1.
Building a Sustainability Market for Water Quality
Conservation
Charlene Brooks, CMM Program Administrator
Jim Klang, CMM Board Member (Kieser & Associates, LLC)

2.
What Are The
PROBLEMS?
Declining Water QualityA.
B.
C.
Untraceable Supply Chains
Declining Resource for
Conservation
Photo Credit: Chicago Board of Trade. Medill Report, 2014.

3.
Corporate
SUSTAINABILITY
Companies and industries are working towards mitigating and
managing the environmental impact of their business models,
products, source materials, and supply chains

4.
Buyer Program
STRUCTURE
Buyer provides funds
for producer and
administrative costs
Buyer makes claim
about sustainability
efforts
Buyer enters program
with acre
commitment
Aggregator recruits and enrolls
producers
FS team connects buyer’s
commitment with enrolled acres
Administrator recruits and enrolls
buyers
Administrator hires 3rd party
auditor to enhance integrity
Producer enrolls eligible
corn and soybean acres
for $5 per acre
20% of producers audited
by a 3rd party per year
Farmer meets threshold
through the NRCS Water
Quality Index for
Agricultural Runoff
Buyer Field Stewards Producer

5.
NRCS
Water Quality Index for Ag Runoff
Site InformationA.
Field Physical Sensitivity FactorsB.
Nutrient Management FactorsC.
Tillage Management FactorsD.
Pest Management FactorsE.
Irrigation/ Tile Drain ManagementF.
Conservation PracticesG.
(Modified in the Minnesota Agriculture Water Quality Certification Program)

6.
Producer Program
STRUCTURE
Buyer provides funds
for producer and
administrative costs
Buyer makes claim
about sustainability
efforts
Buyer enters program
with acre
commitment
Aggregator recruits and enrolls
producers
FS team connects buyer’s
commitment with enrolled acres
Administrator recruits and enrolls
buyers
Administrator hires 3rd party
auditor to enhance integrity
Producer enrolls eligible
corn and soybean acres
for $5 per acre
20% of producers audited
by a 3rd party per year
Farmer meets threshold
through the NRCS Water
Quality Index for
Agricultural Runoff
Buyer Field Stewards Producer

7.
Program
STRUCTURE
Buyer provides funds
for producer and
administrative costs
Buyer makes claim
about sustainability
efforts
Buyer enters program
with acre
commitment
Aggregator recruits and enrolls
producers
FS team connects buyer’s
commitment with enrolled acres
Administrator recruits and enrolls
buyers
Administrator hires 3rd party
auditor to enhance integrity
Producer enrolls eligible
corn and soybean acres
for $5 per acre
20% of producers audited
by a 3rd party per year
Farmer meets threshold
through the NRCS Water
Quality Index for
Agricultural Runoff
Buyer Field Stewards Producer

8.
A. Field Stewards is connecting corporate funding to
farmers

9.
B. Field Stewards is rewarding the good actors in the
agricultural community

10.
C. Field Stewards is providing a corporate tool to
support sustainability

11.
D. Field Stewards is strengthening connections and
compatibility with local conservation programs

12.
Successes &
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Developed an evolving website and marketing
campaign. fieldstewards.org
Significant progress on buyer and producer
relationships
Program forms, contracts, and protocols are
developed
Large inventory of corn and soybeans
available

13.
Lessons
LEARNED
Producers’ mixed relationships with
buyers impacts enrollment
Corporate ownership changes alter
stewardship goals
Market a streamlined program to
producers

14.
Next
STEPS
Include green
house gas
thresholds and
other sustainability
certifications
Beta-test multi-
year contracts
with producers
Expand program
with additional
buyers with
continued
recruitment
Develop a multi-
year program

15.
Project
PARTNERS
This material is based upon work supported by the Natural Resource Conservation Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under number
69-3A75-16-011. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do
not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

16.
“Growing Clean Water Together”