Various incentives are available to compensate private landowners for entering into Farmland Stewardship Agreements. 

A cash payment program will provide funds up front in a lump sum or annually from federal, state or local government agencies or private land trusts.  These fees will be based on the market value of each "service" rendered, on the quality or rarity of the resource under management, or the quantity of benefits provided, with higher fees for greater benefits that can be quantified.  These values will be determined and set by the Secretary of Agriculture. 

Funds come from:

• Existing programs that can be combined into the Farmland Stewardship Agreement.
• Existing programs that currently cannot not used in a given state or area because of various limitations that could be addressed by the Farmland Stewardship Agreement.
• Use of existing funding sources to pay for services undertaken to advance public health, safety and welfare and protect the environment.
• New funding appropriated at the federal, state or local levels to carry out Farmland Stewardship Agreements.

• Federal income tax deductions based on per acre stewardship fees.
• Federal income tax deductions on state and local taxes for properties under Farmland Stewardship Agreements.
• Immediate 100% relief from federal estate taxes for property remaining in agricultural or forest production and subject to a Farmland Stewardship Agreement.
• Exclusion of the gain from sales of land remaining in agriculture or forestry production and subject to a Farmland Stewardship Agreement.

Several other incentives are being eyed. Among them are: 

• Priority processing of permits from state and local agencies;
• Consolidation of permits from state and local agencies into a single operating plan;
• Extended-duration permits from state and local agencies;
• Enhanced eligibility and priority listing for participation in cost-share programs, loan programs, conservation programs and permanent conservation easement and/or public purchase programs;
• Priority access to technical assistance services provided by federal and, where possible, local, regional and state agencies;
• Guaranteed receipt, use and discharge of water at specified volumes throughout the term of the agreement; 
• Combining all permits and regulatory requirements into the agreement’s "farm operation document" so the document can become a comprehensive operating plan satisfying permits, regulations and requirements from all governmental entities or participating entities for the duration of the agreement, and
• Using the Farmland Stewardship Agreement as a vehicle  to consolidate all conservation plans, cost-share programs, best management practices and conservation programs.