The Conservation Reserve Program: 

Planting for the Future 

Fact Sheet 2006–3078

May 2006 Printed on recycled paper

Proceedings are now available from 

a scientific and technical forum held to 

review ongoing and planned research, 

identify lessons learned, and determine 

future research needs for the purpose of 

developing a rigorous scientific basis for 

future CRP policy discussions.

Of 36 million acres currently in the 

Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) 

nationwide, over 28 million acres of 

CRP contracts will expire between 2007 

and 2010. With this in mind, the U.S. 

Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm 

Service Agency (FSA), with support from 

the U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins 

Science Center, held a 3-day symposium 

in June 2004 on the future of the CRP. 

The symposium, The Conservation Reserve Program: Planting for 

the Future, provided a forum to review 

scientific analyses, introduce ongoing 

and planned research, exchange views 

and objectives, explore lessons learned, 

and define needs to enhance program 

performance. Major themes included 

the need to quantify and communicate 

the CRP’s environmental and economic 

effects, appropriate management of CRP 

land, and the program’s impact on rural 

economies, and develop State and Federal 

partnerships to improve the USDA’s ability to meet regional and national agricultural and environmental needs. 

The overall aim of the conference 

was to provide science-based analysis 

to inform producers, legislators, budget 

overseers, agency personnel, and other 

decisionmakers on how best to manage 

the CRP, minimize taxpayer costs, and 

maximize agricultural and environmental 

benefits. 

Symposium proceedings include 29 

papers supplemented with moderator 

comments and appendixes. The proceedings address the social, economic, and 

ecological effects of the CRP; identify 

current and needed research; and offer 

recommendations for continued refinement and management of the program.

Presenters included representatives 

of the following agencies, organizations, 

and institutions:

American Farm Bureau Federation

American Seed Trade Association 

Colorado Division of Wildlife

Ducks Unlimited

Environmental Defense

International Association of Fish and

Wildlife Agencies

Kansas Department of Wildlife and

Parks

Mississippi State University 

National Cattlemen’s Beef 

Association

National Grain and Feed Association

Oklahoma State University

Pheasants Forever

Soil and Water Conservation Society

University of Illinois

USDA, Economic Research Service

USDA, Farm Service Agency

USDA, Natural Resources 

Conservation Service

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

U.S. Geological Survey

Wildlife Management Institute

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey

Conference proceedings are available online at

http://www.fsa.usda.gov/pas/crpconf.asp

and

http://www.fort.usgs.gov/products/publications/

21490/21490.asp

For more information, contact

Skip Hyberg Art Allen 

USDA Farm Service Agency USGS Fort Collins Science Center

3728 South Agriculture Building 2150 Centre Avenue

1400 Independence Ave. SW Building C

Washington, DC 20250-0506 Fort Collins, CO 80526-8118

Tel. 202.720.9222 Tel. 970.226.9312

Skip.Hyberg@wdc.usda.gov Arthur_Allen@usgs.gov