Farm Bill: GRP

The Grassland Reserve Program was established in the 2002 Farm bill to provide assistance to landowners in conserving and enhancing ecological value of grasslands while maintaining their suitability for grazing and other compatible uses. Today, grasslands are considered N. America’s most endangered ecosystems. Historically, grasslands and shrub lands occupied ~1 billion acres of the contiguous US – about half the landmass. Roughly half of these lands have been converted to cropland, urban land, and other land uses.

GRP participants can enroll acreage in rental agreements with duration of 10, 15, 20, or 30 years or even permanent easements. By prioritizing enrollment acceptance to lands with the greatest biodiversity and where the threat of conversion to other land uses is greatest, GRP is maximizing the benefits to wildlife species that depend on these lands for survival. For example, Greater Sage-Grouse have benefited from the $2 million GRP assistance to 4 western states for critical sagebrush habitat. Studies have also shown grassland bird populations on GRP lands to be comparable to populations in natural grassland habitats.

**The Kind bill increases GRP from 2 million acres to 5 million acres, which protects grassland from development and provides funds to restore rangeland health. The bill also reserves 1 million acres for the enrollment and protection of native grasslands.