Press Releases

Field to Market and NRCS Collaborate to Improve Data Interoperability and Streamline Farmer Access to Conservation Services and Supply Chain Sustainability Efforts

October 16, 2019

Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture announced today a partnership with the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), where both organizations will collectively invest $300,000 to pursue interoperability between the NRCS Conservation Application Ranking Tool (CART) and Field to Market’s Fieldprint® Platform. The collaboration will support greater data mobility between these tools, enabling farmers who utilize the Fieldprint Platform streamlined access to NRCS programs and services. In addition, it offers farmers enrolled in federal programs an opportunity to connect to supply chain sustainability efforts, streamlining sustainability data management and creating added value for farmers.

Together, Field to Market and NRCS will begin developing and field testing a two-way integration between the Fieldprint Platform and CART. This effort will enable farmers to leverage data collected in the Fieldprint Platform to pre-populate portions of data required for CART and other NRCS tools, providing more efficient access to cost-share programs and other conservation services. In the same way, this collaboration offers farmers participating in federal programs the ability to share sustainability data with Field to Market to participate in value chain efforts to accelerate continuous improvement in sustainability outcomes.

“NRCS works to ensure the health of our natural resources and the long-term sustainability of American agriculture,” said NRCS Chief Matthew Lohr. “Our collaboration with Field to Market is an important step to accelerate locally-led conservation through streamlining access to federal conservation assistance programs, while also connecting our farmers to broader efforts within the value chain to advance sustainable agriculture.”

The two-year project will begin this fall with the aim of trialing a two-way exchange between CART and the Fieldprint Platform as early as next summer.

“Field to Market is committed to supporting resilient ecosystems and enhanced farmer livelihoods,” said Rod Snyder, president of Field to Market. “This collaboration with NRCS allows us to further support growers in streamlining access to federal conservation programs and ensures that our sustainability assessment tools continue to build value for producers.”

ABOUT FIELD TO MARKET

Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture® brings together a diverse group of grower organizations; agribusinesses; food, feed, beverage, restaurant, and retail companies; conservation groups; universities and public sector partners to focus on defining, measuring, and advancing the sustainability of food, feed, fiber, and fuel production. Field to Market comprises around 200 members representing all facets of the U.S. agricultural supply chain, with members employing more than 5 million people and representing combined revenues totaling over $1.5 trillion. 

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“NRCS works to ensure the health of our natural resources and the long-term sustainability of American agriculture. Our collaboration with Field to Market is an important step to accelerate locally-led conservation through streamlining access to federal conservation assistance programs, while also connecting our farmers to broader efforts within the value chain to advance sustainable agriculture.”

Matthew Lohr, Chief, USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service

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