Grassland Reserve Program
Farm Bill 2002
GRP Questions and Answers
August 2004
Q. What is the Grassland Reserve Program?
A. The Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) is a voluntary
program that helps landowners and operators restore and protect grassland,
including rangeland, shrubland and pastureland, and certain other lands,
while maintaining the areas as grazing lands. The program emphasizes support
for working grazing operations; enhancement of plant and animal
biodiversity; and protection of grassland and land containing shrubs and
forbs under threat of conversion to cropping, urban development, and other
activities that threaten grassland resources. The program is administered by
USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and Farm Service Agency
(FSA), in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service.
Q. What are the goals of the program?
A. The program goals are to help conserve, restore and
protect two million acres of grassland, rangeland, shrubland and pastureland
by purchasing easements, entering into long-term rental agreements, and
providing technical and financial assistance to participants for restoring
the functions and values of grasslands and shrublands.
Q. What land is eligible?
A. GRP is available on privately owned lands and Tribal
lands, including grassland; land that contains forbs or shrubs (including
improved rangeland and pastureland); or land that is located in an area that
historically has been dominated by grassland, forbs, and shrubs and has
potential to provide habitat for animal or plant populations of significant
ecological value if the land is retained in its current use or restored to a
natural condition. Incidental lands may be included to allow for the
efficient administration of a rental agreement or easement, as determined by
the NRCS State Conservationist.
Q. Is there a limit on the number of acres a landowner may enroll in the
program?
A. There is no national maximum limitation on the amount
of land that may be offered for the program. However, there is a minimum
requirement established in law. Offers for enrollment must contain at least
40 contiguous acres, unless special circumstances exist to accept a lesser
amount. These special circumstances are determined by the NRCS State
Conservationist.
Q. Who may participate in the program?
A. Only landowners may submit applications for
easements. Both landowners and operators may participate on rental and
restoration agreements. Operators may participate on rental agreements only
when they provide evidence that they will have control of the property for
the length of the agreement and have landowner concurrence.
Q. Could the Adjusted Gross Income provision of the 2002 Farm Bill impact my
participation in GRP?
A. Yes, if you are an individual or entity that has an
average adjusted gross income exceeding $2.5 million for the three tax years
immediately preceding the application year, you are not eligible to receive
program benefits or payments. However, an exemption is provided in cases
where 75 percent of the adjusted gross income is derived from farming,
ranching, or forestry operations.
Q. What enrollment options exist?
A. Enrollment options are: 30-year and permanent
easements; 10-year, 15-year, 20-year or 30-year rental agreements; and
cost-share restoration agreements which may be used in conjunction with any
easement or rental agreement.
Q. Who holds the easement?
A. The Commodity Credit Corporation holds the easement,
unless the Secretary of Agriculture authorizes a private conservation or
land trust organization or State agency to administer an easement.
Q. What are the requirements of the GRP?
A. All enrollment options permit:
- Common grazing practices that maintain the vitality of the
grassland;
- Haying, mowing, or harvesting for seed production, subject to
certain restrictions during the nesting season, as determined by NRCS;
and
- Fire rehabilitation and construction of fire breaks and fences.
GRP rental agreements and easements prohibit production of crops (other
than hay) that require breaking the soil surface, as well as fruit trees and
vineyards; and any other activity that would disturb the surface of the
land, except for appropriate land management activities included in a
grassland resource management plan. Participants will be required to follow
a grassland resource management plan developed by NRCS (or a designated
third party) and the participant to preserve the integrity of the grassland.
USDA will use a conservation easement deed. Landowners who participate in an
easement option agree to:
- Provide a written statement of consent to the easement from those
holding a security interest or any vested interest in the land;
- Provide proof of clear title; • Comply with other terms of the
easement, grassland resource management plan, and restoration agreement.
- Provide access to NRCS or its representative for easement
administration and monitoring activities.
Q. Is land enrolled in GRP subject to conservation compliance and
swampbuster?
A. Yes, persons interested in participating in GRP must
comply with the highly erodible land and wetland conservation compliance
provisions of the 1985 Food Security Act, as amended.
Q. When is a cost-share restoration agreement developed?
A. A grassland resource management plan is developed to
maintain, enhance, or restore grassland functions and values of the land. A
cost-share restoration agreement is developed when it is determined that
cost-share is needed to enhance or restore grassland functions and values of
the land. NRCS, working in conjunction with the conservation district and
the participant, determines if a cost-share restoration agreement is a
necessary part of the rental agreement or easement.
Q. How do I apply for the program?
A. To participate, interested persons submit an
application to their local NRCS or FSA office in the local USDA Service
Center. Applications for the program are accepted at any time.
Q. How will my application be evaluated for funding?
A. Each State will establish ranking criteria that will
prioritize enrollment of working grasslands. The ranking criteria will
consider threats of conversion, including cropping, invasive species, urban
development, and other activities that threaten plant and animal diversity
on grazing lands.
Q. Are lands containing non-native plant species eligible?
A. Lands containing both native and non-native grass and
forbs are eligible for protection and restoration under GRP. The protection
of declining native plant communities may receive priority points for
protection under GRP through State developed ranking criteria.
Q. How is the contract or easement value determined?
A. The value of an easement is determined through a
professional appraisal. The landowner is paid the fair market value of the
land, less the grassland value of the land. For 30-year easements or an
easement for the maximum duration allowed under State or Tribal law, a
landowner receives 30 percent of the fair market value of the land, less the
grassland value of the land.
For 10-, 15-, 20-, and 30-year rental agreements, the participant receives
not more than 75 percent of the grazing value in an annual payment for the
length of the agreement. Grazing values will be determined based on local
prevailing rental rates.
Q. Can GRP easements or agreements be terminated to enroll lands in other
conservation programs?
A. There are no termination provisions in GRP easements.
For rental agreements, decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis by the
NRCS State Conservationist in consultation with the FSA State Executive
Director.
For More Information
If you need more information about GRP, please contact your local USDA
Service Center, listed in the telephone book under U.S. Department of
Agriculture, or your local conservation district. Information also is available
on the World Wide Web at:
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/farmbill/2002/ and
http://www.fsa.usda.gov/dafp/GRP/default1.htm
Visit USDA on the Web at:
http://www.usda.gov/farmbill
Note: This is not intended to be a definitive interpretation of
farm legislation. Rather, it is preliminary and may change as USDA develops
implementing policies and procedures. Please check back for updates.
August 2004
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