Announcement of Grassland Reserve Program Availability

Contact: Jasper Parker, 405-742-1243

Stillwater, July 21, 2004—State Conservationist Darrel Dominick, Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), announces the availability of funding for the Grassland Reserve Program (GRP).  The 2002 Farm Bill amended the Food Security Act of 1985 to include authorization for this program.  The Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) Interim Final Rule was published on May 20, 2004, with a funding level of $70 million for 2004 and is available for all counties in Oklahoma.  Oklahoma has received $2.3 million to enroll land in the 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 Dominick.  “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.”  For the first time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will direct financial resources and technical expertise to help landowners protect and restore these lands.

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

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

GRP offers producers several enrollment options: permanent easements, 30-year easements, rental agreements (10, 15, 20 or 30-year duration), and restoration agreements.  To participate in GRP, offers must be private land that includes at least 40 contiguous acres.

“We are accepting applications for participation in the GRP program on a continuous basis,” adds Dominick.  Applications must be received by August 9, 2004, to be considered for evaluation and funding this fiscal year.  Evaluated applications will be grouped into four pools for the state and selected for funding by August 18, 2004.  Priority resource issues for this application period include the threat of conversion to other land uses, primarily fragmentation through parceling and cultivation.  Consideration is also given for risk to invasive plants and loss of biodiversity.  Applications will be evaluated according to evaluation criteria developed for Oklahoma. The criteria are available at your local NRCS office. Successful applicants with high priority resource concerns will be contacted to develop contracts to obligate the current funding allocation.  Unfunded applications will be maintained for future funding consideration if the applicant chooses to remain on the waiting list.  While maintaining these deferred applications for future consideration, NRCS will continue to work with producers to implement their conservation plans.  

Individual producers that have high priority resource concerns and are interested in participation in GRP may apply at any time at their local NRCS Field Service Center.

All programs and services of the Natural Resources Conservation Service are provided in a nondiscriminatory manner.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s Target Center at 202-720-2600 (voice and TDD).

To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice or TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

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