The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is supporting efforts of the Conservation Technology Information Center to continue the National Crop Residue Management (CRM) survey.

The CRM is the only survey in the United States to measure and track the type of tillage used by crop at the county level. It was discontinued in 2006, and no data have been collected since.

NCGA President Ken McCauley said corn growers view the CRM survey as an invaluable tool for conservation information at the local, state and national levels. “Data on tillage usage will be a major variable in measuring the effects of conservation on watersheds. Growers count on the reliable information collected to help address new challenges in growing our crops,” he said.

Additionally, NCGA is asking the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to explore voluntary data collection approaches which incorporate local field office participation in the survey.

“In my meetings recently with NRCS Chief Arlen Lancaster, I have communicated the importance of the survey to our corn growers,” McCauley said. “NCGA views an abandonment of the survey as extremely short-sighted. It is a valuable tool to gauge the effectiveness and progress of conservation management, education efforts and other initiatives such as energy conservation.”

McCauley said the survey also aids in assessments and planning at the watershed level. In addition, it is used by corn growers to:

• Measure successes of farm bill programs as well as state and local-level initiatives
• Document farmers’ savings in fuel usage at the county, state and national levels
• Determine which counties and states see the biggest change in no-till and conservation tillage adoption to better target future efforts
• Track the progress of, and measure trends in, conservation tillage adoption
• Help set priorities for program focus, such as the Conservation Security Program
• Identify areas where market-based approaches may be effective, such as water quality credit trading and carbon credit trading
• Gauge the success of educational efforts and provide assessment data as a core component of local watershed management plans.

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