Other Environmental Effects
273. After the CRP contract expires.
Cacek, T.
Journal of Soil and Water Conservation 43 (4):
291-293. (1988)
NAL Call #: 56.8 J822; ISSN: 0022-4561
Descriptors: erosion/ soils/ conservation/ vegetation/
landslides and erosion
Abstract: The Conservation Reserve Program will
convert 40 million to 45 million acres of highly
erodible cropland to perennial vegetation and will
become one of the most important conservation and
commodity supply control programs in U.S. history.
Its overall impact, however, will depend largely on the
fate of the land after the 10 year contracts expire. The
Soil Bank of the late 1950s and early 1960s serves
as a model of what could happen but which
conservationists must not allow to happen with CRP.
The Soil Bank enrolled several million acres of
hayland and established an additional 21 million
acres of cover under multi-year contracts. Of this, just
over 2 million acres were planted to trees. When the
contracts expired, virtually all of this land, with the
exception of the acreage in tress, was returned to
crop production. While the Soil Bank provided a
decade of soil erosion control and superb pheasant
hunting, it produced few long-term benefits on most
acres.
© Cambridge Scientific Abstracts (CSA)
274. Agricultural Conservation: Status of
Programs That Provide Financial Incentives.
General Accounting Office
Washington, DC: GAO; 60 p. (1995)
Notes: Report No.: GAO/RCED-95-169
http://www.gao.gov/archive/1995/rc95169.pdf
Descriptors: USA/ economics/ land use/ agriculture/
conservation/ federal programs/ economic analysis/
sociological aspects/ soil conservation/ erosion
control/ environmental protection/ pollution control/
habitat improvement/ farms/ water pollution control/
wildlife conservation/ Environmental action/
Protective measures and control/
Watershed protection
Abstract: The Agriculture Department (USDA)
administers 17 programs that provide financial
incentives to farmers and ranchers who use