Agriculture's Soil Conservation Programs Miss Full Potential in the Fight against Soil Erosion.

摘要

Indications are that soil erosion is becoming more serious and Department of Agriculture programs are not keeping pace with the current rate of erosion. Agriculture's conservation resources, including financial and technical assistance, can be used more effectively in combating soil erosion and its harmful effects--especially on the nation's productive lands. These lands must be maintained and protected to ensure food for future generations. Agriculture has recognized that soil erosion is its highest conservation priority, but to achieve maximum long-term effectiveness in its soil erosion efforts, it must compile and quantify data on erosion's harmful effects, prioritize those harmful effects, and allocate conservation resources accordingly. Agriculture also should expand, improve, and move ahead on a number of initiatives dealing with specific erosion abatement practices that should help program managers improve conservation resource use at the local level in the near term. (Author)