In 2009 the Natural Resources Inventory (NRI) conducted by the USDA in partnership with Iowa State University reported that more than 41 million acres of farmland in the United States were converted to developed uses from 1982 to 2007. This statistic underscores the concerns felt by many that the loss of farmland to urban development threatens the many benefits provided by the rural landscape; such as food production, wildlife habitat, and water infiltration. Wisconsin has not been immune to these changes in the landscape as the 2010- 2011 biennial report on the Farmland Preservation Program by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) cited an average loss of 22,500 acres of farmland to urban development annually from 2002 to 2007.