Agricultural Conservation Easement Program

The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program is designed to protect wetlands, grasslands, and productive farmland. The National Resource Conservation service, which oversees the ACEP program, pays farm owners the lowest of the fair market value of the land or an offer made by the farm owner. Alternatively, farm owners can apply for “long-term” wetland easements, which typically run for 30 years, and provide 50-75% of the compensation due to an equivalent permanent easement. NRCS pays farm owners 50% of the fair market value for an agricultural easement, which may go up to 75% for an easement protecting grasslands or other lands of special environmental significance.