Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP)

Overview

Protecting farmland from permanent conversion to non-agricultural land uses in West Virginia is at a critical stage. The state has limited prime farmland acreage and the loss of each acre has a more profound impact upon the rural economy, rural lifestyle, and farm families than in any other state. For this reason the legislature passed the states’ Voluntary Farmland Protection Act in 2000 to complement the Federal Farm and Ranchland Protection Program. Counties and the State can cooperate with local land trusts and landowners to purchase voluntarily offered agricultural conservation easements that permanently reserve these lands for farming. In 2002 the NRCS State Conservationist was able to provide $411,900 in Federal Farm and Ranchland Protection Funds to purchase easements on 667 acres of land valued at $838,400. In 2003, $977,536 in federal FRPP funds were provided to protect 1000 acres of farmland with an easement value of $2.23 million. Since 2002 landowners in the state submitted over 40 proposals for over $8 million worth of easements through 2004. This level of interest is expected to grow in future years as counties develop their programs and the state program becomes fully operational.

2004 Accomplishments

In 2004, $1,574,000 in federal FRPP funds were provided to protect 1489 acres of farmland with an easement value of $3.981 million. Other related relationships have been formed between the Canaan Valley Institute to protect watersheds through farm and ranchland protection and assistance to the counties and the state. Also, partnerships with the WV Land Trust and the Nature Conservancy as well as the WV Coalition of Land Trusts have led to joint support of farmland protection efforts in the state.

NRCS requested Farm and Ranchlands Protection Program Funds for the 2005 Federal fiscal year and has received preliminary allocation of $1.645 million to protect approximately 1800 acres and anticipates requesting $2.5 million for the 2006 Federal Fiscal Year to protect approximately 2500 acres.

2004 FPP Success Stories:

< Back to 2004 Annual Report