THE FOLLOWING IS A USDA NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE RELEASE
(Washington, D.C, Oct. 6, 2026) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced an investment of $5 million in partnerships to help agricultural producers and private landowners restore and steward wetlands and floodplains through conservation easements. These projects, funded by USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), deliver Farmers First, direct-to-producer benefits while improving water quality, reducing flooding risks and providing habitat for wildlife.
“Producers and landowners know their land better than anyone, and these partnerships give them extra support to do what they’re already committed to — protecting their fields, keeping water clean, reducing flooding, and building a stronger future for their operations and their communities,” said NRCS Chief Colton L. Buckley.
NRCS is providing funding through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) and the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program. ACEP received a boost from the Working Families Tax Cut Act that delivered the largest long-term investment in NRCS conservation programs in decades, including $625 million for ACEP this year, $650 million in fiscal year 2027, $675 million in 2028, and $700 million per year from fiscal year 2029 through 2031.
These easement programs promote the restoration, enhancement, protection, maintenance, and management of wetland, floodplain, and other habitat and associated uplands that would contribute significantly to functions and values of these habitats.
Awarded work will fall into three main categories:
⦁ Wetland and Floodplain Easement Restoration: Awardees will work with NRCS, partners and landowners to develop and implement sound easement restoration plans, to include structural practices, like levees and water control structures, or vegetative establishment practices, like tree planting.
⦁ Wetland and Floodplain Easement Stewardship: Awardees are responsible for completing easement stewardship activities on restored wetland and floodplain easements. Easement stewardship includes repair, maintenance, management, and enhancement of properties.
⦁ Easement Assessments: Awardees will complete onsite and offsite easement assessments. These assessments will document the habitat condition of easements and determine their compliance with deed terms and conditions. Awardees will use the data collected to determine the ecological condition of easements and, if necessary, develop repair, enhancement or maintenance plans to improve the condition of the assessed easements.
Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. ET on November 19, 2026. NRCS anticipates making selections by December 17, 2026, and expects to execute awards by February 2026. These dates are estimates and are subject to change. Non-federal entities are eligible to apply. For a full list of eligible entity types, additional details, and to apply, visit the Grants.gov opportunity.
More Information
ACEP provides technical and financial assistance for the conservation of eligible land and natural resources through easements or other interests in land. Through ACEP-Wetland Reserve Easements (ACEP-WRE), NRCS restores, protects, and enhances wetlands and associated uplands through wetland reserve easements.
EWP assists sponsors, landowners, and operators with implementing emergency recovery measures for runoff retardation and erosion prevention to relieve hazards to life and property created by a natural disaster that causes a sudden impairment of a watershed. This authorizes NRCS to undertake emergency measures, including the purchase and restoration of floodplain easements on a voluntary basis.
For more than 90 years, NRCS has helped farmers, ranchers and forestland owners make investments in their operations and local communities to improve the quality of our air, water, soil, and wildlife habitat. NRCS uses the latest science and technology to help keep working lands working, boost agricultural economies, and increase the competitiveness of American agriculture. NRCS provides one-on-one, technical advice and financial assistance and works with producers to help them reach their goals through voluntary, incentive-based conservation programs. For more information, visit nrcs.usda.gov.
