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Impacts of the Federal Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program:

Impacts of the Federal Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program: An Assessment Based on Interviews with Participating Landowners. Purpose. Determine if the FRPP was achieving its stated purpose:

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Impacts of the Federal Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program:

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  1. Impacts of the Federal Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program: An Assessment Based on Interviews with Participating Landowners

  2. Purpose • Determine if the FRPP was achieving its stated purpose: “…to protect the agricultural use and related conservation values of eligible land by limiting nonagricultural use of that land.” • Learn if the program was delivering other benefits

  3. Methods • Dr. Esseks coordinated landowner interviews • AFT helped develop the questionnaire • The Bureau for Sociological Research interviewed 506 landowners ̶ a 54% response • Dr. Esseks analyzed responses and prepared report

  4. Paths to Ownership

  5. Landowner Characteristics • Most were men • 76% of all respondents were men, 24% women • Among owner-operators, 81% men, 19% women • Many will transfer their land in the next 20 years • 71% are 56 or older • 41% are 66 or older • 3% were 35 or younger

  6. Farm Characteristics • Location • Most of the protected farms are in the Northeast • Distribution of the sample tracks entire list of program participants • Fewest participants from the Plains • Farm Size • Average size was 352 acres • Median was 140 acres

  7. Farm Characteristics Products Raised • 84% grew field crops • 64% used land for pasture • 19% produced timber products or syrup • 11% grew fruits, nursery or greenhouse crops Sales • Relatively more operations fell into the higher sales categories • Smaller share fell into bottom revenue group

  8. Farm Characteristics Direct Marketing • 42% marketed products directly to consumers • 26% sold food directly to consumers vs. 6% of operators nationwide

  9. FRPP Keeps Land Available for Agriculture • Protected land is in active production • 96% said at least some of their land was in agricultural use • 70% said ¾ was being farmed • 48% reported that all of their land was in production • 70% of owners are also operators; proportion is even higher among farm purchasers

  10. FRPP Improves Farm Viability • 84% spent at least some of their proceeds for agricultural purposes • 65% ranked an agricultural purpose as either their first or second largest expenditure • Average easement payment received by these landowners was $535,287

  11. FRPP Strengthens the Agricultural Sector

  12. FRPP Encourages On-Farm Conservation • 67% have a written conservation plan • 75% had applied at least one practice • 68% of owner-operators adopted practices to prevent erosion and protect water quality

  13. FRPP Encourages On-Farm Conservation • FRPP requires plans for highly erodible and certain forested parcels • Landowners received technical assistance from the entity that holds their easement • Easement proceeds enabled landowners to install and expand practices

  14. FRPP Helps Farmers Gain Access to Land • Gives farmers the capital to purchase land • 55% repaid loans on farm and ranch land they already owned or bought additional land • Makes land more affordable at the outset • 65% of protected farm purchasers said the price was lower than comparable unprotected land • 30% of purchasers said they bought the protected land because it was affordable • 37% said the easement helped them get a loan

  15. FRPP Helps Farmers Gain Access to Land • 61% of owners have succession plans • 69% of those with plans reported that the next owner would be a farmer • 92% of the identified successors are relatives • 5% of those who sold easements reported that one of their goals was to facilitate transfer of ownership

  16. FRPP Helps Young & Beginning Farmers • 12 young and beginning farmers purchased protected land • 19 landowners rent their land to young and beginning farmers • 56 young and beginning farmers sold easements • 111 owners with identified successors said the next owner would be a young or beginning farmer

  17. Landowner Satisfaction and Motivations • 96% were satisfied • 68% protected their land to save it for agriculture • 72% said the program had helped them achieve their goals • 47% said they would have been worse off if they had not sold an easement

  18. Farmland Information Center www.farmlandinfo.org (800) 370 – 4879

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