A major concern regarding producing biofuels and bioproducts from cellulosic sources is the effect of residue removal on soil quality. The scientific community is aware that research to address soil quality changes is long-term. But decision-makers are asking that recommendations on acceptable residue removal levels be made almost immediately. One possible solution to this dilemma is to “mine” existing long-term resources for data that can help answer the question of the effect of residue removal on soil quality. In this half-day symposium we intend to enlist the assistance of the current managers of long-term plots, such as the Morrow, Sanborn, Pendleton, and Rothamsted plots, to address this question. We will also hear from scientists who have done modeling work on long-term plot residue removal, or have otherwise summarized existing data sets that address the questions of residue removal and soil quality.