The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced on 25 September that it will invest $5 million in partnerships that help farmers and private landowners restore and look after wetlands and floodplains held under conservation easements, American Ag Network reported.

The money comes from USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) through two programmes: the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) and the Emergency Watershed Protection (EWP) Program. USDA said the projects are meant to improve water quality, reduce flood risk and provide wildlife habitat while delivering direct benefits to producers.

Partner organisations can apply for three kinds of work. Restoration awards pay for easement restoration plans and their implementation, from structural practices such as levees and water-control structures to vegetative work such as tree planting. Stewardship awards cover repair, maintenance, management and enhancement of restored wetland and floodplain easements. Assessment awards fund on-site and off-site checks that record the habitat condition of easements and whether they comply with their deed terms, and, where needed, plans to repair or improve them.

"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.

USDA said ACEP has been boosted by the Working Families Tax Cut Act, which provides $625 million for the programme this year, $650 million in fiscal 2027, $675 million in 2028 and $700 million a year from fiscal 2029 through 2031. Through ACEP's Wetland Reserve Easements, NRCS restores and protects wetlands and nearby uplands, while EWP helps sponsors and landowners recover from natural disasters that damage a watershed, including through voluntary purchase and restoration of floodplain easements.

Non-federal entities are eligible. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern time on 19 November 2026 through Grants.gov, and NRCS expects to make its selections by 17 December; the department said these dates are estimates and may change.

Photo: USDAgov / Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)

Source: American Ag Network