Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) on the Land Conservation Assistance Network

Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP)
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last updated: June 2022

The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) is a voluntary program to help farmers and ranchers preserve their agricultural land and restore, protect, and enhance wetlands on eligible lands. The program has two easement enrollment components: (1) Agricultural land easements; and (2) wetland reserve easements. Under the agricultural land easement component, NRCS provides matching funds to State, Tribal, and local governments, and nongovernmental organizations with farm and ranch land protection programs to purchase agricultural land easements. Agricultural land easements may be permanent or the maximum duration authorized by State law. Under the wetland reserve easement component, NRCS protects wetlands by purchasing directly from landowners a reserved interest in eligible land or entering into 30-year contracts on acreage owned by Indian Tribes, in each case providing for the restoration, enhancement, and protection of wetlands and associated lands. Wetland reserve easements may be permanent, 30-years, or the maximum duration authorized by State law.

ACEP is a new program that consolidates three former programs – the Wetlands Reserve Program, Grassland Reserve Program and Farm and Ranch Land Protection Program.

More Information

ACEP Fact Sheet
To learn how to get started with NRCS, visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/getstarted
Find your local NRCS office »

REMINDER: This listing is a free service of LandCAN.
Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) is not employed by or affiliated with the Land Conservation Assistance Network, and the Network does not certify or guarantee their services. The reader must perform their own due diligence and use their own judgment in the selection of any professional.