Farmers can be paid for a guarantee that their farms never become subdivisions or factory sites and for flood-prone land being turned into wetlands. Assistant State Conservationist Paula Hingson says the U.S. Department of Agriculture will pay thousands of dollars per acre for an easement.
“In terms of development or anything like that, they aren’t going to be able to do anything with that land. But they are still the owners, they would still be able to sell it if they wanted to. Often times people are interested in buying this type of property for leasing out for hunting, or hunting themselves or using it for recreation.”
The program’s purpose is to preserve farmland against urban sprawl and recreate wetlands for migrating waterfowl. The easement prices range from $3,150 per acre for wetland easements in southern Illinois to $7,560 for cropland easements in the Chicago region.
Hingson says interested property owners with at least 20 acres can contact the nearest USDA office.
