MN Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP): Agricultural Land Easements (ALE)

The Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) program is aimed at helping private and tribal landowners, land trusts, and entities like state and local governments protect croplands and grasslands on working farms and ranches. This is achieved by limiting non-agricultural uses of the land through conservation easements. The overarching goal of the ALE program is to safeguard the long-term viability of the nation’s food supply by preventing the conversion of productive working lands into non-agricultural uses. The program upholds additional public benefits such as enhancing environmental quality, promoting historical preservation, providing wildlife habitat, and protecting open spaces. Financial assistance is offered to eligible partners to purchase the easements, with the NRCS covering up to 50 percent of the fair market value for agricultural land easements, and potentially up to 75 percent for grasslands of special environmental significance. ALE easements are either permanent or extend for the maximum term allowed by law, engaging local partners for the long-term stewardship of the easement.