Cotton & Natural Resources

What’s Your Fieldprint?

Corn, cotton, soybean, and wheat growers now have access to a free, confidential online tool that will assess how some operational decisions affect natural resource preservation and sustainability.

The Fieldprint Calculator, available at www.fieldtomarket.org, provides an easy way to analyze and assess their current land use, energy use, water use, greenhouse gas emissions, and soil loss and explore various scenarios that may help improve farm natural resource management and, ultimately, their operation efficiency and financial return. Field to Market, The Keystone Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, developed the calculator, which is directly correlated to the national level outcome indicators identified in the Environmental Indicators Report. The report found that agriculture has already made great progress toward reducing its environmental footprint. The calculator is a tool to help identify opportunities to continue this trend while also providing basic metrics to communicate sustainable practices to a consumer audience increasingly interested in making sustainable food and fiber choices.

Doug Goehring, a corn, soybean and wheat grower in North Dakota, says by using the Fieldprint Calculator, growers are able to test real life scenarios without stepping foot in the field. “This calculator will help me understand how we’re being sustainable on the farm today, while providing insight into for future improvements that can benefit the environment and my bottom line.” Listen to a complete interview with Doug about the calculator from Commodity Classic.

Field to Market is also asking for your input! Feedback received from growers will be used to develop future versions of the tool, which will incorporate economic factors and include grower forums to share experiences and challenges.

For more information on the Fieldprint Calculator please visit the Field to Market website or more information on sustainable agriculture and The Keystone Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture please visit http://www.keystone.org/spp/environment/sustainability/field-to-market.

A Global Solution for the Future

Envision a future where environmental sustainability thrives along with the businesses that depend on cotton as a source of income.

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Ask the Sustainability Desk

Is it true that cotton uses a large amount of water compared with other crops?
No. Cotton’s overall water use is not that different than other major crops.