The Conservation Effects Assessment Project is a multi-agency effort to quantify the environmental effects of conservation practices and programs and develop the science base for managing the agricultural landscape for environmental quality.
Project findings will be used to guide USDA conservation policy and program development and help conservationists, farmers and ranchers make more informed conservation decisions.
NIFA is one of the lead federal agencies of the Conservation Effects Assessment Projects (CEAP). CEAP is a multi-agency effort to quantify the environmental benefits of conservation practices used by private landowners participating in selected U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) conservation programs. CEAP has created a large partnership that has energized the conservation and research communities. Through the partnership, CEAP has leveraged the funding and expertise of more than 60 partners including Federal and State agencies, universities, and non-profit organizations.
The lead USDA agencies involved in CEAP include the Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Agricultural Research Service, NIFA, the Farm Service Agency, and the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Other agencies are also cooperating on CEAP, including the Economic Research Service, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Geological Service, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
CEAP includes three primary components, a National Assessment that is broadest in both geographical and topical scope, Watershed Assessment Studies focused on in-depth research and modeling at the watershed scale, and Bibliographies and Literature Reviews including dynamic bibliographies.