USDA NRCS New Mexico Announces Fiscal Year 2025 Conservation Easement Application Deadlines

Yesterday, The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced today new funding for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) for fiscal year 2025. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in New Mexico is supplementing that announcement with additional information and application guidance for New Mexico.

While NRCS accepts applications year-round, producers and entities interested in this funding cycle for IRA-ALE and IRA-WRE must apply by October 4th, 2024. Applications for ALE and WRE that are not funded by IRA must be received by November 8, 2024. If funds are available, applications received by December 20, 2024, will be evaluated.

The priority areas for IRA-ALE are cropland or grassland where NRCS has identified a high threat of conversion to a non-agricultural use. The priority areas for IRA-WRE are parcels with highly organic soils that will optimize the soil carbon sequestration potential and prevent increases in greenhouse gas emissions through:

• the maintenance of existing non-cultivated areas,
• restoration of previously cultivated areas to perennial vegetative cover, 
• prior converted or degraded wetlands to be restored to native forests, 
• and protection of montane wet meadows and ephemeral wetlands.  

“Our goal is to leverage the Inflation Reduction Act’s additional funding to help mitigate climate change through our conservation programs while protecting and improving critical natural resources like wetlands and wildlife habitat,” said NRCS Chief Terry Cosby. 

About the Programs
Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) funding helps landowners, land trusts, and other entities protect, restore, and enhance wetlands or protect working farms and ranches through conservation easements. 

Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) provide financial assistance to partners for purchasing agricultural land easements that protect the agricultural use and conservation values of land. The program helps farmers and ranchers keep working farms in agriculture. 

Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE) provide technical and financial assistance directly to private landowners and American Indian tribes to restore, enhance, and protect wetlands through the purchase of a wetland reserve easement. Wetland easements protect habitats for wildlife and are also excellent “carbon sinks” that offer much-needed buffers from flood waters while providing resiliency to productive agricultural lands. Wetland restoration provides meaningful benefits to farmers and ranchers who enroll in the program and to the communities where the wetlands exist.  

How to Apply
For ACEP-ALE, eligible entities must submit an application package by email to kenneth.branch@usda.gov and athena.cholas@usda.gov. Landowners applying for a wetland easement must submit application form NRCS-CPA-1200 to an NRCS field office or by email to athena.cholas@usda.gov. Application forms and instructions are found at Agricultural Land Easement Program - New Mexico | Natural Resources Conservation Service (usda.gov) and Wetland Reserve Easement Program – New Mexico | Natural Resources Conservation Service (usda.gov).

More Information
For more information about the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program, please visit https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/acep-agricultural-conservation-easement-program. 

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