The Natural Resources Conservation Service in Washington (NRCS-WA) is hosting an informational workshop Dec. 10, 2021 in preparation for the Fiscal Year 2022 Agricultural Conservation Easement Program – Agricultural Land Easements (ACEP-ALE) sign up.
Through ACEP-ALE, NRCS provides financial assistance to eligible partners for purchasing perpetual Agricultural Land Easements that protect the agricultural use and conservation values of eligible land. In the case of working farms, the program helps farmers and ranchers keep their land in agricultural production. The program also protects grazing uses and related conservation values by conserving grassland, including rangeland, pastureland and shrubland. Eligible partners include American Indian tribes, state and local governments, and non-governmental organizations that have farmland, rangeland, or grassland protection programs.
Panelists from the NRCS-WA Programs Staff will discuss ACEP-ALE basics from application to closing. NRCS staff will also discuss program nuances for Fiscal Year 2022, including an overview of the new ALE application packets and procedures. Panelists from USDA’s Farm Service Agency will discuss eligibility requirements for program participants and panelists from USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service will discuss data resources as they pertain to application requirements and ranking. Workshop participants will have the opportunity to engage with panelists during a facilitated question-and-answer session following the presentations.
Date: Friday, Dec. 10, 2021
Time: 9 to 11:30 a.m.
Platform: Microsoft Teams
Workshop Agenda:
- Welcome & NRCS Partnership Updates
- NRCS Programming & Resources: What’s New for FY22
- FY22 ALE Application Process
- Tips & Tricks to a Successful ALE Application with Representatives from FSA and NASS
- Q&A
The workshop will be held via Microsoft Teams. To register, please email Annie Dhaenens at with your name, phone number and email address by Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021 in order to receive a Teams link invite to the workshop.
For more information about ACEP-ALE, please refer to the NRCS ACEP-ALE National Webpage and the NRCS-WA ACEP-ALE Program Webpage. For questions about the workshop, please email Keith Griswold, the Washington State Assistant Conservationist for Programs, at .
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Source: https://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/WASCC/bulletins/2fb4d39