Missouri's Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP) Proposal Requirements

Qualified Entities

These may include any state, tribal, and local governments, and non-governmental organizations such as land trusts, that have a Conservation Easement program. To document its qualifications, a land trust should include in the proposal:

• Documentation of non-profit status. IRS 501(c)3 status is sufficient
• Information that demonstrates the capability to acquire, hold, manage, and enforce Conservation Easements. This should include:
• Title appraisal policies or standards
• Ranking or selection criteria used to evaluate land for potential conservation easements
• Staff capacity and a management plan for easement stewardship
• An example of the land trust’s conservation easement deed
• Sufficient funds for easement acquisition, monitoring and possible enforcement. This should include the availability of funding to cover the costs of acquisition of the parcel in question. A treasurer’s report or monthly bank statement is sufficient.

Although not required, information about the land trust’s history and experience with conservation easements will be helpful. For example, how many conservation easements are currently being managed? How long has the land trust held conservation easements?

For a particular parcel of land to qualify for FRPP, the following documentation is required:

• A pending agreement between the land trust and the landowner to acquire a conservation easement on the property. This should include the landowner’s signature, or include other signed documentation of the landowner’s willingness to participate
• A map of the parcel, showing either areas of "prime" or "statewide important" soils, or the location of historic sites
• The percentage of the parcel that is "prime" or "statewide important" soils, or
• Documentation that the historic site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, or deemed eligible for listing. For eligibility, a letter from the State Historical Preservation Officer (Mike Chalfant, 573-522-8453) is sufficient

• The size of the parcel, in acres
• The landowner’s name and contact address
• The parcel address and location map
• A map showing the adjacent parcels. For each adjacent parcel, indicate if it is in agricultural use, or urban use, and if it is protected as a park or with a conservation easement
• The cost of the easement, as determined by the appraised fair market value of the parcel, and the appraised value of the parcel as agricultural land. Appraisal documentation should be included. Appraisals must be completed by a state certified appraiser, and should include the appraiser’s disclosure statement
• The requested cost-share for USDA (not to exceed 50 percent of the total easement cost)
• IRS Form 8283, if the landowner is donating part of the value of the conservation easement
• An NRCS conservation plan, or documentation that one will be completed
• The ranking score or other indication of how the parcel qualified according to the land trust’s land evaluation policies
• Names of any other partners in the funding or management of the conservation easement
• Documentation that the parcel is part of an agricultural operation
• Indication if the parcel is a Missouri Century Farm (note: Century Farm status is helpful but not required)
• Indication of other community values served by the proposed easement. These may include educational value as an outdoor classroom or demonstration farm, part of an environmentally sensitive watershed or ecosystem, designation as agricultural or greenway in a community or regional master plan, use for land applicaiton of municipal or feedlot waste, critical wildlife habitat, etc.

Note: a response to the last bullet item is helpful but not required.

• Submitting a Proposal

< Back to Farm and Ranchland Protection Program