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nonpoint source abatement practices and to monitor changes in water quality. It involved 

 2 1 projects that were selected on a watershed basis. 



USDA's National Conservation Program in 1988 established protection of water quality 

 from agricultural pollution as a national priority. As a result, agencies began to redirect 

 resources where possible to address water quality concerns. This resulted in accelerated 

 research in such areas as predictive models, agriculuiral chemical transport, plant species 

 requiring fewer pesticides, and alternatives to pesticide use; better technical guidance for 

 farmers and ranchers in the Soil Conservation Service's county field office technical 

 guides; increased technology transfer, more educational and information materials directed 

 to farmers and ranchers; and financial assistance, where possible, to help fanners and 

 ranchers install cost-effective environmental practices and try new methods. 



We are using the authorities and resources of 15 programs to help reduce agricultural 

 nonpKaint-source pollution. Today, we have about 135 water quality projects across the 

 country. These projects deal with surface water and ground water. 



One of the most significant and often overlooked programs improving water quality in this 

 country is the erosion control land conservation provisions of the 1985 Food Security Act 

 and the Food, Agriculture, Conservation and Trade Act of 1990. Under these provisions. 

 Congress linked for the first time an individual producer's performance on environmental 

 issues to that producer's eligibility for certain USDA farm program benefits. To remain 

 eligible for specified benefits, farmers must develop and carry out approved conservation 

 plans on highly erodible cropland. Since the inception of these provisions, SCS has 

 worked with farmers to develop more than 1.5 million plans. Each plan contains an 

 implementation schedule and the agency uses a system of random spot checks to monitor 

 progress. 



