Attention Arkansas Soybean Producers: Sustainability Assessment Due By March 10, 2014 For A Chance To Win Free Seed
LITTLE ROCK, ARK.
The University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture in cooperation with The National Initiative for Sustainable Agriculture (NISA) is conducting an on-line assessment of the sustainability of the Arkansas soybean industry. The National Sustainable Soybean Initiative (NSSI) is working toward streamlining sustainability for soybean growers by creating a coordinated national framework for assessing sustainability and communicating achievements throughout the value chain.
With funding from the United Soybean Board, this pilot program is being developed under the NISA, a producer-led group whose goals are to: 1) Coordinate producer-led, research-driven sustainability programs; 2) Document and measure progress for agricultural entitles; and 3) Communicate these advances to the supply chain.
The primary objective of the NSSI program is to provide all segments of the soybean value chain - including growers, processors, manufacturers, retailers, end-users and consumers – with a method for documenting and verifying progress along the sustainability continuum. Soybean growers need a voice in the sustainability discussion that ensures they have a reasonable way forward and that they receive credit for previous advancements.
The whole farm portion of the assessment asks what practices you commonly use across all the crops grown on you farm, while the soybean specific assessment will be only for you soybean crop.
You will need to complete the whole farm assessment, then follow the link to the soybean specific version. This on-line assessment will take only 20-40 minutes of your time. Please have both assessments completed by March 10, 2014.
Upon completion of both surveys, please e-mail Jeremy Ross (jross@uaex.edu) your name and county of residence to have your name entered into a drawing for a chance to win one of five bulk bag of soybean seed developed by the University of Arkansas, Division of Agriculture.
The deadline for completion of both the whole farm and soybean specific assessments is March 10, 2014. The assessments can be found by clicking here, or at the following web address: http://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/1475942/NISA-Entry-Level-Whole-Farm-and-Soybean-Specific-Sustainability-Assessments-Arkansas.∆