April 2010 PACE Training Sessions

 

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection will host a series of training sessions around the state to share information and answer questions related to the new Purchase of Agriculture Conservation Easement (PACE) program that was established as part of the Working Lands Initiative.  Under the PACE program, DATCP will provide local governments and non-profit conservation organizations with 50% cost share to purchase permanent agricultural easements from willing sellers.

 

The target audience for the upcoming sessions includes landowners and farmers, local government officials, land trust staff and board members, and interested citizens.  In addition to local support, promotion and partnership for these sessions are provided by the American Farmland Trust, the Gathering Waters Conservancy, the Wisconsin Counties Association, and the Wisconsin Towns Association.  Additional sessions will be scheduled for winter 2010.

 

Participants will receive information on the following topics:

• General overview of the Working Lands Initiative
• Information about agricultural conservation easements
• Insight from a farmer with a conservation easement
• PACE program overview
• PACE eligibility requirements, application process, scoring criteria and upcoming deadlines.

 

Dates and Locations:

 

• Wednesday, April 14^th, 2010

Town of Grand Chute Town Hall

1900 Grand Chute Boulevard

Grand Chute, WI 54913

 

• Monday, April 19^th, 2010

Town of Ashippun Town Hall

W1266 County Road O

Oconomowoc, WI 53066-9597

 

• Tuesday, April 27^th, 2010

Town of Bangor Town Hall

N4400 State Road 162

Bangor, WI 54614

 

• Thursday, April 29^th, 2010

PACE Webinar (no registration fee)

To sign up for the webinar, please contact Lisa Schultz for details (contact information below)

 

Registration Information

 

To attend this session, please register here:  http://www.datcp.state.wi.us/registration/pace.jsp

 

When registering you will have the option to mail in a check or pay by credit card online.

 

Registration is $10.00

Lunch is included with registration cost.

 

Please register by Monday, April 12^th.

 

Tentative Agenda:

 

9:00 am – 9:30 am Registration

 

9:30 am – 10:00 am Working Land Initiative Overview

 

10:30 am – 11:00 am Conservation Easement Basics

 

11:30 am – 12:00 pm Presentation by a Wisconsin Farmer on experiences with Easements

 

12:00 pm – 12:30 pm Lunch

 

12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. PACE Program, Requirements, Scoring, Application Deadlines

 

2:00 pm – 2:45 pm Question & Answer

 

2:45 pm Adjourn

 

Please contact Lisa Schultz at LisaJ.Schultz@Wisconsin.gov or (608) 224-4604 if you have problems registering or would like more information.