Office of Farmland Preservation

jgiuntoli June 8th, 2009

Spokane, Wash. (June 8, 2009) — Farmers and ranchers in Western Washington and two Eastern Washington counties have a short time to take advantage of a program to help protect their grasslands from development. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced the 2009 sign-up for the Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) and will be accepting applications through June 26, 2009.

GRP is a voluntary program that financially assists landowners with restoration and protection of grassland, rangeland, pastureland and other lands, and provides assistance for rehabilitating grasslands and conserving water resources. The goal is to assist producers in conserving valuable grasslands and rangelands under a threat of conversion to non-agricultural use.

USDA’s Natural Resource Conservation Service and Farm Service Agency manage the program. Farmers and ranchers may sign up at USDA service centers in Western Washington and in Asotin and Douglas counties.

“Washington’s rangelands are a vital part of our state’s economy and our natural resource base,” said Dave Brown, assistant state conservationist for Washington’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. “Through this voluntary program, we will work with producers to protect valuable rangelands from conversion to other land uses, keeping them in agricultural use as grazing lands. For lands under contract or easements, grazing will be managed to ensure sustainability.”

Over 21 percent of Washington’s non-federal lands are pasturelands and rangelands, covering over 7 million acres in the state. Nationally, privately owned rangelands, grasslands and shrublands cover more than 525 million acres.

A total of $550,000 has been made available in Washington for this year’s GRP signup. Western Washington farmers and ranchers may apply for funding to be used for permanent conservation easements. Priority will be for grasslands that include native grass and forb species. In Asotin and Douglas counties, farmers and ranchers have the option for 10, 15, or 20-year rental contracts. Priority will be given to land expiring from the Conservation Reserve Program.

Easements and rental agreements allow grazing practices, including those related to forage and seed production. Activities inconsistent with maintaining grazing uses and related conservation values are prohibited.

“This is first and foremost a conservation program. It just happens to be one that enables a rancher or farmer to continue production on the land,” said Melissa Cummins, acting state executive director for Washington’s Farm Service Agency. “The environmental benefits of the land and the producer both provide value to society.”

Applications are made on a competitive offer basis. To participate in GRP, offers must be for private land. Ranking criteria will be used to accept the top applications based on environmental benefits.

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.

Additional details on payments and cost-share for the program can be found on Washington NRCS’s website at: http://www.wa.nrcs.usda.gov

For more information about GRP and other conservation programs, contact your local USDA Service Center, listed in the telephone book under U.S. Department of Agriculture, or online at http://www.wa.nrcs.usda.gov/contact/fieldoffices.html.

• News