This workshop discusses the ACEP-ALE land eligibility category for projects that further a state or local policy. This eligibility category offers an alternative to more frequently used eligibility categories including prime, unique, state or locally important soils and grazing uses. The session includes a presentation by Matt Oliver, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Easement Programs Division staff who provide examples and identify NRCS considerations for eligibility determinations. This workshop is geared toward entities interested in participating in ACEP-ALE. Stacy Cibula, from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, discussed their experience using the State and Local Policy Criterion.
This virtual workshop is part of a series co-hosted by the NRCS and American Farmland Trust (AFT) for farm and ranch land protection practitioners to explore topics related to ACEP-ALE implementation. The sessions cover topics raised by public officials administering state and local purchase of agricultural conservation easement programs who attended AFT’s 2023 ACEP-ALE Summit.