NRCS for Outdoorsman

The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) was created by the 2014 Farm Bill to protect critical water resources and wildlife habitat, and encourage private owners to maintain land for farming and ranching. Through the voluntary sale of an easement, landowners limit future development to protect these key resources.

 

ACEP's Agricultural Land Easements not only protect the long-term viability of the nation's food supply by preventing conversion of productive working lands to non-agricultural uses, they also support environmental quality, wildlife habitat, historic preservation and protection of open spaces.  Native American Tribes, state and local governments and non-governmental organizations that have farmland or grassland protection programs are eligible to partner with Natural Resources Conservation Service to purchase conservation easements. 

 

We're losing agricultural lands to development – 43 million acres across the country over the past 30 years. This is why Agricultural Land Easements are so critical to outdoorsmen. They will help ensure that we have the land we need for wildlife conservation which in turn leads to hunting and fishing habitat.

 

In fiscal year 2016, NRCS-Idaho has nearly $1.21 Million to assist farmers and ranchers who would like to take part in the Agricultural Land Easement program. The deadline to apply is Jan. 15, 2015. To learn more about this program specifically or ACEP in its entirety, visit your local Natural Resources Conservation Office, or visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/GetStarted .