USDA-NRCS in South Carolina Announces FY26 Deadline for Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP)

USDA-NRCS in South Carolina Announces FY26 Deadline for Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP)

State Conservationist (Acting), Kellee Melton, of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) - South Carolina has announced that the application deadline for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) is October 31, 2025.

Applications for ACEP are accepted on a year-round basis, interested producers and entities must apply by Oct. 31, 2025, to ensure their operations are considered for FY 2026 funding. Applications received after this date will be considered during the next funding cycle.

ACEP helps landowners, land trusts, and other entities protect, restore, and enhance wetlands or protect working farms and ranches through conservation easements. Under the Agricultural Land Easements (ACEP-ALE) component, NRCS helps American Indian tribes, state and local governments, and nongovernmental organizations protect working agricultural lands and limit non-agricultural uses of the land. Under the Wetland Reserve Easements (ACEP-WRE) component, NRCS helps to restore, protect, and enhance enrolled wetlands.

How to Apply
To enroll in ACEP for FY26, interested producers and entities must submit application documents to the South Carolina State Office by October 31, 2025. Application documents are available online at the USDA-NRCS Applications and Forms webpage.

For More InformationMore information on USDA conservation programs is available online at https://www.farmers.gov/conservation or https://www.sc.nrcs.usda.gov

USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) helps farmers, ranchers and forest landowners make critical investments in their operations and local communities by providing the financial and technical assistance needed to harness America's wealth of natural resources to feed and clothe a growing world. Our voluntary, locally driven, science-based conservation solutions are tailored to individual operations - helping hardworking farmers implement proven practices to ensure all of America's farms, ranches, and private lands are economically viable and thriving.

To learn more, visit https://usda.gov