United States Department of Agriculture
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Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP)

The Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) provides matching funds to help purchase development rights to keep productive farm and ranchland in agricultural uses. Working through existing programs, USDA partners with State, tribal, or local governments and non-governmental organizations to acquire conservation easements or other interests in land from landowners. USDA provides up to 50 percent of the fair market easement value. A 25% or greater match must come from an entity other than the landowner in order to be eligible for the program. Further requirements for FRPP eligibility are listed below.

Eligible Farmland

To qualify, farmland must:

  • Be privately owned
  • Be included in a pending offer from a State, Tribal, or local government or non-governmental organization’s farmland protection program
  • Qualifying entity or individual does not exceed the Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) limitation
  • Contain at least 50% of some combination of prime, statewide, unique or other productive farm land, or include important historical or archaeological resources
  • Be in conservation compliance
  • Be covered by a conservation plan for any highly erodible land that addresses the long term viability of the farm
  • Be large enough to sustain agricultural production and be surrounded by parcels of land that can support long-term agricultural production
  • Be accessible to markets for what the land produces
  • Be part of a systematically protected area
  • Have access to adequate infrastructure and agricultural support services

Who can participate?

Any agency of State or local government, a Federally recognized Indian Tribe, or a qualifying non-government organization can participate. A qualifying program utilizes voluntary easements or other legal devices to protect productive farmland.

2012 Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program Information

Sign-up periods are continuous, but for 2012 funding, applications must be submitted by March 30, 2012.

Additional Information

The following documents are available in Adobe Acrobat or Microsoft Excel:

Program Contact

Chris Hancock Chris Hancock
Resource Conservationist -- FRPP Coordinator
(615) 277-2597

Learn more about the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program from the national FRPP web page and get more information about grants from the grants page.

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