NEWS

United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service
9173 W. Barnes Dr., Suite C
Boise, Idaho 83709
 
For more information:
Bob Bartholomew, 208-378-5703
Dastina Johnson, 208-685-6978

Funds available TO PROTECT IDAHO’S WORKING FARMS AND RANCHeS
Project proposals due April 27, 2007

Boise, Idaho, April 16, 2007— Approximately $430,000 is available to protect agricultural land in Idaho through the federal Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) in fiscal year 2007, said Rich Sims, State Conservationist for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

“This program helps communities preserve open space, wildlife habitat and cultural resources,” said Sims.  “This is an exceptional way to keep prime farmland in agriculture while simultaneously relieving development pressures to sustain farming and ranching communities.”

NRCS is seeking proposals from local, state and federally recognized tribal governments and non-governmental organizations interested in working together to acquire conservation easements on farms and ranches.  Proposals are due to the NRCS State Office in Boise by the close of business Friday, April 27, 2007 for funding consideration.  Instructions for project proposals are available at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/frpp.

FRPP protects productive agricultural land by purchasing conservation easements to limit conversion of farm and ranch lands to non-agricultural uses.  NRCS provides up to 50 percent of the appraised fair market value of the conservation easement in this voluntary program. State, tribal and local entities must match the amount and can include landowner donations.

Since 2002, Idaho NRCS and its sponsors have entered nearly 2,000 acres into three FRPP conservation easements for $2.8 million.

The eligible farm or ranch must meet the following components: 
contain prime, unique or statewide-important soils or historic or archaeological sites; be part of a pending offer from a non-governmental organization, state, tribe or local farmland protection program; be privately owned; large enough to sustain agricultural production; accessible to markets for what the land produces; and surrounded by parcels of land that can support long-term agricultural production.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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