Compliance is a practice used to ensure that producers who choose to participate in certain USDA programs are meeting mandated performance standards. Also, participants in Farm Service Agency programs are subject to random inspections performed by county office personnel to ensure the integrity of FSA programs.

To make compliance inspections easier, the FSA is modernizing its aerial maps into a digital format that can be viewed on a computer.

In the past, FSA used 35mm aerial slides, aerial photographs and farm visits to assist producers with acreage and other land-based information. Acreage determinations were calculated using a measuring wheel or chain.

The Geographic Information System is a computer tool for mapping and analyzing geographic information. GIS stores spatial data and uses digital aerial photography as a base map for various data layers. Each layer then stores and displays vast amounts of information about soil types, crops, field boundaries, place, names and population.

A Global Positioning System is an accompanying technology that can work with GIS for even greater analysis of land data. GPS can calculate a user's exact location, which can then be used for precise mapping of field boundaries.

GIS and GPS will help the FSA measure land features by allowing the computer-generated maps to interact with databases that store land information. This will then give the FSA tools to help producers continue to exercise sensible land stewardship and provide quicker, more accurate information for vital decisions. It will also reduce the amount of time a producer must spend working with the FSA in order to participate in FSA programs and increase efficiency, accuracy and timeliness of program administration.

With the implementation of GIS and GPS technology, the compliance inspections will be completed from digital aerial photography that is collected annually, as well as during random ground visits. The FSA office will use the data to verify compliance with program rules.