A New Way to Earn More from Your Forest: Introducing the Premium Partnership
Family forest owners have always balanced two priorities: doing right by their land and making sure it’s financially sustainable. Now, the Family Forest Carbon Program is expanding its offerings with a new opportunity that helps both, while putting more money in your pocket.
The Premium Partnership through the Family Forest Carbon Program (FFCP) offers landowners a way to earn 25% over the standard offer, in exchange for completing a few additional compliance steps that can unlock even more long-term value.
What is the Premium Partnership?
At its core, the Premium Partnership provides all the same benefits of the FFCP improved forest management practices, with a higher total contact payment in exchange for additional compliance steps. It provides:
- A 25% higher total contract value
- A significantly larger first-year payment (you earn that additional 25% contract value in Year 1)
- Expanded access to USDA programs and resources
Unlike many programs that delay financial benefits, this partnership is designed to front-load your earnings, rewarding you early while still supporting long-term forest health and providing guaranteed annual payments throughout the contract period.
What does this actually look like?
If we consider a sample property that plans to enroll 100 acres in our Enhance Your Woodland practice, that landowner would be guaranteed a rate of $10.50 per acre per year.
Standard Program:
- Total Contract Value: $21,000
- Annual Payments (Year 1-20): $1,050/year
Premium Partnership:
- Total Contract Value: $26,250
- Year 1 Payment: $6,300
- Annual Payments (Year 2-20): $1,050/year
That’s a 5x increase in your first-year payment, giving you more immediate financial benefits while maintaining consistent long-term income.
How are we offering the Premium Partnership?
The Premium Partnership is made possible through funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Advancing Markets for Producers Grant Program. The goal of this grant program is simple: help American forest owners access more markets, improve forest value over time, and adopt longer-term management practices.
What’s the catch?
First, if you don’t have interest in enrolling through this pathway, no problem! The Family Forest Carbon Program is still offering its standard enrollment opportunities and there is no obligation to enroll in the Premium Partnership.
If you are interested in earning a higher contract value, there are several additional steps in terms of program compliance that are required. The three key steps are:
- Work with your local Farm Service Agency (FSA) to establish a Farm Record for your forested land.
- To establish a Farm Record, this requires completing two forms: AD-1036, which certifies whether your property includes wetlands or highly erodible lands; and Form 2047, which collects basic contact information and demographic information.
- Lastly, you’ll be required to submit documentation to the FFCP team for confirmation of compliance. This includes supporting maps that align to your enrolled property and FSA Farm Record, and an annual report (Produce Subsidiary Print) that confirms compliance.
The FFCP team can help guide you through every step of this compliance process and answer any questions you may have.
What else do I need to know?
By establishing a Farm Record through the FSA, you can gain easier access to other USDA programs. Some commonly used programs include EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program) and the Healthy Forests Reserve Program. Expect a blog post coming soon that provides more insight into these programs.
If you’re interested in learning more, visit the FFCP website and our FAQ section for some helpful insights. And if you’re considering enrolling, check your eligibility and book a no-obligation call with our team to learn more and ask questions!
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