CEAP Cropland Survey (2003 - ongoing)
The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) Cropland Survey endeavors to quantify the effects of voluntary conservation efforts across the nation’s cropland at both the regional and national scales. The survey is a multi-agency effort led by the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in coordination with the National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), the Farm Service Agency (FSA), and the Center for Survey Statistics and Methodology (CSSM). The CEAP Cropland Survey combines data from the National Resources Inventory (NRI), farm operator surveys, and the NRCS and FSA field offices. The findings are used to guide conservation program development and policy at the national level. The findings are also used to support conservationists, agricultural producers, and partners in choosing the most effective conservation actions and making informed management decisions backed by data and science.
The CEAP Cropland Survey started in 2003. A national survey has been performed approximately every 10-years since that time, with smaller regional surveys conducted during some of the interim years. The survey is currently in its third iteration of national data collection. During the 2024-2026 national data collection, close to 58,000 farmers will be asked to take part in the survey.
CSSM has a broad set of roles in contributing to the CEAP Cropland Survey. CSSM uses the NRI as the basis for frame setup and sample selection. CSSM is responsible for providing software to NASS for use in farm operator screening and survey process management and also provides tools to NRCS for gathering related data from NRCS and FSA field offices. CSSM provides the NRCS soils data for use in erosion modeling. CSSM also performs data linkage and weighting services for the NRCS. Throughout the process, CSSM provides documentation and training to NASS and NRCS regarding the use of the NRI data and software.
Cropland Assessments | Natural Resources Conservation Service (usda.gov)