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Grassland Reserve Program
Texas 2003 Sign-Up and Application Information

The Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) is a new voluntary conservation program that helps private land owners and operators restore and protect grassland, including rangeland and pastureland.

Emphasis for enrollment into the program is on:

  • support for active grazing operations,
  • plant and animal biodiversity, and
  • grasslands under the greatest threat of conversion.

 

The GRP was authorized in the 2002 Farm Bill and is administered jointly by the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) and the USDA Farm Services Agency (FSA), in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service.

Program Information

These documents require Adobe Acrobat.

Adobe Acrobat documentFact Sheet (71 KB)
Adobe Acrobat documentKey Points (67 KB)
Adobe Acrobat documentQuestions and Answers (71 KB)

 

Enrollment Options

Applicants have the option of choosing either an easement option or a multi-year rental agreement.

Easements

Participants may choose either a permanent or a 30-year easement. USDA will provide all administrative costs associated with recording the easement, including appraisal fees, survey costs, title insurance, and recording fees.

  • Permanent easement - a perpetual easement equal to the fair market value, less the grazing value of the land encumbered by the easement (as determined by an appraisal).
  • 30-year easement - USDA will provide an easement payment equal to 30 percent of the fair market value of the land, less the grazing value of the land for the period during which the land is encumbered by the easement.

 

These documents require Adobe Acrobat.

Adobe Acrobat documentGRP Permanent Warranty Easement Deed, CCC-1255-GRP (May 2003; 165 KB)
Adobe Acrobat documentGRP 30-Year Warranty Easement Deed CCC1255-GRP (May 2003; 165 KB)

Rental Agreements

Participants may choose a 10-, 15-, 20-, or a 30-year contract. USDA will provide annual payments in an amount that is not more than 75 percent of the grazing value of the land covered by the agreement for the life of the agreement.

These documents require Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Word.

   Texas County Rental Rates (50 KB)

Adobe Acrobat documentGRP Rental Agreement Contract, CCC-920 (July 1, 2003; 107 KB)

Adobe Acrobat documentAppendix to GRP - Rental Agreement Contract, CCC-920 (July 8, 2003; 146 KB)

If restoration is determined necessary by NRCS, a restoration agreement will be incorporated within the rental agreement or easement. For 2003, USDA will be seeking applications that do not require restoration.

Application/Sign-Up Period

Applications for the Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) are accepted at USDA Service Centers on a continuous basis with one or more ranking and selection periods per fiscal year. The first GRP sign-up period began June 30, 2003. The cut-off date for 2003 funding consideration in Texas is August 1, 2003. By September 30, 2003, funds will be obligated or committed. Applications that are not selected for funding in fiscal year 2003 will be deferred and considered for funding during the next ranking period.

This document requires Adobe Acrobat.

Adobe Acrobat documentApplication for Long-term Contracted Assistance, AD-1153 (May 2003; 111 KB)

Ranking

Applications will be evaluated and selected based on a ranking score determined from the state ranking criteria.  For 2003 priority will be given to applications under the greatest threat of conversion and that do not require restoration efforts.

This document requires Adobe Acrobat.

Adobe Acrobat documentRanking Criteria (81 KB)
Adobe Acrobat documentGRP Priority Counties (111 KB)

For More Information

Contacts 

Doug Sharer
Phone: 254-742-9800
email: doug.sharer@tx.usda.gov