FRPP FINAL Ranking Criteria FY

							                                                          March 21, 2007

                     FINAL Ranking Criteria
             Farm and Ranchlands Protection Program
                    FY 2007 - NRCS Vermont



Criteria for Ranking Entities (Organizations Submitting
Applications)

1. Experience of organization in protecting agricultural land through the
   acquisition of development rights (10 points) – 1 point assigned per year
   of experience, up to 10 years.

2. Organization has adequate human resources to purchase easements
   and has a systematic long term plan for monitoring easements (10
   points).

3. Level of match funds guaranteed by organization (5 points) – 50 to 59%%
   match by organization, 1 point; 60 to 69% match, 2 points; 70 to 79%, 3
   points; 80 to 89%, 4 points; 90% or more, 5 points.

4. Organization’s commitment to conservation (5 points).

  High – 4 or 5 points
     Examples:
     a. requires conservation plan on entire parcel which addresses all resource
        concerns
     b. parcels with other environmental and natural values are priorities
     c. special provisions to protect natural resources and protect the
        environment are included in all easements
  Medium – 2 or 3 points
     Examples:
     a. requires a conservation plan that address only one or two resource
        concerns, such as Highly Erodible Land
     b. other environmental and natural values of land are only considered and
        protected in special cases
  Low – 1 point
     No or very little commitment to conservation

5. Backlog of Unfunded Projects (5 points). Total number of applications
   entity has on hand as compared to those that are already approved for FRPP
   funding.

                                                                     An Equal Opportunity Employer
   High (4 or 5 points) – Of total applications on hand, greater than 25% have not
   already been approved for FRPP funding.

   Medium (2 or 3 points) – Of total applications on hand, greater than 10% but
   less than 25% have not already been approved for FRPP funding.

   Low (1 point) – Of total applications on hand, less than 10% have not already
   been approved for FRPP funding

Subtotal = 35 possible points




Criteria for Ranking Individual Pending Offers (Farms and
Farmland)

6. Soils (20 points) - percent prime or statewide:
       50-60 % – up to 4 points
       61-70% - up to 8 points
       71-80% - up to 12 points
       81-90% - up to 16 points
       91 to 100% - up to 20 points

7. Total acres in prime and statewide important soils (10 points).
      20-40 acres = 2 points
      41-60 acres = 4 points
      61-80 acres = 6 points
      81-100 acres = 8 points
      101+ = 10 points

8. Percent of land that is actively farmed (5 points) - Farms that have a higher
percent of their overall farm actively managed will be given the maximum points.
      90-100% of land is actively farmed = 5 points
      75 – 89% of land is actively farmed = 4 points
      60 – 74% of land is actively farmed = 3 points
      45 – 59% of land is actively farmed = 2 points
      30 – 44% of land is actively farmed = 1 point
      < 30% of land is actively farmed = 0 points

9. Farm Location (10 points) - the following considerations will be included in
assigning the 10 points:
    • farming community
    • local support services
    • proximity to other farms
    • proximity to other protected farms and natural areas

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10. Farm Viability and Infrastructure (5 points) - the following considerations
will be included in assigning the 5 points:
     • necessary buildings and equipment
     • condition of buildings and equipment
     • whether or not a business plan has been developed
     • access to markets
     • diversification of the operation and/or value added products are produced

11. Farm Management (5 points) - resource management and conservation,
including the following considerations:
     • waste storage and/or compost facilities
     • nutrient and/or pest management
     • soil erosion control and/or soil quality management
     • riparian area protection
     • hayland and pasture management
     • woodland management
     • irrigation water management and water conservation
     • field borders
     • permanent cover between rows and contour farming on orchards and
        vineyards

12.    Other Public Benefits (7 points) - the following considerations will be
included in assigning the 7 points:
     • environmental benefits
     • improvement of natural values
     • recreational benefits
     • benefits to the local economy

13.    Proportion of Important Farmland proposed for conversion to
nonagricultural uses or proposed for exclusion from the easement (0 – 5
points) – Farms having a high percentage of their Prime or Important farmland
converted to nonagricultural uses should receive lower points than those that
retain most of their important farmlands in active agricultural uses (farm buildings
are considered agricultural uses)

14.     Protection of Historic and/or Archaeological Resources (5 points) --
     Farms with historic and/or archaeological resources that are listed on, or
eligible for listing on, the National Register of Historic Places get 5 points. Historic
preservation and/or archeological protection easement language should be
included in addition to the farmland protection language.

15.     Size of Farm to be protected (0 – 5 points) – Priority should be given to
larger farms. Parcels greater than 100 acres will be given maximum points.
Parcels less than 20 acres will be given 0 points.


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16.    FRPP Cost per Acre (0 to 5 points) – Parcels where the FRPP cost per
acre is less than $500 will receive the maximum of 5 points; parcels where FRPP
cost per acre is greater than $500 but less than $750 per acre will receive 4 points;
for each $250 increase in FRPP price per acre, subtract 1 point. For parcels
where the FRPP price per acre exceeds $1,500, no points will be granted.


17.    Threat of Conversion to Non-farm Use (0 to 5 points) – In general, farm
parcels with a high threat of conversion to non-agricultural use are given the
highest scores. However, consideration may also be given to provide lower
points to those projects that are in rapidly urbanizing areas that already have local
sewer and water service, and are NOT identified on a town plan as an area
needing protection (i.e., greenways or other locally defined areas suited for
protection) Other factors to be considered include: local planning and zoning,
personal situation of the landowner (poor health, advanced age, need to settle
estate, etc) , overall changes in population density and property values, and
housing starts.

    Subtotal = 87 possible points

    Total = 122 possible points




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