General Criteria for Eligibility:

The land must have been owned by the applicant, parent of the applicant, or a blood relative of the applicant for at least one year before the date of application.
All liens and mortgages must be paid off, or releases or consents to the easement must be obtained from the mortgage or lien holder before the easement can be completed.
For most Corporations or Partnerships, certification from the MN Department of Agriculture is required before an easement can be recorded, more information can be found here.

Beyond the general criteria, additional enrollment criteria may apply and varies by program. A few of our most popular programs are as follows. Your local SWCD office will be able to assist further with eligibility, land values, and a timeline of events for easement acquisition if you'd like to learn more.

CREP: Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program:

Must meet the General Criteria
Must be within the 54 county CREP area, which can be found here
Area must be 8 acres in size, or meet criteria for a waiver to be granted
Must have cropping history that is compatible with CRP requirements
For more information on CREP, visit our CREP page

ACUB: Army Compatible Use Buffer:

Must meet the General Criteria
Must be within the 3.5 mile buffer area surrounding Camp Ripley
For additional information contact the staff at Morrison County SWCD

Wild Rice:

Must meet the General Criteria
Wild rice easements are available in the following counties: Aitkin, Becker, Beltrami, Carlton, Cass, Clearwater, Crow Wing, Hubbard, Itasca, St. Louis, Todd, and Wadena.
Wild rice easements protect shore land habitat of lakes and rivers to protect and promote wild rice growth.

Who to Contact for Information:

Your local SWCD office will be able to assist with eligibility, land values, and time line of events for easement acquisition.
Information about your local SWCD office can be found here

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