USDA-NRCS in Georgia Offers a Combined Sign-Up for Conservation Easements Programs

State Conservationist Terrance O. Rudolph, for the USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Georgia, today announced a combined conservation easement program sign-up through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) and the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) for fiscal year 2026. This sign-up concludes on Nov. 14, 2025.

While customers can apply year-round, this application ranking date announcement is for all conservation easement programs, including the ACEP – Wetland Reserve Easement (WRE), ACEP – Agricultural Land Easement (ALE) and RCPP easements via four separate projects. This sign-up is in addition to the recent land care focused sign-up announced on Sept. 11, 2025. Customers should discuss these sign-up options with their local conservationists or identified RCPP partners to see if any are right for them.

“This is another farmer first focused combined sign-up.” said Rudolph. “We are working with our easement minded customers, partners and staff to streamline the application process and get these resources in the hands of approved customers in a timelier manner.”

The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program helps landowners protect, restore, and enhance wetlands or eligible entities, protect working farms through conservation easements.

• ACEP-WRE:  Producers and landowners directly apply to NRCS. These easements will protect and restore wetlands and improve wildlife habitat. Eligible lands include lands with hydric soil, such as farmed wetlands or degraded forested wetlands, that can be successfully restored.
• ACEP-ALE:  NRCS does not accept applications directly from producers for this program - only from eligible entities.  Producers will need to work with an eligible entity, such as a land trust, before working with NRCS. Eligible entities submit applications to NRCS on behalf of producers for protection of working farmland. Land types that could be eligible include cropland, grassland, pastureland and nonindustrial private forestland with prime and statewide important soils.