Georgia Farmland Conservation Fund Program (GFCP)

The Georgia Farmland Conservation Fund Program, created by the Georgia General Assembly (established in 2023 by Senate Bill 220; O.C.G.A. Sections 44-10-40 through 44-10-47) and administered by the Georgia Department of Agriculture at the direction of the Georgia Farmland Conservation Council, protects Georgia farmland. With Georgia estimated to lose upwards of 800,000 acres of farmland by 2040, the fund enables selected Georgia farmers to voluntarily protect their farms in perpetuity through conservation easements by providing financial assistance to qualified easement holders. Funds are made available annually to prospective qualified easement holders whose project proposals are reviewed by the Georgia Department of Agriculture and selected by the Georgia Farmland Conservation Council. The program is funded by state legislative appropriations as well as public or private grants, dedicated gifts, and donations, and can leverage federal match dollars.

Landowners must work with a qualified easement holder - a state agency, federal agency, county, municipality, or nonprofit organization (a land trust), per O.C.G.A. 44-10-42(10) - to complete and submit the application. Landowners interested in the program need to reach out directly to a qualified easement holder. The Georgia Department of Agriculture and the Farmland Conservation Advisory Council review applications, and the Council makes decisions on awards. The primary purpose is conservation of farmlands threatened by development and support of active farming and food production in Georgia.

Landowners apply through a qualified easement holder, who completes and submits the application before the deadline. The first award cycle opened February 20, 2026 and closed May 20, 2026; selected applicants for the 2026 cycle are to be notified in August 2026. Application dates for the 2027 cycle will be posted to the program webpage. A program application, FAQ, program regulations, and a list of potential land trusts are provided as resources.