Indiana Farmland Community of Practice

Relevant Acronyms

• • IRA: Inflation Reduction Act 

    • The IRA provides (NRCS) with $19.5 billion in additional funds over five years for its existing conservation programs, including the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), and the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP). The IRA directs NRCS to use these additional funds specifically for climate change mitigation, activities that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve carbon storage. 

  • RCPP: Regional Conservation Partnership Program

    • RCPP is a partner-driven approach to conservation that funds solutions to natural resource challenges on agricultural land. It funds RCPP Grants and RCPP Classive projects, each of which requires collaboration between ag producers, communities, and landowners to promote conservation projects.

  • ACEP: Agricultural Conservation Easement Program

    • ACEP is a federal program aimed at preserving agricultural land by providing financial assistance to landowners who voluntarily place conservation easements on their properties, safeguarding farmland from development and ensuring its continued agricultural use.

  • ALE: Agricultural Land Easements

    • ALEs are legal agreements that protect farmland by limiting its future development, often facilitated through ACEP and other conservation programs, helping to secure agricultural landscapes for generations to come.

  • PACE: Powering Affordable Clean Energy

    • PACE  programs generally focus on promoting renewable energy adoption and energy efficiency measures but can indirectly benefit farmland access by reducing energy costs for agricultural operations, making farming more economically sustainable and environmentally friendly.

Important Links & Documents

• NRCS Conservation Programs and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA)