Agricultural Conservation Easement Program | NRCS Illinois
USDA Logo

Natural Resources Conservation Service

Illinois


United States Department of Agriculture
  •  
  • Topics
    • Technical Resources
      • Conservation Planning
      • Data, Maps, & Analysis
      • Ecological Science
      • Engineering
      • Land Use
      • State Technical Committee
    • Soils
      • Soil Health
      • Soil Surveys
    • Water
      • Watersheds
      • Water Resources
    • Air
      • Air Quality
    • Plants & Animals
    • Energy
    • People
      • Partners
      • Teachers and Students
      • Volunteers
      • NRCS Employees
  • Programs
    • Farm Bill
    • Financial Assistance
    • Easements
    • Landscape Initiatives
    • Landscape Planning
  • Newsroom
    • News Releases
    • Events & Deadlines
    • Features
    • Photos and Videos
    • Public Notices
    • Publications & Fact Sheets
    • Success Stories
  • Contact Us
    • Local Service Centers
    • State Office
    • Feedback Forms
  •  
 
  • About Us
  •   |  
  • National Centers
  •   |  
  • State Websites
  • Browse By Audience
  •   |  
  • A-Z Index
  •   |  
  • Help

You are Here: 

Home / 

Programs / 

Easements / 

Agricultural Conservation Easement Program

Stay Connected USDA In Facebook NRCS In Twitter NRCS In Youtube NRCS In Mail USDA In Flicker
Z6_30DC1140N83C50ABLBMIOD10R1
{}
Z7_30DC1140N83C50ABLBMIOD1072

Web Content Viewer

Component Action Menu
  • ${title}
${loading}
Actions

Loading Tree...

  • Programs

    • Farm Bill
      • Conservation Compliance
      • Regional Conservation Partnership Program
    • Financial Assistance
      • Conservation Innovation Grants
      • Conservation Stewardship Program
      • Environmental Quality Incentives Program
      • Emergency Watershed Protection Program
    • Easements
      • Agricultural Conservation Easement Program
      • Healthy Forests Reserve Program
    • Landscape Initiatives
    • Landscape Planning
      • Emergency Watershed Protection Program
      • Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Program
      • Watershed Surveys and Planning
      • Watershed Operations
      • Watershed Rehabilitation

Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP)

ACEP Webpage Header

The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) provides financial and technical assistance to help conserve agricultural lands and wetlands and their related benefits. Under the Agricultural Land Easements component, NRCS helps Indian tribes, state and local governments and non-governmental organizations protect working agricultural lands and limit non-agricultural uses of the land.  Under the Wetlands Reserve Easements component, NRCS helps to restore, protect and enhance enrolled wetlands.

What's New in ACEP?

Checkout the ALE Magazine (PDF, 9,164KB)

IL ACEP-WRE Application Form (PDF)

View or print out  Agricultural Conservation Easements Summary Sheet  

View or print out ACEP-ALE Overview for Landowners factsheet

FY 2020 ACEP - ALE Minimum Deed Terms (PDF)

Other Documents
Civil Rights Impact Analysis (PDF, 11MB)
Regulatory Impact Analysis  (PDF,152KB)
Environmental Assessment
Finding of No Significant Impact

Benefits
Agricultural Land Easements protect the long-term viability of the nation’s food supply by preventing conversion of productive working lands to non-agricultural uses.  Land protected by agricultural land easements provides additional public benefits, including environmental quality, historic preservation, wildlife habitat and protection of open space.

Wetland Reserve Easements provide habitat for fish and wildlife, including threatened and endangered species, improve water quality by filtering sediments and chemicals, reduce flooding, recharge groundwater, protect biological diversity and provide opportunities for educational, scientific and limited recreational activities.

Eligibility
Land eligible for agricultural easements includes cropland, rangeland, grassland, pastureland and nonindustrial private forest land. NRCS will prioritize applications that protect agricultural uses and related conservation values of the land and those that maximize the protection of contiguous acres devoted to agricultural use.

Land eligible for wetland reserve easements includes farmed or converted wetland that can be successfully and cost-effectively restored. NRCS will prioritize applications based the easement’s potential for protecting and enhancing habitat for migratory birds and other wildlife.

To enroll land through agricultural land easements, NRCS enters into cooperative agreements with eligible partners. Each easement is required to have an agricultural land easement plan that promotes the long-term viability of the land.

To enroll land through wetland reserve easements, NRCS enters into purchase agreements with eligible private landowners or Indian tribes that include the right for NRCS to develop and implement a wetland reserve restoration easement plan. This plan restores, protects, and enhances the wetland’s functions and values.

How to Apply in Illinois
Agricultural Land Easements - eligible partners may submit proposals to NRCS to acquire conservation easements on eligible land.

Wetland Reserve Easements - landowners may apply at any time at the local USDA Service Center.

To apply for ACEP in Illinois, visit your local USDA Service Center, NRCS office.

More Information

  • ACEP's Agricultural Land Easements-Illinois factsheet (PDF, 672KB)
  • ACEP's Wetland Reserve Easements-Illinois factsheet (PDF, 497KB)
  • ACEP Program Manual (read online HTML | generate 3.8MB printer-friendly PDF )
  • FY 2020 ACEP - ALE Minimum Deed Terms (PDF)
  • ACEP-ALE FY 2018 Cooperative Agreements and Deed Terms (PDF, 215KB)
  • ACEP-ALE FY 2018 Cooperative Agreements and Deed Terms for Grasslands of Special Environmental Significance (PDF, 216KB)
  • ACEP-WRE Geographic Rate Caps - FY2022 (PDF)

For more information visit your local USDA Service Center or to learn how to get started with NRCS, visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/getstarted.

GovDelivery IconSign up for Farm Bill email updates

  • Return to Illinois NRCS Farm Bill Homepage
  • Return to NRCS Farm Bill Homepage

 

NRCS Home | USDA.gov | Site Map | Civil Rights | FOIA | Plain Writing | Accessibility Statement

Policy and Links | Non-Discrimination Statement | Information Quality | USA.gov | Whitehouse.gov

Complementary Content
  • ${title}${badge}
${loading}