USDA Announces New Fiscal Year Funding For Easements
The United States Department of Agriculture announced new funding for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program for fiscal year 2025.
Administered by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, the program helps landowners and other eligible entities conserve, restore, and protect wetlands, productive agricultural lands, and grasslands at risk of conversion to non-grassland uses.
“The Inflation Reduction Act has provided additional funding for conservation easements that protect Montana’s working lands,” said Tom Watson, NRCS State Conservationist for Montana. “Landowners and partners across the state have a long history of effectively utilizing easements to secure and enhance agricultural properties, which are important to the ecological and economic sustainability of our rural communities.”
NRCS accepts applications year-round for ACEP Agricultural Land Easements and Wetland Reserve Easements. Interested producers, landowners, and partners should apply by the following dates to be considered in the current funding cycle. In addition, any application submitted to NRCS that was unfunded in fiscal year 2024 will be automatically re-considered during the October 4 funding cycle.
• ACEP-WRE Farm Bill – Nov. 1, 2024
• ACEP-ALE Farm Bill – Nov. 29, 2024
• ACEP IRA – Dec. 20, 2024 The Inflation Reduction Act funding is in addition to the funding authorized and available under the Farm Bill. Nationwide, the fiscal year 2025 authorized amount for the Inflation Reduction Act funding for ACEP is $500 million.
