USDA Release No. 0170.06 Contact: Terri Teuber (202) 720-4623

Johanns Announces 43 Percent Decline In Total Cropland Erosion

USDA Study Shows Decline in Erosion in All Major River Basins

WASHINGTON, May 22, 2006-Agriculture Secretary Mike Johanns today announced that according to USDA's National Resources Inventory (NRI), a statistical survey of natural resource conditions and trends on non-federal land, that total soil erosion on cultivated and non-cultivated cropland in the U.S. decreased 43 percent between 1982 and 2003, sheet and rill erosion decreased 42 percent, and wind erosion decreased 44 percent.

"This remarkable decrease in soil erosion can be attributed to the extraordinary efforts by America's private landowners to conserve and protect agricultural lands," said Johanns. "This report underscores the value of cooperative conservation through partnerships with our farmers and ranchers, who are among the best stewards of the land."

Nationwide, sheet and rill erosion, which is the removal of layers of soil by rainfall and runoff, on cropland dropped from 4 tons per acre per year in 1982 to 2.6 tons per acre per year in 2003. Wind erosion rates also dropped from 3.3 to 2.1 tons per acre per year.
The data also shows that 72 percent of the nation's cropland was eroding below soil loss tolerance rates, compared to 60 percent in 1982. Highly Erodible Land (HEL) being cropped is down to about 100 million acres, compared to 124 million acres in 1982. HEL cropland acreage eroding above soil loss tolerance rates declined 35 percent. Non-HEL cropland acreage eroding above soil loss tolerance rates decreased 45 percent between 1982 and 2003.

The Missouri and the Souris-Red-Rainy/Upper Mississippi River Basins -approximately 50 percent of our nation's cropland - experienced the most significant reductions in total erosion from 1982 to 2003. In the Missouri River Basin, which includes sections of Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming, and all of Nebraska, the average rate of soil erosion fell 3 tons per acre per year.

The Souris-Red-Rainy/Upper Mississippi River Basin, which includes sections of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, North Dakota, and Wisconsin, fell 2.5 tons per acre per year.

The NRI, conducted by USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service in cooperation with Iowa State University, shows that the total tons of soil erosion declined in all major river basins. The study also shows a downward trend in both sheet and rill erosion and wind erosion continued through 2003.

The NRI is an assessment of soil erosion, land cover and use, prime farmland soils, wetlands, habitat diversity, selected conservation practices and related resources. Data is gathered from 800,000 sample sites on non-federal land in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and some Pacific Basin locations. The NRI is used by natural resource managers, policymakers, analysts, consultants, federal agencies, state governments, universities, environmental, commodity, farm groups, and the public to address agricultural and environmental issues at national, regional and state levels.

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