USDA to Provide Federal Funds to Protect Maine's Working Farms

Project proposals will be accepted through June 5, 2009

Bangor, ME, April 21, 2009 – Juan Hernandez, State Conservationist for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Maine, has announced that the agency has up to $1.4 million available through the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP).

“This program helps ensure that valuable, productive land is protected,” said Hernandez. “The funds will be used to purchase conservation easements to limit conversion of farmland to non-agricultural uses.”

NRCS will accept FRPP proposals from interested state, tribal, and local governments and non-governmental organizations until June 5, 2009. For those proposals selected for funding, NRCS will enter into an agreement to support efforts to protect soils and historical and archaeological sites. NRCS provides up to 50% of the appraised fair market value of the conservation easement. All funds will be awarded to the highest ranked eligible parcels through a statewide, competitive process. Applications submitted after June 5, 2009, will be held for Fiscal Year 2010 funding consideration.

Any state or town government or non-profit organization may apply for FRPP funds by submitting a proposal. Eligible entities must demonstrate a commitment to long-term conservation of agricultural lands, a capacity to acquire and manage easements, have pending offers on a farm, and available funding to match federal funds.

Eligible farmland must be privately owned, subject to a pending offer, and contain at least 50% prime, statewide, or locally important farmland soils. In addition, the farm must include at least one-third cropland, grassland, and pastureland of the total acreage.
 

The following documents require Adobe Acrobat (.pdf)

FRPP Application Form 2009 - fillable format
NRCS CPA 1200 - Conservation Program Application - fillable format
Maine FRPP Ranking Criteria 2009 - State Criteria
Maine FRPP Ranking Criteria 2009 - National Criteria

National NRCS FRPP Website

< Back to News Releases...