|
 The
program provides an opportunity for landowners to place land
into an easement while continuing to produce an agricultural
commodity. This Ag Land Easement program protects agricultural
land from conversion to uses other than agriculture. According
to Willis, “Many landowners find these programs useful when they
want to leave a farming legacy. Others want to protect
agriculture land from Urban expansion. With these programs, you
can do just that.”
ACEP-ALE is different than many other easement programs, in that
it requires an entity to assist with the cost of purchasing the
easement and the entity also holds the easement instead of NRCS.
This often appeals to some landowners because they feel more
comfortable with the entity serving as the easement holder. Who
can serve as an ‘entity’? Eligible entities including state and
local governments and non-governmental organizations that have
farmland or grassland protection programs, can qualify as an
eligible entity.
For the Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24) signup, great resources are
available to help explain the Ag Land Easement program
requirements for entities and landowners. NRCS worked with
American Farmland Trust (AFT) to create documents that walk a
landowner or entity through the easement process.
[to top of second column]
 |
These resource materials are located on the NRCS IL
website at:
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs-initiatives/acep-agricultural-conservation-easement-program/illinois/agricultural.
The ACEP-ALE signup process is continuous; applications can be taken
at any time. NRCS will conduct this opportunity for funding during
the second application cutoff of March 20, 2024. All eligible
applications received through March 20, 2024, will be considered for
funding. An additional funding cutoff for ACEP-ALE will be
determined.
Entities interested in participating in ACEP-ALE must
submit an NRCS-CPA-41 Entity Application Form along with
NRCS-CPA-41A Parcel Application Form, for all the parcels they would
like to fund in FY24.
To learn more, producers and entities should call to set up
appointments with local NRCS office staff. Visit www.nrcs.usda.gov/il
to find your local office contact information.
[Aaron Patrick
State Public Affairs Specialist
USDA NRCS Illinois] |
