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CEAP National Assessment

The National Assessment component of the Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) will provide scientifically credible estimates of the environmental benefits obtained from USDA conservation programs. The National Assessment component has two goals:

  • Provide NRCS and the conservation community with quantitative estimates of the benefits of conservation practices for national and regional reporting.
  • Assess the potential for existing conservation programs and future alternatives to meet the Nation’s environmental and conservation goals.

Currently, there are four active components within the National Assessment:

USDA expects to make progress on establishing an animal waste component this year.

Status of National Assessment Components
CroplandWetlandsWildlifeGrazing lands
Establish taskforce CompletedCompletedCompletedIn process
Develop approach CompletedCompleted Completed In process
Plan of work Draft

 In process Completed *
Data collection In processIn processIn process*
Modeling / estimation In processIn process In process *
Reporting****
* These steps are contingent upon the completion of preceding steps.

This chart provides an overview of the current status of the four active components of the National Assessment. There are six basic steps in the CEAP process of producing national-level estimates. The process starts by assembling a taskforce of subject-area experts to determine how to best proceed. This taskforce evaluates existing databases and defines the analytical approach as well as data needs. A subset of the taskforce then prepares a detailed plan of work specifying the various tasks and who will do them and when. Implementing the plan has three basic steps: 1) data collection, 2) development and application of models or estimation procedures, and 3) reporting results.