Objective:
Develop a state of the art synthesis of the environmental benefits of USDA conservation programs for Cropland and Conservation Reserve Program lands. The literature reviews should focus on five resource concerns that conservation programs are designed to address: water quality, soil quality, water conservation, air quality, and wildlife habitat. Support and foster the development of scientific and technical capacity to quantitatively evaluate the environmental effects of applying conservation practices on agricultural land. Assist in conducting international conference; assist in organizing and publishing conference proceedings; assist in developing and publishing book.

Approach:
Develop, plan, and conduct literature searches on the topic of environmental benefits derived from implementing conservation practices using the resources of the National Agricultural Library. Synthesize the information and produce a book documenting the environmental benefits of USDA conservation practices and identify gaps in knowledge of benefits that might be derived from implementing conservation practices that have not yet been quantified.