Cooperative Agriculture

The objectives for the use of cooperative agriculture in the National Wildlife Refuge System (NWRS) are: Production or modification of specific cover types and/or growing methods that meet the life history requirements of species for which we have es

Applicants must be private individuals or small business entities.

Selected cooperators who conduct cooperative agriculture on NWRS lands under this program, excluding coordination areas (which are areas managed by the Service in coordination with the States).

Varies by agreement.

No funding is available under these agreements.

The program will post Notices of Participation Opportunity at https://www.fws.gov/service/cooperative-agriculture. Individual cooperative agricultural opportunities will be posted as they become available. Individual cooperative agriculture opportunities will also be advertised through other national, regional, and local outreach channels as determined by the Service to be appropriate. The notice for each new opportunity will include a general description of the opportunity, the objective criteria the Service will use to evaluate applicants, the application due date, and application instructions. Individual cooperative agriculture agreements are typically approved for a 3-5 year period. Once that period ends, the Service will determine if those same cooperative agriculture activities should continue. If the Service will continue those same cooperative agriculture activities, a new individual cooperative agriculture opportunity will be posted on the NWRS website and made available for eligible entities to apply. In general and at a minimum, applicants must provide completed FWS Form 3-1383- C to apply for a cooperative agricultural opportunity. The Service will accept applications at the local refuge or complex office listed in the Notice in compliance with the terms and conditions in the Notice.

Objective criteria may vary depending on the needs and objectives of a refuge (or other NWRS lands). Objective criteria may include: (1) Experience in the type of agricultural opportunity posted, especially personal experience on NWRS lands or comparable land; (2) Experience and ability to successfully cultivate crops or produce specific cover types and/or growing methods that meet the life history requirements of species for which we have established objectives under Service or similar restrictions; (3) Having the proper equipment, materials, labor, and/or other resources to participate in the cost-sharing nature of a CAA; and (4) Other objective criteria necessary to ensure the cooperative agriculture meets the resource management objectives of the NWRS lands.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will score each application based on the specific opportunity requirements and factors that make a potential recipient uniquely qualified. The Service will select the applicant best suited to conduct cooperative agriculture on NWRS lands. The Service will notify all applicants individually within 90 days after the closing of the opportunity notice. Unsuccessful applicants will be notified in writing describing why they were unsuccessful and of their right to appeal any adverse decision in accordance with 50 CFR 25.45.

Contact the appropriate regional locations for application deadlines. The program will post notices for individual cooperative agriculture opportunities at https://www.fws.gov/service/cooperative-agriculture, including application procedures and deadlines for each opportunity.

After the term of the CAA has ended, the Service will review the cooperative agricultural opportunity. If we plan to continue it, we will publish a notice and award the CAA again following a competitive review and selection process. Previous cooperators are eligible to participate but must apply to be considered.