2010-04-14_GENERAL DOCUMENTS - C1981008

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these units, tangy the irrigated areas meet the prime farmland criteria. (4) Water tablc - Some tnap units include both drained and undraiaed arms. Onl the drained areas meet the prime farnalwA criteria. part 62 - hiterpretadve Groups (5) Wind erodibility - The produot of I (soil credibility) x C (climate factor) cannot exceed 60 to meet prime farmland criteria. A map unit may be considered prime farmland in one survey area but not in another. (b) Purpose. The Sail Conservations Service (SCS) is wrtunitted to the management and maintenance of the resource base that supports the prrxiuctive capacity of American agriculture, This management and maintenance includes identifying of the location and extent of the most suitable land for producing food. feed, fiber, forage, and oilseed crops. Prime farmland information may be supplerumted with separate designations of soil map units that have state - snide, local, or unique importance as farmland capable of producing these crops. (c) Final Rule. SCS policy and procedures on prime and unique farmlan ds are published in the federal Register, Voi. 43, Nc. 21, January 31, 19786 The final rule is reproduced in Exhibit 622-1. (d) Policy. State conservationists prepare and maintain up- to -date lists of soil survey reap units that meet the sail criteria for prime farmland. One list is given in field office technical euides and is available for users concerned with orrty a single sail survey area. A statewide list is atso prepared. All lists of prime farmland sails should be kept tip - - date. The state conservationist sends a copy of the statewide list of prune farmland malt units and any revisions to the director of the national technical center that serves the state. The list and any revisions are reviewed by the national technical center soils staff. The state conservationist ensures that prime fim and soil interpretations are. made for all sails having series type location in that state. The prime farmland interpretations are cwrdinated with those of other states that also use the soil series of the responsible state. The station technical center soil staff is responsible for resolving any differences in opinion between states and for implementing revisions so that the interpretation cf soils for prime farmland accurately reflects all available data. father policy guidance is given in part 510 of the National Inventory and Monitoring Man", (e) List of Prime Farmland Map Units, Soil survey map units that meet the soil requirements foz prime farrnlatld are to be identified, coordinated, and l isted. The list is to he made available to users of sail survey information. (f) Quality Control of Prime Farmland leap Units. (1) Computcr generation of prime farrniand map units in each state is based on guidelines provided by the National Soil Survey Center. The guidelines provide ub s to identify concerns in the classihuatim of prime farmland based on sail properties. The computer cheeks can be used for guidance but do not suffice as the sole determinant for prime farmland map units. (2) Each prime faanland n1V unit must be documented, eithcr by the computer check tar by a statement of reasons that explain the decision. (3) Some foil survey map units may meet the sail criteria for prime farmland, but additional investigation is needed before a final determination is made The meas ures needed to qualify the nail as prime farmland are indicated by an appropriate footnote ar in a parenthetic statement of explanation that follows the reap unit name on the list. 622.04 f3 ghl�v Erodible Land - Highly. Erodible Soil Map Unit List. (a) Defmiitson. Highly erodible land is defined by the Sodbuster, Conservation Reaerve, and Conservation Compliance parts of the Food Security Act of 1985 and the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990, Determinations for highly erodible land are based on an eradibility index as defined in the National Food Security Act Manual. (b) Policy - Lists of highly erodible aDd potential highly erodible map units are maintained in the field office technical guide. Policy and procedures for developing and maintaining the lists are giycu in part 51B.03 of the rational Food Security Act Manual. - (430- VI-NSSH, Nov, 1493)