While funding levels increased between 2014 and 2018 Farm Bill cycles, the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program continues to be in high demand. Funds are distributed to the states annually; however, too many projects don’t move forward  due to lack of funds. Sometimes projects are not submitted at all as land trusts carefully assign their finite resources toward projects that are and can likely be funded.

The Land Trust Alliance is advocating for a substantial increase in conservation title funding with an emphasis on funding for ACEP to increase dollars that get out on the ground. In addition, we are highlighting the need for increased capacity for the agency to administer more projects.

Providing information on your proposed projects will help us paint a fulsome picture of the critical need for increased ACEP funding to ultimately get more dollars out on the ground. Thank you in advance and thank you for all you do to conserve farmland, ranchland and grasslands of special significance.