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Grassland Reserve Program

Staff Contact:

Interested agricultural producers should contact their local Louisiana NRCS field office.

The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 extended Grasslands Reserve Program (GRP) authorization for fiscal year 2013. States can now accept new applications for GRP; however funding for enrolling new applications into the program is currently pending. Current enrollments will continue to be processed.

The Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) provides assistance to landowners and operators to protect grazing uses and related conservation values on eligible private range and pasture lands. The program emphasizes support of grazing operations, maintaining and improving plant and animal biodiversity, and protecting grasslands under threat of conversion to cropping, urban development, or other non-grazing uses. This program is administered jointly by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the Farm Service Agency (FSA).

In Fiscal Year 2013 Rental Rates for GRP contracts can be obtained from the Louisiana Farm Service Agency.

Easement compensation will be the lower amount of the following methods:

  • Appraisal;
  • The Geographic Area Rate Cap (GARC) determined from 2012 National Agricultural Statistic Service (NASS) Pasture Value for Louisiana is $2,300.00/ac; or
  • Landowner Offer.

The Grassland Reserve Program offers several enrollment options, including permanent easements and 10, 15, or 20-year rental agreements.  All options allow for grazing practices that maintain the land’s viability in addition to haying, mowing, harvesting seed production, fire rehabilitation, and construction of fire breaks and fences.

GRP helps landowners and operators restore and protect grasslands, rangelands, shrublands, and pastureland while maintaining the land as grazing lands.  The Grassland Reserve Program will conserve vulnerable grasslands from conversion to cropland or other uses and conserve valuable grasslands by helping maintain viable ranching operations.

  • Lands offered for enrollment should be private grassland (including improved pastures and rangelands) in which grazing is the predominate use, or
     
  • Land located in an area that has been historically dominated by grassland, forbs, and shrubs and is compatible with gazing uses, and has the potential to provide habitat for animal or plant populations of significant ecological value or contains historical/archeological properties.
GRP was reauthorized in the 2008 Farm Bill and is administered jointly by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA, in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service.
Additional information and application forms can be obtained by contacting your local Louisiana NRCS field office, FSA Website, or the National Grassland Reserve Website.