Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program

The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) published in the Federal Register of January 16, 2009, an interim final rule with request for comment amending the program regulations for the Farm and Ranch Lands Protection Program (FRPP) to incorporate programmatic changes authorized by the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (2008 Act). The public comment period closed March 17, 2009. The January 16, 2009, interim final rule identified the contingent right of enforcement as an acquisition of a real property right. This correction to the January 16, 2009, interim final rule clarifies that the right of enforcement is a condition placed upon the award of financial assistance and, therefore, does not constitute an acquisition. NRCS is also using the opportunity presented by this rulemaking to ask for public input on key programmatic implementation questions. Finally, this document reopens the public comment period for the January 16, 2009, interim final rule, as amended, upon publication until August 3, 2009.