Grassland Reserve Program

NOTICE - The NRCS Deputy Chief for Programs and the FSA Deputy Administrator for Farm Programs have agreed that field offices should cease taking new applications for GRP until further notice.  This decision was made because the GRP has reached its statutory spending cap of $254 million, there are substantial backlogs of unfunded GRP applications in every State, and there is a need to reduce unnecessary workload and lost time associated with t the application process by producers and field office personnel.

The Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) is a voluntary program offering landowners the opportunity to protect, restore, and enhance grasslands on their property. Section 2401 of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-171) amended the Food Security Act of 1985 to authorize this program.  The Natural Resources Conservation Service, Farm Service Agency and Forest Service are coordinating implementation of GRP, which helps landowners restore and protect grassland, rangeland, pastureland, shrubland and certain other lands and provides assistance for rehabilitating grasslands. The program will conserve vulnerable grasslands from conversion to cropland or other uses and conserve valuable grasslands by helping maintain viable ranching operations.

"Grasslands provide critical ecological benefits and play a key role in environmental quality, as well as contributing to the economies of many rural areas," said Secretary of Agriculture Ann Veneman. "This voluntary program helps protect valuable grasslands from conversion to other land uses, thus helping to ensure this national resource is available to future generations."

Grasslands make up the largest land cover on America's private lands.  Privately-owned grasslands and shrublands cover more than 525 million acres in the United States.  For the first time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will direct financial resources and technical expertise to help landowners protect and restore these lands.

NRCS Program Contact

Michael Kuck, Assistant State Conservationist for Programs, (605) 352-1206
Sara Thompson, Interdisciplinary Biologist, (605) 352-1281

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