United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Service
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Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP)


Updated 11/17/09
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 state's Voluntary Farmland Protection Act in 2000 to complement the Federal Farm and Ranch land 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. 

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 and the formation of the Association of WV Farmland Protection Programs. See link for more information: http://www.wvfarmlandprotection.org/

Eligibility

County or state farmland protection entities with available matching funds may submit applications on behalf of requesting landowners.  Landowners must apply through their local farmland protection board or land trust.

For additional information in West Virginia contact:


Contact Person Title Telephone Number e-mail Address
Greg Kist Acting ASTC-Programs 304-284-7595 Greg.Kist@wv.usda.gov

The National FRPP program website is at http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/frpp/.

For More Information

Contact your local USDA NRCS Service Center
by clicking the county on the map.
 

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