AEA Petition Cycle Now Open

The 2022 Agricultural Enterprise Area (AEA) petition cycle is now open! The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) is currently accepting petitions until July 29, 2022, to designate new and to modify existing AEAs. An AEA designation provides tools to support farmland protection, conservation, and the local farm economy. A minimum of five landowners and their local governments must file a petition jointly. A petition may take months to prepare to gather information and engage local landowners. Petition materials are available on the Petitioning for Agricultural Enterprise Area (AEA) Designation webpage

Petitioners who notify DATCP of their intent to apply will receive information about workshops, webinars, and other resources to help prepare the petition. Interested petitioners can notify: Wednesday Jordan at (608) 224-4611 or [email protected].

AEAs are a part of the Wisconsin Farmland Preservation Program administered by DATCP. DATCP has the authority to designate up to two million acres of AEAs. For more information, visit http://farmlandpreservation.wi.gov.