Library
REAP: Researching the Effectiveness of Agricultural Programs: Project Archive
This project has ended. Archived project materials are available below.
Approximately $96 million was invested between FY2010-2016 in agricultural incentives and other activities intended to influence on-farm decision-making and improve water quality in four priority watersheds (Maumee, Lower Fox, Saginaw, and Genesee) through Focus Area 3 of the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative (GLRI). While many evaluations of agricultural conservation programs focus on environmental outcomes, REAP investigated whether investments result in long-term changes in voluntary on-farm decision-making that improve water quality outcomes. REAP began with the premise that implementing conservation practices yields water quality benefits and sought to better understand if and how investments can be tailored so that the resulting environmental benefits and conservation-oriented culture at the farm-scale will persist if/when incentive programs are no longer available.
From November 2017 to January 2020, through a cooperative agreement with the US EPA and GLRI, the REAP team completed empirical analyses of primary and secondary data sources to investigate physical, social, and economic outcomes of GLRI Focus Area 3 investments. In addition, a review of GLRI-supported models and decision-support tools was carried out. Stand-alone reports were completed for each of these sub-tasks and are included as appendices D-J. Key findings from each of those sub-task reports have been synthesized in the final report to better understand obstacles and opportunities for enhanced engagement with farmers that will lead to sustainable changes in on-farm decision-making and water quality improvements.
REAP Final Report and Appendices
- REAP Executive Summary and Full Report (no appendices)
- REAP Executive Summary and Full Report (with appendices)
Individual Appendices
- Appendix A: Sub-Report Summary 1-pagers
- Maumee: Watershed Profile • Economic Impacts • Investments & Outcomes
- Saginaw: Watershed Profile • Economic Impacts • Investments & Outcomes
- Genesee: Watershed Profile • Economic Impacts • Investments & Outcomes
- Lower Fox: Watershed Profile • Economic Impacts • Investments & Outcomes
- All Watersheds: Interviews and Focus Groups
- Appendix B: Project Team and Advisory Council Rosters
- Appendix C: List of GLRI Focus Area 3 Investments Included in REAP Analysis
- Appendix D: Interviews with GLRI Program Managers & Focus Groups with Priority Watershed Farmers
- Appendix E: New Survey Report: Conservation Engagement in 4 Priority Watersheds
- Appendix F: Previous Survey Report: Existing Survey Data in the Maumee & Saginaw Watersheds
- Appendix G: Priority Watershed Profiles: Physical, Demographic, Economic, & Farm Characteristics
- Appendix H: Analysis of Investments & Outcomes Using Data from GLRI FA3 Projects & Program Reports
- Appendix I: Economic Analysis of GLRI Investment Data using RIMS Multiplier Analysis
- Appendix J: Assessment of GLRI-Supported Water Quality Tools
REAP Advisory Panel and Team
REAP Advisory Council Roster (PDF)
Great Lakes Commission
- Victoria Pebbles, Program Director
- Nicole Zacharda, Program Manager
- Dan Gold, Senior Water Quality Program Specialist
Ohio State University
- Robyn Wilson, Associate Professor of Risk Analysis and Decision Science
- Adam Fix, OSU Researcher
Michigan State University
- Jeremiah Asher, Assistant Director, Institute of Water Research
- Laura Young, Research and Outreach Associate, Institute of Water Research
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Santina Wortman, Physical Scientist
For More Information
Nicole Zacharda
Program Manager
Great Lakes Commission
nzacharda@glc.org