C04 Attachment 4_ AWMA ACEP-WRE Land Use Category Definitions12FPC426Q0033.pdf

This document is an attachment from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) AWMA Specifications for the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program-Wetland Reserve Easement (ACEP-WRE). Specifically, it provides land use category definitions required for valuation purposes in easement appraisals.

The document establishes two distinct land categories that must be evaluated separately with individual market analyses for each category within each market area. Agricultural Land encompasses comparable properties classified as Cropland, Pastureland, Hayland, and Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) land that is either currently enrolled in CRP or has expired from CRP within five years, and may include incidental woodland. Other Land includes comparable properties of Woodland parcels, CRP land expired for more than five years, and other non-agricultural permanent cover areas such as emergent marsh, brush/shrubs, and trees. This categorization framework is essential for establishing differentiated property valuations required under the ACEP-WRE program guidelines.