USDA Announces Application Deadline for Agricultural Conservation Easement Program

Strategic Insights -

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) - South Carolina has announced that the application deadline for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) is October 31, 2025. The program helps landowners, land trusts, and other entities protect, restore, and enhance wetlands or protect working farms and ranches through conservation easements. With the deadline approaching, interested producers and entities must submit application documents to the South Carolina State Office by October 31, 2025, to ensure their operations are considered for FY 2026 funding.

Key Takeaways:

  • The application deadline for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) is October 31, 2025.
  • Applications are accepted on a year-round basis, but to ensure consideration for FY 2026 funding, submissions must be received by October 31, 2025.
  • ACEP helps landowners, land trusts, and other entities protect, restore, and enhance wetlands or protect working farms and ranches through conservation easements.
  • The program includes two components: Agricultural Land Easements (ACEP-ALE) and Wetland Reserve Easements (ACEP-WRE).
  • To enroll in ACEP for FY26, interested producers and entities must submit application documents to the South Carolina State Office by October 31, 2025.
  • Applications are available online at the USDA-NRCS Applications and Forms webpage.
  • More information on USDA conservation programs is available online at https://www.farmers.gov/conservation or https://www.sc.nrcs.usda.gov.
  • The NRCS provides financial and technical assistance to farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners to harness America's natural resources and support local communities.
  • The NRCS's voluntary, locally driven, science-based conservation solutions are tailored to individual operations to ensure economic viability and sustainability.

Statistics:

  • The application deadline for ACEP is October 31, 2025.
  • FY 2026 funding will be allocated to eligible operations that submit applications by the deadline.
  • 2025 is the current year for ACEP enrollment.
  • The NRCS has a website (https://www.sc.nrcs.usda.gov) for more information on USDA conservation programs.
  • More than 150 million acres of private land across America have been protected through the NRCS programs.
  • The NRCS has a target of conserving 39 million more acres of farmland, ranchland, and forestland by 2025.

Sources:

  • South Carolina State Office, U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
  • USDA-NRCS Applications and Forms webpage
  • https://www.farmers.gov/conservation
  • https://www.sc.nrcs.usda.gov