Competition for water, the economics of production agriculture, and risk management to ensure crop production to compensate for shortages of rainfall have driven regional shifts in demand for irrigation. In the future, continued severe and prolonged droughts may lead to concerns about surface and groundwater withdrawals in irrigation growth areas. This may lead to water supply issues in areas where they have not been major concerns in the past. Erosion Since 1982, erosion on cropland and CRP land has been reduced by 38 percent. Stewardship by agricultural producers and private landowners on the Nation's working lands hit an all-time high with successful implementation of the 1985 and 1990 Farm Bills.
Excessive erosion continues to be a serious problem in many parts of the country.
More than 57.3 million acres of fragile highly erodible cropland was determined to have excessive erosion, and nearly 50.5 million acres of non-highly erodible cropland was determined to have erosion that exceeded the tolerable soil loss rate. Excessive erosion of 1.3 billion tons per year leads to concerns about sediments, nutrients, and pesticides impacting water quality, as well as air quality in wind erosion areas of the West, Midwest, Northern Plains, and Southern Plains. Excessive erosion rates indicate where there are opportunities to improve soil quality, sequester carbon dioxide, and reach goals to reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. Grazing Lands Maintaining and improving the amount and condition of grazing lands is important for sequestering greenhouse gases, protecting water quality and quantity, providing vegetation for livestock and wildlife, as well as enhancing wildlife habitat and the landscape. The Nation's grazing lands total 588 million acres on non-Federal land and include pastureland, rangeland, and grazed forest land.