The Smithsonian Institution Office Of Policy And Analysis teams up with Persuasion to help grow awareness of the Conservation Reserve Program.

In a fitting nod to Minnesota's fertile agriculture region and its abundant creative urban culture in the Twin Cities, the creative consultancy Persuasion Arts & Sciences, has been named to help grow wider awareness of the country's 30-year-old The Conservation Reserve Program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency" -- widely known as CRP * -- the largest private land conservation effort in the United States. The assignment originated within the Smithsonian Institution Office of Policy and Analysis, the institutional research arm of the renowned Smithsonian organization in Washington, D.C.

Persuasion Arts & Sciences is tasked with creating greater visibility for the CRP beyond the community of farmers and agricultural landowners, where it is already well-known, among members of the public with an interest for balancing food production with the need for preservation of wildlife, habitats, and environmental benefits such as clean air and water. The Smithsonian Institution Office of Policy and Analysis made the assignment on behalf of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Farm Service Agency (FSA), which administers the CRP.

“The CRP not only helps farmers manage their land, it also has a drastic impact on the quality of our overall environment, from soil and water quality to wildlife habitat” says Persuasion founder and Creative Director Dion Hughes. “The importance and complexity of this program presents an ideal challenge for our unique problem-solving process."

"The CRP is not well understood outside of the agriculture industry," adds Mary Haugh, Business Director at Persuasion Arts & Sciences. "It has a highly diverse range of audiences, covering the political spectrum. Connecting with them will require creativity and discipline. We’re excited to be working with the Smithsonian Institution Office of Policy and Analysis to create a more engaged understanding of the CRP and its far-reaching benefits.”