Download the 2008 CLU Dataset
Access comprehensive Common Land Unit boundaries and Farm Service Agency field maps for GIS applications. Perfect for mapping, crop analysis and historical reference.
What is the 2008 FSA CLU?
The Common Land Unit (CLU) dataset represents digitized field boundaries collected by the USDA Farm Service Agency. The 2008 release was the last version made widely available before Section 1619 of the 2008 Farm Bill restricted public distribution. These CLU shapefiles show individual field borders with acreage information and are essential for agricultural mapping, crop insurance, and land management.
These field boundaries are sometimes referred to as "CLU GIS files" or "FSA CLU shapefiles" and are used by agronomists, land brokers, and mapping professionals who need accurate historical field boundary data.
Our package provides the complete nationwide CLU GIS data from 2008 in convenient formats so you can seamlessly integrate historic field boundaries into your projects.
Buy CLU shapefiles or Read CLU FAQs to explore details.
Preview CLU Field Boundaries
See how the CLU dataset captures detailed farm field boundaries. This interactive map shows an example area with actual Common Land Unit polygons from the 2008 dataset, demonstrating the high-quality field delineation you'll receive.
The complete dataset provides this level of detail across all agricultural regions in the United States. Perfect for precision agriculture, land valuation, and historical field boundary analysis.
How to Purchase
Buy CLU data for mapping and analysis with a one-time payment of $800. The CLU shapefiles download includes all files in common GIS formats. It's the fastest way to buy GIS data for farm fields. Click below to proceed with payment and get instant access to the complete dataset.
Frequently Asked Questions
A CLU is an individual contiguous farming parcel which is the smallest unit of land that has:
- A permanent, contiguous boundary
- Common land cover and land management
- A common owner, and/or
- A common producer association
Each CLU boundary is digitized to within 3 meters (approximately 10 feet) of ground features visible on digital orthophotography.
The FSA defines farm fields as agricultural land delineated by natural and man-made boundaries such as:
- Road ways
- Tree lines
- Waterways
- Fence lines
- Other permanent visible features
These field boundaries were digitized using 1:7920 scale rectified photomaps and digital orthophotography.
CLUs serve multiple important purposes in agricultural mapping:
- Linking tabular farm records with land maps/images
- GIS-based acreage calculations
- Digital image management and high-quality printing
- Defining crop boundaries for patterns, subdivisions, and conservation plans
- Creating centralized land unit boundary databases
- Facilitating disaster payment and specialized systems
- Improved program implementation and delivery
- Better communication between agencies and farmers
- Enhanced geospatial software compatibility
- Facilitation of shared data warehouses
- Integration with external data sources (Census, satellite imagery, GPS data)
- More accurate land measurements
- Ability to analyze data at multiple administrative levels
The CLU data was created through a detailed process:
- Digitized by 13 FSA centers across 7 states and contracted companies
- Used 1980s and 1990s National Digital Orthophoto Program (NDOP) imagery
- Referenced legacy photo-maps as source documents
- Digitized to within 3 meters of visible ground features
- Projected in UTM NAD83 coordinate system
The data is provided in:
- ESRI Shapefile format (.shp, .shx, .dbf, .prj)
- GeoJSON format
- UTM NAD83 coordinate system
These formats ensure compatibility with most GIS software applications.
The CLU data includes key attributes such as:
- State and County FIPS codes
- Calculated Acres
- Shape and Area measurements
What is a Common Land Unit (CLU)?
A CLU is a contiguous farming parcel with a permanent boundary, common land management and a shared owner or producer association.
How does a CLU relate to farm fields?
CLU boundaries correspond to farm fields defined by fixed features like fences, waterways or woodlands.
What are CLUs used for in agricultural mapping?
They link farm records with maps, enable acreage calculations, manage imagery, define crop boundaries, build land unit databases and support disaster payment systems.
What are the benefits of using CLU data?
CLU data improves program delivery, communication, GIS compatibility, data sharing and accuracy while enabling multi-level analysis.
How was the 2008 CLU data created?
FSA centers and contractors digitized fields using 1980s and 1990s National Digital Orthophoto Program imagery and legacy photo maps.
What technical formats are included?
The dataset includes ESRI Shapefile and GeoJSON files in the UTM NAD83 coordinate system.
What attribute data is included?
The CLU data includes key attributes such as State and County FIPS codes, Calculated Acres, and Shape and Area measurements.
Why is only 2008 data available?
Section 1619 of the 2008 Farm Bill restricts newer CLU releases, leaving 2008 as the last public version.
Both ArcGIS and QGIS can load the provided shapefiles or GeoJSON directly. Use Add Data to import the layers, then re-project if needed from the UTM NAD83 coordinate system.
Nationwide CLU updates after 2008 remain restricted. While FOIA requests to state agencies are technically possible, they are rarely granted. Even if approved, any released data would likely have personally identifiable information and other sensitive details heavily redacted, significantly limiting its usefulness.
The CLU data is provided "as is" without warranty. While sourced from the USDA Farm Service Agency, this website is not affiliated with USDA. Section 1619 of the 2008 Farm Bill restricts newer CLU data; this package contains only the 2008 public release.
Learn more about Common Land Units · Buy CLU shapefiles · Read CLU FAQs