Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program

The purpose of the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) is to protect agricultural use and related conservation values of eligible land by limiting nonagricultural uses of the land. The program protects valuable farm and ranch lands for future generations. To achieve that purpose, the Secretary 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 goals of the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program are to— Protect agricultural productivity by limiting nonagricultural uses of land; Preserve farmland for future generations; and 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. This program was repealed by the 2014 Farm Bill, easements and 30-year contracts previously enrolled under WRP are considered enrolled in the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program.

Entities must prove their eligibility by providing documents indicating their commitment to long-term conservation of agricultural lands through legal devices, such as right-to-farm laws, agricultural districts, zoning, or land use planning; uses of voluntary approaches to protect farmland from conversion to non-agricultural uses; and their capability to acquire, manage, and enforce conservation easements. Programs must have a systematic plan for acquiring conservation easements, have a proven commitment to agricultural land protection, and sufficient funds and staff to monitor and enforce conservation easements.

Each eligible entity is required to contribute cash towards the conservation easement acquisition. The eligible entity must contribute a minimum of 25 percent of the purchase price of the easement (appraised fair market value minus the landowner donation). Each eligible entity is required to fund its own administrative costs in acquiring easements, such as appraisals, surveys, title searches, and costs incurred in managing and enforcing the easements.