USDA launches conservation survey

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) announced that it will conduct the 2026 Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) survey to better understand how conservation practices are being used on farms and their impact on soil, water and natural resources.  

The survey, conducted in partnership with USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), will collect information from 23,000 farmers, ranchers and agricultural landowners across the country on nutrient management, tillage systems, irrigation practices, grazing management and other conservation activities.  

Selected producers will be contacted between June and August 2026, and will be asked to provide details about conservation measures implemented on their operations. The information will help USDA evaluate long-term trends, improve conservation programs and guide future resource management decisions.  

“Responding to the survey gives farmers the opportunity to provide the most accurate picture of conservation practices on their cropland,” said NASS Administrator Joseph Parsons. “Information from CEAP – which is made stronger by robust survey response – will help inform programs that benefit producers by protecting the natural resources on which their livelihoods depend.”