Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture recently honored recipients of the 2019 Sustainability Leadership Awards on the eve of the fifth annual Sustainable Agriculture Summit.
The awards are given to farmers, organizations and individuals who have demonstrated outstanding leadership through efforts to advance continuous improvement in the sustainability of U.S. commodity crop production.
For the first time, the alliance expanded its awards program to also celebrate the critical role that trusted advisers — such as certified crop advisers, conservation districts specialists, Extension agents, Natural Resource Conservation Service field staff and retail agronomists — play in supporting farmers’ journeys of continuous improvement.
The recipients of the 2019 Sustainability Leadership Awards are:
• 2019 Collaboration of the Year: USA Rice—Ducks Unlimited Rice Stewardship Partnership
Recognizing outstanding collaboration and cross-sector partnership in advancing continuous improvement in sustainable agriculture at the field and landscape level, this year’s Collaboration of the Year Award honors 10 Field to Market members involved in the Rice Stewardship Partnership. They are USA Rice, Ducks Unlimited, U.S. Department of Agriculture NRCS, Walmart.org, The Mosaic Co. and the Mosaic Foundation, Nestlé Purina PetCare Co., RiceTec, BASF, Corteva Agriscience and Riceland Foods Inc.
Representing collaboration that spans the entire rice industry, the Rice Stewardship Partnership supports rice farmers in pursuing continuous improvement in water quality, water quantity and waterfowl habitat protection. By coordinating efforts through all six rice producing states — Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri and Texas — this effort brings together partners from each of Field to Market’s five membership sectors to provide conservation services and farmer support that enable participating growers to conserve critical natural resources.
• 2019 Trusted Adviser of the Year: Dr. Andrew Jordan, consultant and owner, Jordan Associates
Recognizing outstanding leadership in supporting farmers in their pursuit of continuous improvement, the inaugural Trusted Adviser of the Year Award was awarded to Dr. Andrew Jordan, consultant and owner of Jordan Associates.
Widely recognized within the cotton industry as a pioneering sustainability advocate, Jordan served 30 years at the National Cotton Council helping cotton producers to adopt new technologies and implement more sustainable practices on their farms.
Translating this expertise, he established himself as a trusted adviser not only to farmers but to the wider industry in 2007, championing the importance of documenting and demonstrating continuous improvement in the sustainability of U.S. cotton.
Most recently, Jordan has served as a leading adviser on the newly released U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, which leverages Field to Market’s suite of sustainability metrics to enable cotton farmers across the country to deliver sustainable outcomes and contribute to the broader industry’s sustainability story.
He has also contributed significant volunteer efforts overseas to design small-scale community water systems for developing countries.
• 2019 Farmer of the Year: Rick Clark, fifth-generation farmer, Williamsport, Indiana
Honoring the outstanding contributions of a farmer who is committed to advancing sustainable agriculture through conservation and stewardship efforts on their farm and sharing best practices with their peers, this year’s Farmer of the Year Award recognizes Indiana corn and soy farmer Rick Clark for his leadership and dedication to conservation.
As Field to Market’s highest honor for commodity crop producers, this distinctive award celebrates Clark’s commitment to delivering continuous improvement in soil health and related sustainable outcomes.
Clark’s dedication to soil health has resulted in a powerful impact on the sustainability of his operation, and inspired peers and partners in the supply chain to rally around the critical importance of soil health.
His pursuit of innovation and passion for conservation is illustrated by a rigorous, systematic approach to maximizing the health of his soil, delivering tangible benefits on his land which will leaves a powerful legacy in sustaining future generations of his family.
The winners of Field to Market’s Sustainability Leadership Awards are selected by the alliance’s Awards and Recognition Committee. Each recipient must demonstrate leadership in the pursuit of continuous improvement, resulting in measurable results and significant impact on both agriculture and the environment.