The Farm Security Act of 2001 (PL 107-171), signed into law on May 13, 2002, contained the Historic Barn Preservation Program designed to preserve and restore America's unique and rapidly disappearing landscape of historic agricultural buildings.   The Act authorizes "such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section for fiscal years 2002 through 2007."   Although twenty Senators signed a letter to support an initial $5 million appropriation in FY '03 it was not included in the omnibus plan passed earlier this year. 

Some of the specifics of the Barn Preservation Program include:

1. A five year (FY 2002 to FY 2007) authorization to support grants and barn preservation programs. 

2. Programs would be administered by the Agriculture Department's Undersecretary for Rural Development.  States and non-profits can apply for grants. 

3. Funds can be used to survey historic barns or to create educational programs relating to their history, construction, maintenance, rehabilitation, and contribution to society. 

4. Grants are also available for rehabilitation, repair, fire protection, vandalism prevention, research and identification.

5. Eligible barns must be at least 50 years old, retain sufficient integrity, and meet criteria for listing on national, state or local registers or inventories. 

The National Barn Alliance calls for the following action strategy:

Ask your Senator or Representative to support funding the historic barn preservation program created as part of the final Farm Security Act of 2001 (PL 107-171). Both the House and Senate declined to include funding for the program in their FY03 spending bill despite language in the Act that authorizes "such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section for fiscal years 2002 through 2007."

A one page drop off issue paper has been developed by Preservation Action and is available online at their website. 

Contact Barbara Pahl (Director- Mountain Plains Region of the National Trust for Historic Preservation) for more information.