USDA Announces Sign-Up for
New Grassland Reserve Program (GRP)

Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman announced that the first sign-up for the Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) began nationwide on June 30, 2003. The 2002 Farm Bill amended the Food Security Act of 1985 to include authorization for this program.

"Grasslands provide critical ecological benefits and play a key role in environmental quality, as well as contributing to the economies of many rural areas," said Veneman. "This voluntary program helps protect valuable grasslands from conversion to other land uses, thus helping to ensure this national resource is available to future generations."

Grasslands make up the largest land cover on America’s private lands. Privately-owned grasslands and shrublands cover more than 525 million acres in the United States. For the first time, the US Department of Agriculture will direct financial resources and technical expertise to help landowners protect and serve these lands.

Applications for participation will be accepted on a continuous basis at local USDA service centers. Once funding has been exhausted, eligible applicants will remain on file until additional funding becomes available. Veneman previously announced that $49.9 million in fiscal year 2003 funds are available to implement GRP.

The NRCS, Farm Service Agency, and Forest Service are coordinating implementation of GRP, which helps landowners restore and protect grassland, rangeland, pastureland, shrubland, and certain other lands and provides assistance for rehabilitating grasslands. The program will conserve vulnerable grasslands from conversion to cropland or other uses and valuable grasslands by helping maintain viable ranching operations.

When properly managed, grasslands and shrublands can result in cleaner water supplies, healthier riparian areas and reduced sediment loadings in streams and other water bodies. These lands are vital for the production of forage for domestic livestock and provide forage and habitat for maintaining healthy wildlife populations. These lands also improve the aesthetic character of the landscape, provide scenic vistas and open space, provide for recreational activities and protect the soil from water and wind erosion.

GRP offers producers several enrollment options: permanent easements, 30-year easements, rental agreements (10, 15, 20, or 30-year duration) and restoration agreements. For permanent easements, USDA makes a payment based on the fair market value of the property less the grazing value. For 30-year easements, USDA pays 30% of what would be paid for a permanent easement. For rental agreements, USDA pays 75% of the grazing value in annual payments for the length of the agreement.

For restoration agreements, USDA pays up to 90% of the restoration costs on grassland and shrubland that has never been cultivated and not more than 75% on restored grassland and shrubland (land that once was cultivated).

To participate in GRP, offers must be private land that includes at least 40 contiguous acres.
Additional eligibility criteria are described on the NRCS website at:
www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs/farmbill/2002,

or call your local NRCS office: