RALEIGH, N.C. — The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) in North Carolina is making available an additional opportunity for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) funding through the Agricultural Conservation Easements Program (ACEP). This includes eligible parcels for both Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) and Wetland Reserve Easements (WRE) for this sign-up period.
While USDA-NRCS accepts applications year-round, producers and entities interested in this funding cycle for IRA-ALE and IRA-WRE must apply by Dec. 20, 2024. Applicants’ eligibility documentation with Farm Service Agency must be current for FY 2025 by Dec. 20, 2024.
The priority counties for North Carolina IRA ACEP-ALE listed below are centered around program eligible cropland or grassland where USDA-NRCS has identified a high threat of conversion to a non-agricultural use.
Eligible Counties: Alamance, Buncombe, Haywood, Henderson, Catawba, Lincoln, Gaston, Mecklenburg, Union, Cabarrus, Iredell, Rowan, Davie, Davidson, Forsyth, Guilford, Randolph, Chatham, Orange, Durham, Granville, Franklin, Nash, Vance, Wake, Johnston, Harnett, Pender, Brunswick, and New Hanover.
The priority areas for North Carolina IRA ACEP-WRE are parcels with highly organic soils that will optimize the soil carbon sequestration potential and prevent increased greenhouse gas emissions through the maintenance of existing non-cultivated areas. Also, restoration of previously cultivated areas to perennial vegetative cover, and restoration of the natural hydrology, this will keep the soils saturated and anaerobic. Finally, prior converted or degraded wetlands that will be restored to native forest will be considered a priority area.
ACEP helps landowners, land trusts, and other entities protect, restore, and enhance wetlands or protect working farms and ranches through conservation easements. ALE provides financial assistance to partners for purchasing Agricultural Land Easements that protect the agricultural use and conservation values of land. The program helps farmers and ranchers keep working farms in agriculture. WRE provides technical and financial assistance directly to private landowners and American Indian tribes to restore, enhance, and protect wetlands through the purchase of a wetland reserve easement.
Applications for both IRA-ALE and IRA-WRE can be found on the North Carolina ACEP website. www.nrcs.usda.gov/programs
If you have questions, please contact [email protected]
–USDA, NRCS
