The SPARC Initiative
The Sustainable Programming for Ag Retailers and Crop Consultants (SPARC) Initiative - Equipping trusted farmer advisers to deliver improved sustainability outcomes
As farming becomes increasingly complex, many factors must be considered by farmers as they make decisions about planting; fertilizing; managing for disease and pests; and conserving energy, soil and water. A new opportunity emerges for trusted advisers—like certified crop advisers (CCAs), retail agronomists, extension agents and NRCS field staff—to help farmers navigate this complex decision matrix by combining agronomic advice with sustainability insights to drive continuous improvement in the productivity, profitability and environmental outcomes of farmers’ operations.
Who We Are and Who We Serve
A partnership between the Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA), the American Society of Agronomy (ASA) International Certified Crop Advisers Program, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) and Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, the Sustainable Programming for Ag Retailers and Crop Consultants (SPARC) Initiative is focused on equipping trusted advisers to deliver improved sustainability outcomes.
We believe that sustainability outcomes can be improved by pre-competitively strengthening the ability of CCAs and ag retailers to deliver sustainability services that provide both agronomic and environmental benefits.
What We Offer
Discover opportunities to learn more about the most pressing issues facing the future of food, fiber and fuel and connect your farmer-customers to the resources they need to participate in supply chain sustainability programs.
Access Knowledge
and Resources
Help your farmer
customers improve the
productivity, profitability and environmental outcomes
of their operations
Build
Capacity
Engage in training
opportunities to learn how
to offer combined agronomic
and sustainability insights
to farmers
Make the
Business Case
Understand how
to demonstrate the
economic benefits both
to your farmer clientele
and your business
Knowledge and Resources
Dig in to the resources below to learn more about offering sustainability services to your farmer customers and documenting your collective impact. We are busy creating more online learning modules and guides to help you develop a sustainability program, make the business case to your farmers-customers and measure the success of your efforts.
Know the Issues: Partners in Stewardship
This set of fact sheets are meant for you to share with your clients and start the discussion about how—with your help— farmers can better understand the challenges and opportunities of sustainable agriculture, where they can improve the sustainability performance and efficiency of their operation, how to demonstrate progress and share their story. If you would like to customize these fact sheets with your organization's logo and contact information, please contact our Educational Resource Manager to request the design files.
Economic Case Studies
These five case studies explore the economic benefits of implementing practices that improve environmental outcomes for farming operations. Each case study profiles a farmer that has “done well by doing good,” in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, and Tennessee. These case studies can be used as resources for trusted advisers to share with their farmer customers to explore the economic benefits of implementing agronomic practices that improve environmental outcomes.
Learning Modules
The SPARC Initiative offers learning modules which cover the what, why and how of agricultural sustainability and the role of the trusted adviser in driving continuous improvement. Trusted advisers can access these modules through two available formats below.
Explore this information through online modules hosted in the American Society of Agronomy’s Online Learning Classroom, with each module eligible for up to 1 unit of continuing education (CEU) for CCAs.
Or, download six standalone modules intended to be presented in a classroom setting by a trainer familiar with the content and comfortable leading the discussion. Each can be presented alone or in combination to create a unique training experience tailored to staff needs. Refer to our downloadable guide to learn more about How to Use the SPARC Standalone Modules.
Connect to Nationwide Partners
You are not alone! Uncover more resources to help your farmer clientele improve their sustainability performance and document their stewardship.
- 4R Nutrient Stewardship is a collaborative effort by the fertilizer industry to provide research and science-based training on efficient use of applied nutrients.
- American Society of Agronomy’s Sustainability Specialty is an advanced certification CCAs can earn to gain recognition as experts in sustainable agronomy.
- Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC) offers information on technologies and sustainable agricultural systems that conserve and enhance soil, water, air and wildlife resources and are productive and profitable.
- Partnership for Ag Resource Management (PARM) offers webinars and other resources to ag retailers and others to identify and promote market based solutions that improve farm economics and our natural resources.
- The Soil Health Partnership is a farmer-led initiative of the National Corn Growers Association that tests, measures and advances progressive farm management practices that will enhance sustainability and farm economics for generations to come.
- Sustainable Agriculture Research & Education (SARE) offers various grants and a huge library of educational resources across a wide range of topics in sustainable agriculture.
- USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) provides America’s farmers and ranchers with financial and technical assistance to voluntarily put conservation on the ground, not only helping the environment but agricultural operations, too.