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Federal Farm Programs

Farm Bill Update
Last-minute negotiations continue on the Farm Bill, but there are very positive rumors about both the tax incentive for conservation easement donations, and about funding for key easement programs.
Press reports indicate that the conferees have agreed to a two-year extension of the conservation easement incentive, and that they have agreed to allocate five year totals of more than $1 billion to Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (nearly twice the funding in the 2002 Farm Bill), and $300 million for the Grassland Reserve Program (about $50 million more than in the 2002 Bill).  We expect good policy changes – including multi-year cooperative agreements for FRPP that will preclude precipitous rules changes for program participants.
This is great news, BUT:

• There still is not a final deal between the House and Senate;
• The White House is still saying they are very unhappy with the legislation as a whole, and may veto it; and,
• The conferees have been discussing new limits on payments from conservation programs (including the easement programs), and limits that could restrict who would be eligible to participate that could impact Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, and some landowners.

What We Need To Do
Please contact your Representative and Senators, thank them for the conservation provisions mentioned above, tell them how important they are for your area, and ask them to support passage of the Farm Bill. (posted 5/1/08)

Good News on the Farm Bill
The House of Representatives passed a Farm Bill that would increase funding for the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program to $300 million a year over five years and add 1 million acres to the Grassland Reserve Program. Both of these programs provide funding for conservation easements on agricultural lands.

Now the program is making its way through the Senate via the Farm Bill. On November 2nd, Land Trust Alliance's Midwest and Western partners sent a letter to the Senate asking for support of this valuable conservation funding. This letter is the culmination of the work of a coalition of western groups that worked to improve the Grassland Reserve Program, bring it to the attention of Congress, and get it funded properly. The letter is not only impressive for what it says, its impact also lies in who signed it. The diverse groups that came together in support of the GRP impressed members of Congress, and will hopefully encourage the Senate to pass the Bill. (updated 12/07/07)

Farm and Ranchland Protection Program in Jeopardy
As the House rushes to pass a Farm Bill, an amendment intended to simplify the law could create serious problems for the program. See the Advocates alert for more information. (updated 7/25/2007)

Land Trust Alliance Develops Platform on the Reauthorization
of FRPP
The Land Trust Alliance is working with several organizations to increase funding for the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program. Learn more background information about the program and see our four recommended changes to the program. (updated 4/11/2007)

Land Trust Alliance Comments on FRPP Interim Rule
Comments were submitted on September 25, 2006 to the Natural Resources Conservation Service regarding changes to the current Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program. Land Trust Alliance made several recommendations covering various topics including real property interest, appraisal standards, impervious surface requirements, and others. See the comments here. (updated 12/05/2006)

Resources at the Farmland Information Center 
American Farmland Trust has a Farmland Information Center (FIC) Visit the FIC website or call the FIC’s experts at 800-370-4879 to find the answers to your farming-related questions. 2006 Update: Based on feedback from visitors, the site has new state pages that bundle key contacts, statistics, literature, laws, sample documents and legislative briefs to provide a snapshot of farmland protection activity.

NRCS Conservation Security Program
The Conservation Security Program (CSP) is a voluntary program that provides financial and technical assistance to promote the conservation and improvement of soil, water, air, energy, plant and animal life, and other conservation purposes on Tribal and private working lands. CSP is administered by USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Farm Bill 2002: FARMLAND PROTECTION PROGRAM LEGISLATION
The Farmland Protection Program (FPP) is administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and provides matching funds to purchase conservation easements on working farms and ranches. (posted 4/03)

List of NRCS State Representatives
From the NRCS Web site, these are the primary contacts for participation in the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program.