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Two changes in the ASCS crop reporting system over the past decade enabled the 

 concept of data sharing to be feasible. First, the ASCS crop reporting system 

 has been fully computerized in recent years allowing for increased flexibility 

 in overall database management. Second, the percentage of agricultural crop 

 acreages incorporated into ASCS"s crop reporting system has increased 

 dramatically over that same time period, due in part to increased reporting 

 and cross -compliance requirements of associated USDA programs. 



Based on the preliminary discussions with ASCS. it was agreed that we would 

 pursue the cooperative evaluation by selecting a pilot irrigation district in 

 each of two counties, and establish a pilot effort that was designed to look 

 at two things: 



1) The adaptability of ASCS's current crop reporting system to produce 

 district- specific information. 



2) The extent to which ASCS crop information, once delineated by 

 district, can meet, or be adapted to. the Reclamation crop census 

 program need. 



The Gem Irrigation District in Ovyhee County, and the Wilder Irrigation 

 District in Canyon County agreed to participate in the pilot. 



Current Status 



During May. Reclamation worked locally with each district and ASCS 

 county office to cross-reference district service acreage with ASCS's 

 computerized "tract" system. It took approximately two days of map and 

 roster cross-referencing at each county office to correlate ASCS's 

 system to flag the Gem and Wilder Irrigation District tracts. This 

 process could ultimately be incorporated by ASCS into their regular 

 database structure and grower reporting process. 



The tract cross-referencing has allowed ASCS to develop district- 

 specific queries to their crop information database (using 1992 crop 

 data). Preliminary outputs show that during the 1992 crop reporting 

 season, the ASCS county systems recorded cropping acreages for 

 approximately 71? of the Wilder Irrigation District service area, and 

 approximately 73? of the Gem Irrigation District service area. With 

 crop reporting currently underway for the 1993 season. Reclamation is 

 working with the pilot districts to encourage increased reporting by 

 their water users through the remainder of this season to further 

 evaluate the potential for obtaining substantial district coverage. 

 ASCS's regular reporting period will close July 1. although late sign- 

 ups are accommodated later into the season. 



With the district cross-referencing already accomplished, we should be 

 able to evaluate preliminary 1993 cropping data for each district as 

 early as August 1. This will allow the applicability of the available 



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