The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) wants to remind landowners that sign-up for funding through the Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) continues.
While landowners and eligible entities may apply at any time, to be considered for the FY 2025 IRA funding opportunities, complete and eligible applications must be received for both Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE) and Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) by December 20, 2024, which is the second batching period.
Karen Woodrich, with NRCS, discusses priorities for projects applying for ACEP funding for Fiscal Year 2025.
ACEP protects the agricultural viability and related conservation values of eligible land by limiting non-agricultural uses which negatively affect agricultural uses and conservation values. ACEP protects grazing uses and related conservation values by restoring or conserving eligible grazing land, as well as protecting, restoring, and enhancing wetlands on eligible land.
ACEP’s two components are ALE, which helps private and Tribal landowners, land trusts, and other entities (such as state and local governments) to protect croplands and grasslands on working farms and ranches by limiting non-agricultural uses of the land through conservation easements. And WRE, that helps private and Tribal landowners protect, restore, and enhance wetlands which have been previously degraded due to agricultural uses.
Conservation program applications are available from NRCS at your local USDA Service Center and on their Application and Forms web page.