Fieldprint Calculator is foundation of Ashland SWCD's stewardship certification

Have you heard about our new conservation certification at Ashland Soil & Water Conservation District? In 2022, Ashland SWCD began a new conservation stewardship program to recognize local farmers for their outstanding conservation efforts, and this year we’ll be hosting a Conservation Chat: Your Conservation Fieldprint to help introduce area farmers to the tool that serves as the foundation of the gold and platinum stewardship levels: the Fieldprint calculator.

 “For years we have recognized our outstanding soil and water cooperator of the year at our soil and water banquet, but there are always so many other farmers who are deserving of recognition, too,” said Jane Houin, program director. “Our board has worked hard to put in place an objective tool to measure conservation stewardship and to reward our farmers for their efforts to protect the soil and water resources of Ashland County.”

 The stewardship certification program features three levels of stewardship. The silver level is offered to farmers who are actively participating in one of the district’s conservation programs. Some of these programs include seeding cover crops, no-till field management, stream exclusion fencing for livestock, and more.

 To move up to the gold level, farmers must enroll their fields into the district’s free Fieldprint calculator. The Fieldprint calculator was developed by Field to Market. It objectively measures and provides feedback on a farms’ sustainability performance. The program allows us to input information and data, and it also integrates with numerous farm-management software platforms to use data farmers are already collecting.

 The highest certification level is platinum; this level is reserved for farmers who show a year-over-year improvement on their sustainability metrics in the Fieldprint calculator’s assessment.

 We have designed this certification program not only to recognize farmers for their conservation efforts, but also to provide new opportunities for farmers. By using the Fieldprint calculator, farmers are given many opportunities with retailers and food processors who are interested in the sustainability of the farm. Farmers selling direct to consumers can also use their certification as a marketing tool for their operation. 

Our February 9 Conservation Chat: Your Conservation Fieldprint will take place at the Loudonville Library at 1 p.m. Registration is just $5 and includes a lunch as well an overview of the calculator and discussions with other farmers who have used the tool to boost their sustainability. For more information on the conservation stewardship program or to RSVP, contact Katie Eikelberry at 419-281-7645.