Applications are due June 6 for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) new Agricultural Conservation Easements Program (ACEP), which provides financial assistance for farmers, ranchers and forest landowners to establish conservation easements.
ACEP is divided into two components, one for agricultural land easements and one for wetland reserve easements. Eligible lands for the agricultural land component include cropland, rangeland, grassland, pastureland and nonindustrial private forest land. According to USDA, lands that fall under the wetland reserve easement include farmed or converted wetlands that can be successfully and cost-effectively restored.
ACEP is a new program that consolidates three former programs—the Wetlands Reserve Program, Grassland Reserve Program and Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program.