We also make note of additional information needed to better report on croplands' key features. The information provided here is the most recent available. These data will be included in the 2001 report. Data from the 1997 Census of Agriculture are included here. The area devoted to cropland has remained fairly stable over the past half century.
Government programs affect how much cropland is actively used and, in some cases, how it is used.
Acreage idled per year ranges from zero to nearly 20 percent of croplands. On almost 30 percent of croplands, farmers must adopt practices to minimize soil erosion to remain eligible to obtain USDA farm program funding. Farmers set aside 2 million acres in 1997 in a variety of conservation-oriented buffer areas, including windbreaks, field borders, and grassed areas for runoff management. Ten percent of the Nation's wetlands are on croplands. Wetlands are of significant value to wildlife but also complicate the management of individual fields.