U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service is accepting applications for funding on a continuous basis for the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program.
The FRPP 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 farm and ranch land protection programs to purchase conservation easements from landowners.
In turn, landowners agree not to convert their land to non-agricultural uses and to develop and implement a conservation plan for any highly erodible land.
Landowners retain rights to use the property for agriculture. Landowners interested in FRPP will need to work with eligible entities (state, tribal, or local governments and non-governmental organizations).
Eligible entities in Kansas must submit applications to the NRCS State Office in Salina on or before June 12 (extended from May 22) to receive consideration for funding in fiscal year 2009.
Applications will be evaluated to make sure both the entities and landowners meet eligibility requirements.
Individual parcels will be evaluated for eligibility and quality; the highest quality parcels will be selected for funding.
The ranking and selection of parcels will take place immediately after June 12, 2009. Ranking criteria can be obtained at the Kansas NRCS Web site www.ks.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/frpp/kansas_frpp.html.
For further information, contact Jeffrey L. Gross, Assistant State Conservationist for Water Resources, at 785-823-4550 or jeff.gross@ks.usda.gov.
More information is available at www.nrcs.usda.gov or at your nearest USDA Service Center.
Pratt, Kan. —
