Farmers for Sustainable Food released its 2022 progress report showcasing a wide range of work and a commitment to conservation.
The organization of food system partners grew to 51 members in 2022, up 11 from 2021. Through partnerships with seven farmer-led conservation groups across Wisconsin, FSF supported 304 farmers. This equals 51,568 acres and 213,805 head of livestock.
“Our members strive to act boldly and creatively protect and preserve natural resources daily,” Todd Doornink, FSF board president, said. “We are excited to recognize their incredible achievements over the past year.”
Farmer-led Groups
Each year, FSF documents practices used by members of the farmer-led groups it supports and studies the potential impact on the environment.
Key Results from 2022:
- Reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 55,585 tons. This equals the emissions from 11,221 cars driven for a year.
- Reduced sediment from leaving farm fields by 365,814 tons. One dump truck can carry about 10 tons of soil.
- Reduced 480,592 pounds of phosphorus from leaving farm fields. One pound of this nutrient that reaches a waterbody can feed 500 pounds of algae.
Sustainability Projects
FSF’s recognized Framework for Farm-Level Sustainability Projects continues to serve as a guide to help groups document and communicate the sustainability of farming practices to other farmers. FSF supported four projects in 2022:
- Lafayette Ag Stewardship Alliance completed the third year of a five-year project involving 15 farmers in southwestern Wisconsin who are measuring on-farm sustainability and the financial impact of conservation practices.
- Peninsula Pride Farms in northeastern Wisconsin released its first results of a three-year project. Eleven farm members are evaluating on-farm sustainability metrics to better understand the impact of conservation practices on their crops and local watersheds.
- Crave Brothers Farm in southern Wisconsin completed an analysis of three years of data to assess how farming practices affect local stream water quality.
- Together with Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative and Zoetis, eight farms participated in a genomic study to show how focusing on genetic improvement in dairy cattle leads to profitability and sustainability.
Climate-Smart Initiative
The FSF team supported Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative on a proposal for a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program.
- FSF, Edge and more than a dozen project partners will be reimbursed up to $50 million for farmer-focused sustainability projects.
- This aims to help farmers implement sustainability projects that reduce their carbon footprint, document the improvements and demonstrate value in the supply chain.
- The program will expand the use of FSF’s farmer-led sustainability project model.
“Last year’s success by FSF and its members and partners were truly remarkable,” Doornink said. “The deep commitment to our mission will continue to carry our important work forward.”
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