In the case of working farms, the program helps farmers and ranchers keep their land in agriculture. The program also protects grazing uses and related conservation values by conserving grassland, including rangeland, pastureland and shrubland.
Eligible partners include Indian tribes, state and local governments and non-governmental organizations that have farmland or grassland protection programs.
Under the Agricultural Land component, NRCS may contribute up to 50 percent of the fair market value of the agricultural land easement. Where NRCS determines that grasslands of special environmental significance will be protected, NRCS may contribute up to 75 percent of the fair market value of the agricultural land easement. NRCS also provides technical and financial assistance directly to private landowners and Indian tribes to restore, protect, and enhance wetlands through the purchase of a wetland reserve easement.
For acreage owned by an Indian tribe, there is an additional enrollment option of a year contract. Through the wetland reserve enrollment options, NRCS may enroll eligible land through:. Permanent Easements — Permanent Easements are conservation easements in perpetuity. There is no guarantee that it is up to date or error free. Text may be excerpted and reproduced with acknowledgement of ConservationTools. Typical End Users.
Conservation Impact. What You'll Need. Obstacles and Challenges. Private Conservation Alternative Rather than going through ACEPP, farmers can instead permanently protect their farms by donating or selling conservation easements to private charitable land trusts. County Agricultural Land Preservation Programs A county that contains one or more agriculture security areas may establish an agricultural land preservation board and program to purchase agricultural conservation easements on farms within these areas using state funding.
Basic Requirements for Property Eligibility Properties must meet the state's basic requirements for the purchase program, listed below: The property must be located in an agriculture security area, which is comprised of at least acres of viable agricultural land in one or more ownerships.
Ranking of Farms for Easement Purchase Each county board establishes a ranking system for properties based on the state's minimum requirements and subject to approval by the state board.
Site Assessment The three general factors comprising the site assessment are described in detail below. Access of property to public roads and road frontage of property. Impact of nonagricultural use on other farming operations in the area. Percentage of harvested cropland, pasture, and grazing land on a specific tract of land. Stewardship of the land, including the use of conservation practices and best land management practices.
Size of property. Designation of a property by local, state, or federal authorities as an historically or culturally-significant location, scenic area, or open space. Proximity to land already under agricultural conservation easement, regardless of who holds the easement s.
Easement Appraisal and Purchase The county board appraises the value of proposed conservation easements on farms with the highest ranked applications. County Funding A county may fund the purchase of agricultural easements in various ways. What Is Being Purchased? The audit report's 67 pages and nine-page summary covered a wide array of issues and concluded that: Pennsylvania has one of the most successful, if not the most successful, farmland preservation programs in the country.
The audit report noted concerns about the program related to Internal Revenue Code requirements for federal charitable tax deductions for farmers who sell their easements for less than fair market value: The Pennsylvania Land Trust Association PALTA has expressed concern about several aspects of the ACEPP program and the applicability of the federal charitable contribution deduction to a bargain sale easement.
Average rating. Your rating. Download as. Related Guides Agricultural Security Areas. Conservation Easement. Prioritization of Conservation Resources. Agricultural Protection Zoning. Farm Preservation Options for Landowners. Farmland Preservation Toolkit. Ohio Historic Family Farms. Local Sponsors. FP Advisory Board. February 05, Agency. Share this. 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, provide resilience to climate change and provide opportunities for educational, scientific and limited recreational activities.
Land eligible for wetland reserve easements includes privately held farmed or converted wetland that can be successfully and cost-effectively restored. This plan will detail practices to help restore, protect and enhance the wetlands functions and values.
For all Wetland Reserve Easements options, NRCS pays all costs associated with recording the easement in the local land records office, including recording fees, charges for abstracts, survey and appraisal fees and title insurance. If your land is eligible for ALE and you are looking for an eligible entity to hold your conservation easement; please visit. Eligible Entities - to learn more about Agricultural Land Easements, please contact your NRCS state office programs staff to inquire about how you can partner with NRCS to enroll conservation easements on eligible land.
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