CRP Grasslands Signup 205 Ranking Factors

FSA is offering a signup under Grassland Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) that began on April 17, 2023 and ends May 26, 2023. Ranking factors have been updated from previous signups. See the updated Ranking Factor fact sheet.

Learn more about this CRP Grasslands signup.

Read our April 17, 2023 news release.

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F1 – Current and Future Use: (0 to 30 points)

This factor encourages continued usage of the land, and retains the benefits of expiring CRP land using 2 sub factors the formula for F1 = F1a + F1b.

• F1a – Expiring CRP or GRP: (0 to 20 points)

This subfactor rewards owners who continue to maintain and use land that is currently in CRP general signup or expiring from the Grassland Reserve Program (GRP) in an environmentally sustainable way. Keeping these acreages in grass covers will help preserve most of the benefits established under general CRP contract.

Assign 20 points if over 50 percent of the offered acreage is currently expiring general CRP in the last year of CCC CRP-1 or expiring GRP. If the offer has less than 50 percent of the offer, prorate the 20 points based on the percentage of the offer that is expiring CRP.

• F1b – Expiring CRP cover: (0 or 10 points)

This subfactor assigns 10 points if over 50 percent of the offered acreages is currently CP2, CP38E-2, CP10, CP38E-10, CP25, or CP38E-25 cover.

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F2 - Beginning, Socially Disadvantaged Limited Resource, Veteran Farmers and Ranchers: (0 to 20 points)

This factor assigns 20 points if at least 50 percent of the CRP-1 shares are earned by a producer(s) meeting the requirements of the CCC-860. Otherwise, assign 0 points.

Beginning Farmers that served as a member of the armed forces can also check the “Veterans” block on the CRP-2G.

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F3 – Maximizing Grassland Preservation: (0 to 35 points)

This factor encourages continued grassland usage of the land, in areas subject to threat of conversion. 0 to 35 points determined using subfactors in the formula: F3a + F3b +F3c = F3.

• F3a, National Ranking Factor F3a for Land Under Threat of Conversion by County

This subfactor assigns up to 10 points if over 50 percent of the offered acreage is in a county under threat of conversion as determined by DAFP. The offer will receive 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, or 10 points.

Grassland CRP Threat of Conversion Map by County

• F3b, National Ranking Factor F3b for Land Under Threat of Conversion (GIS)

This subfactor assigns up to 20 points if over 50 percent of the offered acreage is within the national threat of conversion GIS layer (0 or 20 points) under threat of conversion as determined by DAFP. This subfactor provides additional points for land with less than 3% slopes, which are more likely to be converted to cropland or development.

• F3c, National Ranking Factor F3c for Longer Contract Length

This subfactor assigns 5 points if the offer is for a 15-year contract (0 or 5 points).

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F4 - Vegetative Cover: (0 to 30 points)

This factor evaluates based on the covers on the acres offered. FSA or TSP shall only allow covers that are suitable for the site designated for the offer.

F4 values are determined by calculating the weighted average score for all practices in Table 1.

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F5 - Environmental Factors: (0 to 45 points)

This factor is designed to help producers address acreages that are known to be in areas of designated candidate, threatened, or endangered species or critical habit. The formula for F5 = F5a + F5b + Fc.

• F5a - State CRP Wildlife Priority Zones (0 or 15 points)

This subfactor assigns 15 points if over 50 percent of the offered acreage is within an approved State wildlife priority zone. Grassland CRP will use the existing State wildlife priority zone identified for CRP general signup.

State CRP Wildlife Priority Zone Map

• F5b - State Grassland Priority Enrollment Criteria (0 or 15 points)

This subfactor assigns 15 points if over 50 percent of the offered acreage is in a State grassland CRP zone. State Technical Committee’s submits geographic areas (whole counties) to address the specific conservation practices and the species of concern or specific habitat restoration; such as tall grass prairie, that would be addressed by grassland CRP practice and/or components to CEPD for approval.

State Grassland Priority Zone Map 

• F5c - Grassland CRP National Priority Zones (0 or 15 points)

This subfactor encourages continued usage of the land and to provide an incentive for environmental sensitive areas.  If over 50 percent of the offer is in one of the national priority zones the offer will receive 15 points. 

       Grassland CRP National Priority Zones MAP

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F6 – Small Scale Livestock Initiative Factor: (0 or 10 points)

This factor assigns points if the producer certifies that they are eligible for a small-scale livestock option on CRP 2G 1, the offer will receive 10 points.

F7 – Cost: Offer Less Than Maximum Payment Rate (0 to 25 points)

This factor is comprised of two subfactors and is designed to optimize the environmental benefits per dollar for CRP rental payments. The maximum points for F7 is 25 points.

F7a –Maximum Payment Rate Less than $15 (0 or 15 points)

Offers submitted with a rental rate less than or equal to $15 an acre will receive 15 ranking points.

F7b – Offer Less Than Maximum Payment Rate (0 to 25 points)

Offers submitted with a rental rate equal to the maximum payment rate will receive 0 points. Offers submitted below the maximum payment rate will receive points according to the corresponding value in Table 2.

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Ranking Factors Threshold for Acceptance

After the close of the each grassland CRP signup, FSA will rank all eligible offers based on the total point score for that offer.  The Secretary of Agriculture will then determine the minimum threshold for acceptable offers.

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Making Grassland CRP Offers More Competitive

Since grassland CRP is a competitive signup, producers should consider all the ranking factors as well as the existing cover for the acreage offered.

FSA also encourages producers to consult NRCS or authorized TSP regarding steps to take to maximize their offers ranking factor points to increase the likelihood that the offer will be accepted.

Table 1 – Cover Values
Practice	Assigned Point Score
CP88, Permanent Introduced Grasses and Legumes
Monoculture introduced stand.	5
Existing stand of 2 or more species of an introduced grass species.	10
Existing stand (minimum of 4 species) of at least 3 introduced grasses and at least 1 forb or legume species best suited for wildlife in the area.	20
CP88, Permanent Native Grasses, Forbs, and Legumes
Monoculture native stand.	10
Existing stand (minimum of 3 species) of at least 2 native grass species.	20
Existing stand (minimum of 5 species) of at least 3 native grasses.	30

Table 2 Offer Less Than the Maximum Payment Rate
Percent Below Maximum Payment Rate	F7 Points
1	2
2	4
3	6
4	8
5	10
6	12
7	14
8	16
9	18
10	20
11	21
12	22
13	23
14	24
>=15	25