USDA launches nationwide conservation survey

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), in collaboration with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), is launching a pivotal survey aimed at farmers, ranchers, and agricultural landowners. This survey, known as the 2024 Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP), will gather in-depth data on conservation practices from approximately 12,000 operators nationwide, including nearly 250 in Arkansas. The findings will contribute to the USDA’s third series of national and regional cropland assessments, a critical part of the CEAP initiative led by NRCS to assess the impact of conservation practices on working lands.

“The survey gives farmers the power to provide a more complete and accurate picture of the conservation practices on their lands and in their operations,” Joe Parsons, NASS Administrator, emphasized the importance of this survey. “I urge farmers to participate if contacted because their responses can help leaders focus on the conservation practices that most benefit both the farmer and the natural resources on which we all rely.”

CEAP Cropland Assessments are designed to quantify the environmental benefits resulting from the implementation of conservation practices on agricultural lands. The findings from these assessments will guide the development of conservation programs and assist farmers, conservationists, and partners in making informed, data-driven management decisions.

The objectives of CEAP include:

• Evaluating the resources necessary for future soil, water, and habitat protection.
• Highlighting effective techniques used by farmers to maintain healthy environments.
• Enhancing technical and financial programs that aid landowners in planning and installing conservation practices.
• Supporting conservation programs that boost farmers’ profits while protecting natural resources.

This survey is conducted under a cooperative agreement between NRCS and NASS. NRCS will use survey results and modeling to report on trends in cropland conservation from 2024 through 2026.

Local NASS representatives from the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) will visit farmers and agricultural landowners in August and September 2024 to determine eligibility for the survey. Eligible participants may be contacted between November 2024 and March 2025 to participate in the survey, which will cover topics such as farm production practices, chemical and fertilizer applications, manure management, tillage, irrigation use, and existing conservation practices. NASS will share the survey data with NRCS, which will publish the findings.

Federal law ensures the confidentiality of information provided to NASS and analyzed by NRCS. Data will be released only in aggregate form, ensuring individual respondents or operations remain anonymous.