[Code of Federal Regulations] [Title 7, Volume 6] [Revised as of January 1, 2008] From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access [CITE: 7CFR657.1] [Page 544] TITLE 7--AGRICULTURE CHAPTER VI--NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PART 657_PRIME AND UNIQUE FARMLANDS--Table of Contents Subpart A_Important Farmlands Inventory Sec. 657.1 Purpose. Subpart A_Important Farmlands Inventory Sec. 657.1 Purpose. 657.2 Policy. 657.3 Applicability. 657.4 NRCS responsibilities. 657.5 Identification of important farmlands. Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1010a; 16 U.S.C. 590a-590f; 42 U.S.C. 3271-3274. Source: 43 FR 4031, Jan. 31, 1978, unless otherwise noted. NRCS is concerned about any action that tends to impair the productive capacity of American agriculture. The Nation needs to know the extent and location of the best land for producing food, feed, fiber forage, and oilseed crops. In addition to prime and unique farmlands, farmlands that are of statewide and local importance for producing these crops also need to be identified.