Status of the CEAP National Assessment Robert Kellogg Jerry Lemunyon Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA

The National Assessment and  Purpose: Quantify environmental effects and benefits of conservation practices for national and regional reporting 1.Cropland 2.Wetlands 3.Wildlife 4.Grazing Land

Goals 1.Estimate the benefits of conservation practices currently present on the landscape 2.Estimate the need for conservation practices and the benefits that could be realized under “full treatment” 3.Simulate alternative options for implementing conservation programs in the future 4.Incorporate estimates of practice benefits into the Agency’s annual Performance Reporting System

Cropland Component Two Levels of Effects  Field-Level Effects (Onsite) –Productivity and sustainability enhancement –Reduction of potential pollutants leaving farm fields  Off-Site Effects –Reduction in water quality impairment –Reduction in air quality impairment

Analytical Approach  Sampling and modeling approach –About 20,000 NRI cropland sample points and about 12,000 NRI CRP sample points will be used to construct the model  Farmer Survey –National Agriculture Statistical Service (NASS) conducting voluntary farmer surveys at the 20,000 cropland sample points.  Physical process model (APEX)  Off-site water quality benefits –obtained by incorporating field-level estimates into a large-scale water quality model (HUMUS/SWAT).

Modeling Strategy 1.Estimate a CEAP Baseline using farmer survey information 2.Construct an alternative scenario assuming “no practices” Difference between these two scenarios represents the benefits of the accumulation of conservation practices currently in place.

Model Testing/Validation

Cropland Products  Preliminary reports based on first 2-years of sample data—Spring/Summer 2006 –Summary of NRI-CEAP Cropland Survey results –APEX model results for selected points—a micro analysis –Onsite effects of conservation practices on cultivated cropland –Onsite effects of CRP enrollment –Conservation treatment needs –APEX model testing, refinement, and validation –Offsite water quality effects of conservation practices  Final reports--December, 2007 –Final versions of all preliminary reports –Description of APEX model and history of applications –Soil Quality and development of a soil quality degradation indicator –Synthesis with highlights from all reports and relevant findings from watershed studies

Wetlands Component

CEAP-Wetlands Regional Assessment Locations

Grazing Lands Component  Literature review on what is known and not known about the effects of grazing lands conservation practices  Currently establishing an interagency task force to define plan of work

Wildlife Component

Approach Work collaboratively with others already engaged in relevant assessments Use existing data wherever possible Identify critical data gaps and take steps to fill them Based on regional priorities

West Southeast Midwest Northeast

CEAP National Assessment Questions? Numerous on-going and developing aspects…many more details… Robert L. Kellogg, USDA-NRCS (301)