[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 7, Volume 10]
[Revised as of January 1, 2004]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 7CFR1491]

[Page 731-732]
 
                          TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE
 
  CHAPTER XIV--COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
 
PART 1491--FARM AND RANCH LANDS PROTECTION PROGRAM--Table of Contents
 
                      Subpart A--General Provisions
 
Sec.  1491.6  Ranking considerations and proposal selection.

    (a) Once the NRCS State Conservationist has assessed entity 
eligibility

[[Page 732]]

and land eligibility, the State Conservationist shall use National and 
State criteria to evaluate the land and rank parcels. Entities and 
parcels will be selected for participation based on the entities' 
responses to the Request for Proposals. Selection will be based on 
national ranking criteria set forth by the Chief in the Request for 
Proposals and State criteria as determined by the State Conservationist, 
with advice from the State Technical Committee.
    (1) Examples of national criteria may include:
    (i) Acreage of prime, unique, and important farm and ranch land to 
be protected;
    (ii) Total acres of land to be protected with the requested award;
    (iii) Acreage of prime, unique, and important farm and ranch land 
identified in the National Resources Inventory as converted to 
nonagricultural uses;
    (iv) Total acres needing protection;
    (v) Number or acreage of historical and archaeological resources to 
be protected on farm or ranch lands;
    (vi) Anticipated average FRPP cost per acre;
    (vii) Rate of land conversion (e.g., local land use conversion 
rates);
    (viii) Amount of the Federal share to be contributed to the 
acquisition of the conservation easement, as guaranteed by the eligible 
entity;
    (ix) History of eligible entity's commitment to conservation 
planning and conservation practice implementation;
    (x) History of an eligible entity's commitment to assisting 
beginning farmers and ranchers, to promoting opportunities in farming 
and ranching, and to farm and ranch succession transfer;
    (xi) Eligible entity's history of acquiring, managing, holding, and 
enforcing conservation easements. This could include annual farmland 
protection expenditures, monetary donations received, accomplishments, 
and staffing levels;
    (xii) A description of the eligible entity's farmland protection 
strategy and how the FRPP application submitted by the entity 
corresponds to the entity's strategic plan; and
    (xiii) Eligible entity's estimated acres of unfunded proposed 
conservation easements on prime, unique, and important farm and ranch 
land.
    (2) Examples of State or local criteria, as determined by the State 
Conservationist may include:
    (i) Proximity of parcel to other protected clusters;
    (ii) Proximity of parcel to other agricultural operations and 
infrastructure;
    (iii) Parcel size;
    (iv) Type of land use;
    (v) Maximum FRPP cost expended per acre;
    (vi) Amount of the Federal share to be contributed to the 
acquisition of the conservation easement, as guaranteed by the eligible 
entity;
    (vii) History of an eligible entity's commitment to assisting 
beginning farmers and ranchers, to promoting opportunities in farming 
and ranching, and to farm and ranch succession transfer;
    (viii) Existence of a parcel in an agriculturally zoned area.
    (b) State ranking criteria will be developed on a State-by-State 
basis. Prior to proposal submission, interested entities should contact 
the State Conservationist located in their State for a full listing of 
applicable National and State ranking criteria.
    (c) The NRCS State Conservationist may seek advice from the State 
Technical Committee (established pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 3861) in 
evaluating the merits of the applications.