The concept of the CRP was introduced to Congress well before the legislative decision of the 1985 Farm Bill, allowing for adequate discussion and understanding of the proposed programme (Cook, 1989(76])- Additionally, in the months before addressing the proposed 1985 Farm Bill, public concerns began to arise over sustainable agriculture and environmental issues, to then reach Congress for discussion. This was due to the increase in production, encouraged by the USDA, under the then belief that higher foreign demand was a long-term trend. Grain prices rose during the early 1970s because of large purchases by the Soviet Union, encouraging increased production. The RCA required reports from Congress on status, condition, and trends relating to the nation’s soil and water resources. The passing of RCA acted as a shift in mentality, encouraging agriculture programmes to consider and target water quality concerns (Cain and Lovejoy, 2004(77], Helms, 1990(83]).