Ensuring Farm and Conservation Programs Do Not Work at Cross Purposes

The nation's remaining grassland has several important benefits, such as providing land for grazing, wildlife habitat for at-risk species, and carbon sequestration to reduce greenhouse gases. However, over the past three centuries, about half of the grassland in the United States has been converted to other uses, principally cropland. Our work has shown that

• USDA's programs to increase the profitability of "cropping"—the production of crops, such as corn and wheat—and its programs to encourage conservation of rural land may be working at cross purposes.

  Highlights of GAO-07-1054 (PDF)

• Farm programs such as crop insurance and disaster assistance may have the unintended consequence of providing incentives for the conversion of grassland to cropland.

  Highlights of GAO-07-1054 (PDF)

• Conservation programs such as the Conservation Reserve Program and the Grassland Reserve Program provide incentives for the conversion of cropland to grassland.

  Highlights of GAO-07-1054 (PDF)

• Such apparent inconsistency undermines USDA's conservation goals and the effective use of taxpayer funds.

  Highlights of GAO-07-1054 (PDF)

^ Back to topWhat Needs to Be Done

To better understand the extent to which farm programs, such as crop insurance, and conservation programs, such as the Conservation Reserve Program, may be working at cross purposes, top-level officials need to work together to study this issue and report their findings to the Secretary and Congress.

Highlights of GAO-07-1054 (PDF)

^ Back to topKey Reports

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