• USDA initiated the Management Systems Evaluation Areas (MSEA) to evaluate and develop profitable cropping systems that safeguard our water resources.
• The cornerstone of the MSEA program is the close integration of research and Extension education activities among the five states coordinating project efforts.

• Ongoing research and educational programs among the projects continue to provide useful information to varied audiences, including farmers, the agricultural industry, local, state, and federal agencies, legislators, and special interest groups.

• Since the initiation of the regional MSEA projects in 1990, combined efforts have provided more than 700 educational programs, disseminating information to some 50,000 users annually.
• These activities have helped increase awareness, demonstrated new and improved technologies and strategies, and encouraged adoption of cropping practices to reduce agriculture's impact on the region's water resources.