archaeological resources, development pressure, zoning, and local
land use plans.
NRCS evaluates the proposals
using required national ranking criteria
and state criteria developed
with advice from the State
Technical Committee. Cooperative agreements
are prepared for entities selected for participation in the Farm
and Ranch Lands Protection Program.
2009 application
information
For more information/assistance:
A wealth of farmland protection information is available on the American Farmland Trust internet site, and from the
AFT On-line Library, funded by the USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
National FRPP home page, including FRPP fact sheet and Questions & Answers
For current information on the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program in Wisconsin contact:
Peggie James, Wisconsin FRPP Coordinator
8030 Excelsior Drive
Madison, WI 53717
Phone (608) 662-4422 ext 238
Email: peggie.james@wi.usda.gov
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