Overview
Understanding links between farm economics and the use
of natural resources is critical to fostering greater
harmony between agriculture and ecosystems that support
us and other species. Research can help find ways in which
agricultural competitiveness and economic development
can coexist with the natural resource base and enhanced
environmental quality. Federal policies must constantly
evolve to promote stewardship in light of new opportunities
for productivity growth, resource-saving technologies,
and threats to biodiversity.
Related Briefing Rooms
Features
2008 Farm Bill Side-By-Side
Comparison—A title-by-title summary of key
provisions of the 2008 Farm Act in a side-by-side comparison
with previous legislation. The side-by-side includes
links to related ERS publications and to analyses of
previous farm acts. August 2008.
Recommended Readings
Voluntary conservation payment programs must specify
who is eligible to receive payments, how much can be
received, for what action, and the means by which applicants
are selected. Achieving program goals in a cost-effective
manner hinges on the choices policymakers and program
managers make when answering these questions. A set of
five Economic Briefs explores specific design options
these decisionmakers face:
(1) Balancing income
support and environmental objectives
(2) Whether and how to
target programs to improve cost-effectiveness and
environmental performance
(3) Whether and how to
use bidding in determining payment levels
(4) Balancing land retirement
with conservation on working lands
(5) Whether to pay for
conservation practices or to link payments to environmental
performance.
Agricultural Resources
and Environmental Indicators—Identifies trends
in land, water, and biological resources and commercial
input use, reports on the condition of natural resources
used in the agricultural sector, and describes and
assesses public policies that affect conservation and
environmental quality in agriculture. Combining data
and information, this report examines the complex connections
among farming practices, conservation, and the environment,
which are increasingly important components in U.S.
agriculture and farm policy.
See all recommended
readings...
Recommended Data Products
Crop Production
Practices—This web-based delivery tool allows
the user to create customized data summaries based
on information collected through a series of field-level
commodity surveys. Also known as Phase II of the
Agricultural Resource Management Survey (ARMS), this
series is USDA's primary source of information about
the current status and trends in crop production
practices for several large-acreage crops (corn,
soybeans, wheat, and cotton). This survey also obtains
data on U.S. farmers' agricultural resource use,
as well as data to assess potential environmental
impacts associated with crop production practices.
The ARMS survey yields annual data summaries for
field-level data by crop, including: chemicals and
seeds, equipment, previous crops, highly erodible
land, irrigation, and pest, nutrient and crop residue
management practices. Customized data summaries can
be generated for production years beginning in 1996.
Certified
Organic Farming—In 2005, for the first time,
all 50 States in the U.S. had some certified organic
farmland. This data set surveys organic operations and
acreage for crops and livestock (over 40 commodities),
with some tables dating back to 1992. Data for 2000-2005
include the number of certified operations, by State.
See all recommended
data products...
Related Links
Natural
Resources Conservation Service—Information on
conservation and environmental programs.
Farm
Services Agency—Information on CRP and related
programs.
National Agricultural
Statistics Service—Agricultural statistics.
Agricultural
Research Service—Information on agricultural
and environmental research.
Cooperative
State Research, Education, and Extension Service—Information
on university research, extension, and education programs.
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