Two major efforts to characterize and assess US grazinglands have engaged NRCS, ARS and university personnel.
The Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) is a multi-agency effort to quantify the environmental effects of conservation practices and programs and develop the science base for managing the agricultural landscape for environmental quality. CEAP efforts have so far focused on cropland, wetlands, and grazinglands including both range and pasture.
The National Resources Inventory is a statistical survey of land use and natural resource conditions and trends on U.S. non-Federal lands, including both cropland and pasture, as well as rangeland.
Pasture CEAP
The Pastureland Literature Synthesis was compiled by a team led by Jerry Nelson. It covers the literature available for pasture and hayland management practices, including planting, prescribed grazing, harvest manatement, and nutrient management.
Pasture NRI
A report on invasive species in pasture, was released in late 2016.
The first full pasture report was published in 2018 (NRI Pastureland Resource Assessment. A second, updated, report is expected in late 2025.
Rangeland CEAP
The Rangeland Literature Synthesis is available on line here. This exhaustive assessment of seven practice standards that are used in management of rangelands was managed and edited by David Briske at Texas A & M.
Rangeland NRI
The first Rangeland Resource Assessment was also published in 2018.