USDA · CONSERVATION · ACEP · STEWARD
Agricultural Conservation Easement Program
ACEP - a USDA conservation farm program administered by the Farm Service Agency. How it works, who it serves, and where the federal dollars go.
What the ACEP Program Data Shows
The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) is a conservation program (stamp CONSERVATION · STEWARD) administered by the USDA Farm Service Agency. Financial assistance to conserve agricultural lands and wetlands through easements. Figures on this page draw from the USDA Economic Research Service Farm Income and Wealth Statistics series and FSA program definitions, not academic estimates.
State concentration on the ERS conservation payments (FY snapshot) column is the headline for ACEP. The top three - Iowa ($464M), Illinois ($220M), Minnesota ($208M) - lead that pole because their production and acreage profiles align with conservation coverage, not because every program page recycles the same national total ranking. Farm Bill negotiations repeatedly revolve around whether a conservation-heavy program continues at current levels, tightens eligibility, or shifts funding into other Titles.
Reading ACEP in isolation misses the stack. Pair this page with the category peer drills below and each state's full ERS portfolio (commodity, conservation, insurance, disaster) before judging program effectiveness or equity.
About This Program
Financial assistance to conserve agricultural lands and wetlands through easements.
States by conservation payments (FY snapshot)
States ranked on the ERS conservation_payments column, the CONSERVATION pole for ACEP, not a recycled all-program national total.
Top states by conservation payments (FY snapshot)
| # | State | conservation payments (FY snapshot) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa | $464M |
| 2 | Illinois | $220M |
| 3 | Minnesota | $208M |
| 4 | South Dakota | $186M |
| 5 | Texas | $186M |
| 6 | Missouri | $156M |
| 7 | Nebraska | $136M |
| 8 | Mississippi | $136M |
| 9 | North Dakota | $120M |
| 10 | Kansas | $119M |
Source: USDA Farm Service Agency, Farm Income and Wealth Statistics (1995-2024)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP)?
The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) is a USDA conservation program (stamp CONSERVATION · STEWARD). Financial assistance to conserve agricultural lands and wetlands through easements.
Who administers the ACEP program?
The Agricultural Conservation Easement Program is administered by the USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA). Farmers and ranchers apply through their local FSA county office. Eligibility and payment calculations vary by program rules set in the Farm Bill.
How does the ACEP differ from other USDA programs?
The ACEP falls under the conservation category of USDA programs. Conservation programs reward farmers for environmental stewardship, unlike commodity programs that protect crop prices or disaster programs that respond to losses.
Which states lead on conservation payments (FY snapshot) relevant to ACEP?
On the ERS conservation payments (FY snapshot) column, leading states include Iowa ($464M), Illinois ($220M), Minnesota ($208M). Rankings are category-pole specific, not a recycled national total.
Program Details
Browse
Read with ACEP
Same-lane FSA peers and the leading ERS state pole for Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (CONSERVATION · STEWARD), replacing the old fixed Guides / Explore more chrome.
CONSERVATION STEWARD
Conservation Reserve Program · CRP
CRP shares the CONSERVATION stack with ACEP (STEWARD vs STEWARD) - compare FSA rules and state poles side by side.
Conservation Stewardship Program · CSP
CSP shares the CONSERVATION stack with ACEP (STEWARD vs STEWARD) - compare FSA rules and state poles side by side.
Environmental Quality Incentives Program · EQIP
EQIP shares the CONSERVATION stack with ACEP (STEWARD vs STEWARD) - compare FSA rules and state poles side by side.
Regional Conservation Partnership Program · RCPP
RCPP shares the CONSERVATION stack with ACEP (STEWARD vs STEWARD) - compare FSA rules and state poles side by side.
Iowa · top conservation pole
Iowa leads the conservation payments (FY snapshot) ranking shown on this ACEP page.
Full FSA program catalog
ACEP stamps CONSERVATION · STEWARD inside the Farm Bill program roster.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the USDA Farm Service Agency. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Every figure on PlainFarmData is rendered from USDA ERS Farm Income and Wealth Statistics (state and national payments) or the USDA NASS Census of Agriculture (county farm structure), depending on the page, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on USDA Farm Service Agency source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.