Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework
Leverage the Power of Geospatial Data to Make Strategic Field-scale Conservation Decisions
The Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF) is a free ArcGIS toolbox that leverages high-resolution geospatial data to help local farming communities better address their soil and water conservation needs.
The Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework National Hub
The National Hub for the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework is focused on serving NRCS offices and supporting partners across the US to implement the use of ACPF in conservation planning processes on multiple scales. The National Hub is composed of several partners, including the Iowa Water Center, Iowa State University GIS Facility, the North Central Region Water Network, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Extension.
Latest News
StoryMap from the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada
Explore the recently created ArcGIS Online StoryMap by researchers at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada! Their StoryMap documents their project that applied the Agricultural Conservation Planning Framework (ACPF) to the Medway Creek watershed in southwestern Ontario. The watershed features intensive farming in the upper parts, with approximately 90% of the fields tile-drained, while downstream areas are urban. Their research used ACPF Version 7 to analyze 45 catchments and 627 agricultural parcels, selecting 140 priority fields for investigation based on recommended Best Management Practices (BMPs). Their project aims to connect proven U.S. conservation methods with Ontario’s agricultural landscape to support both farm productivity and downstream water quality goals. We at the ACPF Hub see this project as an ideal model for innovative ACPF investigations and applications!
Update October 2025
ACPF October Quarterly Newsletter
Don't miss out on our quarterly newsletter, and now you can share our newsletter, too!
Update October 2025
The Sunshine State has been added to the ACPF!
Now 171,000 new agricultural field boundaries have been added to the ACPF National Field Boundary collection.
Update August 2025
The ACPF National Hub is thrilled to announce the release of the ACPF Version 7 Toolbox, along with the new ACPF Spatial Data Framework!
In Version 7, we are introducing a suite of new tools and modifications to identify opportunities for phosphorus removal structures, or P-Traps, that address dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) in agricultural landscapes.
Also in Version 7, the ACPF National Hub is supporting a near-national scale of ACPF use. To accomplish this, a national field boundary collection has been assembled and made available through a web feature service. You no longer download existing data from our website; simply choose a HUC12 and use the Utilities tools in the toolbox. If you know your HUC12 ID, open the Utilities drawer in the toolbox and paste the ID into the u1. Initialize ACPF Core Data, and you’re on your way!
Update June 2025
ACPF and the Watershed Approach
Currently, the ACPF is deployed in hundreds of watersheds across the Corn Belt states, where it plays a vital role in informing and engaging farmers, ranchers, foresters, and producers in agricultural conservation.
With the release of Version 7, ACPF use has expanded to enable a broader adoption, which allows users to access field boundaries at the HUC12 watershed scale and initiate the creation of an ACPF file geodatabase. Using the Utilities tools (u1-u4), users can efficiently generate an ACPF core database for any of the more than 50,000 agricultural HUC12 watersheds distributed across the United States.
Interested in seeing examples of how the ACPF is used in the field?
Why Use ACPF
Facilitates targeted conservation
The ACPF identifies and addresses high-risk areas enabling conservation efficiency and effectiveness.
Enables local-level flexibility
The ACPF is non-prescriptive, allowing landowners and local stakeholders to choose the option that is right for their land, their community, and their watershed.
Supports watershed planning
The ACPF identifies high-risk areas and determines solutions that can serve as the foundation for watershed plans. The output maps generated through ACPF show the watershed as a whole, simplifying area-wide planning.
Promotes stakeholder engagement
The ACPF facilitates conversation between diverse stakeholders with different perspectives, issues and priorities. The ACPF output maps can be used in conversations with producers, drainage authorities, county supervisors, and program managers, to name a few.
Saves time and resources
The ACPF takes the guesswork out of talking to producers and installing conservation practices and streamlines conservation planning.
Provides scientific validity to conservation funding opportunities
The ACPF output maps help conservation professionals scientifically justify recommendations and proposals to producers and funders. With ACPF, grant applicants can prioritize and develop potential projects for funding based on outputs.
