Vermont Business Magazine The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Vermont has established a second Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 application batching date for Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP).
The application cutoff batching date for ACEP-ALE will be March 30, 2026.
Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) help private and tribal landowners, land trusts, and other entities such as state and local governments protect croplands and grasslands on working farms and ranches by limiting non-agricultural uses of the land through conservation easements. Eligible entities include state or local agencies, non-profits, and tribes. Landowners do not apply directly to NRCS for funding under this program.
To be eligible to receive ACEP-ALE funding, entities must meet certain eligibility criteria. Landowners of record, as well as the land being offered for enrollment, must also meet additional specific eligibility criteria as outlined in the application materials posted on the Vermont ACEP-ALE webpage.
All entities interested in applying to ACEP-ALE in FY 2026 must submit:
- A complete ‘Entity Application an ALE Agreement’ on form NRCS-CPA-41 (dated 02/2020 or later) unless they have an active Program Agreement with NRCS;
- A complete ‘Parcel Sheet for Entity Application for an ALE Agreement’ on form NRCS-CPA-41A (dated 02/2020 or later); and
- All required supporting materials, maps, etc. to document land and landowner eligibility.
While NRCS accepts applications for ACEP-ALE year-round, only properly completed and executed applications submitted on the appropriate forms by the cutoff date will be considered for funding in FY 2026, subject to availability of funds. Applications received after the cutoff date will be considered in the next funding round.
Updated ranking criteria, application forms, required supporting documentation, and other important program information can be found on the NRCS, VT ACEP-ALE webpage.
Who to Contact:
Please reach out to Easement Realty Specialist, Julia Grey ([email protected]) to submit an application, or to Assistant State Conservationist for Programs, Diana Dellinger ([email protected]) with any questions on the signup or ACEP-ALE.
2.26.2026. U.S. Department of Agriculture. Vermont / Northeast Region. Colchester, VT 05446
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