Spreadsheet: 225bb100-6141-4f4e-97af-02059bfc579b
Sheet: PrimeUniqueFarmlands FS

 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ●Clean Air Act
 |  |  |  | United States Department of Agriculture |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Guide Sheet |  |  | FS1 | FS-2
 |  |  |  | Special Environmental Concerns |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Return to NRCS-CPA-52 |  |  |  | ●Clean Water Act / Waters of the U.S.
 |  |  |  |  | Prime and [NAME] farmlands |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Guide Sheet |  |  | Fact Sheet
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 | PRIME AND UNIQUE FARMLANDS |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Guide Sheet |  |  | Fact Sheet
 | Congress passed the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981 (Public law 97-98) which contained the Farmland Protection Policy Act (FPPA).  The FPPA is intended to minimize the impact Federal programs have on the unnecessary and irreversible conversion of farmland to nonagricultural uses.  For the purpose of FPPA, farmland includes prime farmland, unique farmland, and land of statewide or local importance. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Coral Reefs
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 | What is it? |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Guide Sheet |  |  | Fact Sheet
 | Prime farmland is land that has the best combination of physical and chemical characteristics for producing food, feed, fiber, forage, oilseed, and other agricultural crops with minimum inputs of fuel, fertilizer, pesticides, and labor, and without intolerable soil erosion, as determined by the Secretary of Agriculture.  It may include lands currently used to produce livestock and/or timber.    [NAME] farmland is land other than prime farmland that is used for production of specific high-value food and fiber crops, as determined by the Secretary.  Examples of such crops include citrus, tree nuts, olives, cranberries, fruits, and vegetables.    Farmland that is of statewide or local importance other than prime or unique farmland is used for the production of food, feed, fiber, forage, or oilseed crops, as determined by the appropriate State or unit of local government agency or agencies, and that the Secretary of Agriculture determines should be considered the same as prime or unique farmland under FPPA. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Environmental Justice
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 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ●Essential Fish Habitat
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 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Prime and [NAME]
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 | Why is it important? |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Riparian Area
 | Projects are subject to FPPA requirements if they may irreversibly convert farmland (directly or indirectly) to nonagricultural use and are completed by a Federal agency or with assistance from a Federal agency, including NRCS. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Guide Sheet |  |  | Fact Sheet
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | [NAME]
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 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | ●Wetlands
 | What is required?
 | NRCS must use the criteria provided in regulations found at 7 CFR Section 658.5 to identify and take into account the adverse effects of Federal programs on the protection of farmland.  As well as evaluating and minimizing the effects of our own actions, NRCS must assist Federal agencies to consider alternative actions, as appropriate, that could lessen such adverse effects on farmland conversion to nonagricultural uses.  NRCS uses a land evaluation and site assessment (LESA) system to establish a farmland conversion impact rating score.  This score is used as an indicator for the project sponsor to consider alternative sites if the potential adverse impacts on the farmland exceed the recommended allowable level. |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Guide Sheet |  |  | Fact Sheet
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 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Return to start of NRCS-CPA-52
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Go to start of Form Instructions
 | Prime and [NAME] at a Glance |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Go to Resource Considerations Guide Sheet | Instructions!A30 | 'ResourceConsiderations-optional'!A1
 | Problems/Indicators – Proposed farmland conversion |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | 'ResourceConsiderations-optional'!A1 | 'ResourceConsiderations-optional'!A1 | 'ResourceConsiderations-optional'!A1
 | Potential Causes |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Potential Solutions
 | • Proposed land use changes/conversion of agricultural lands |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | • Conduct LESA for conversion impact score
 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | • Share result with landowner or cooperating Federal agency proposing action (normally for NEPA analysis)
 | • Ground disturbing/land clearing activities
 | • Construction of infrastructure projects |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | Return to NRCS-CPA-52
 | • Urban development |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  | [NAME] alternatives (relocation) for consideration if adverse impacts to prime, unique, or locally important agricultural lands