Field to Market, The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, has announced new leadership. Rod Snyder, current director of public policy with the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), will take on the role of president, focused on carrying out Field to Market’s commitment to continuous improvements in productivity, environmental quality and human well-being across the agricultural supply chain. Snyder will assume the position on March 10.

“After years of involvement with Field to Market, I’m proud to join the alliance as president,” said Rod Snyder. “Field to Market members are committed to helping provide food, fiber and fuel for 9 billion people across the globe by 2050, while conserving finite natural resources, which is one of the most significant challenges facing our generation.”

IL Corn is excited to see leadership with a background in the corn sector now at Field to Market.  We have been working towards educating our membership about Field to Market’s Fieldprint Calculator, an opportunity for farmers to measure their “sustainability quotient” against standards.

The Fieldprint Calculator is a free online tool that helps growers measure and communicate about sustainable agriculture. Using the Fieldprint Calculator, Field to Market member-organizations and growers have supported a variety of Fieldprint Projects totaling approximately 400 growers in eight states, which covers nearly 130,000 acres. Examples of Fieldprint Projects include:

• A wheat project in the Idaho Snake River Valley, involving 25 growers and sponsored by General Mills and Syngenta, is providing information on the impacts of crop rotation on natural resources.
• A corn project in the Paw Paw River watershed, sponsored by The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, Van Buren Conservation District and The Coca-Cola Company, is measuring and improving corn production practices in Van Buren County, Michigan.

“Rod’s leadership is an important milestone that signifies another part of Field to Market’s evolution as a leading organization to inform and support sustainability metrics and programs for U.S. commodity agriculture,” said Steve Peterson, director of sourcing and sustainability at General Mills and chairman of Field to Market. “Through this position, Rod will provide leadership to the more than 50 Field to Market member organizations, and coordinate sustainability efforts across the supply chain as the alliance grows.”

“Rod’s familiarity with agriculture and conservation will help Field to Market ensure a coordinated, outcomes-based approach to sustainable agriculture issues,” said Rick Tolman, CEO of NCGA. “We look forward to our continued involvement with Field to Market under Rod’s leadership.”