Driving Sustainable Agriculture with Carrie Vollmer Sanders, Field to Market President
If you’ve been around the rice industry or followed my journey for a while, you know I’m passionate about sustainability and what happens to our crops after they leave the farm gate. Most of us just deliver our grain, watch the truck unload, and that's the end of the story. But as consumers began to ask about how their food was grown or the specific farming practices we use in the field, we had to become more engaged. Even the big brands have requirements for us to meet to put our grain in their package.
That’s why I was so excited to sit down with Carrie Vollmer-Sanders, the President of Field to Market. Carrie isn't just an executive without a farming background; she grew up on a hog farm and still farms with her family in Ohio and Indiana. She wears the same "farmer hat" we do, which makes her the perfect person to lead a group that brings the entire agricultural value chain to the same table.
What Exactly is Field to Market?
Field to Market is a non-profit, member-based organization that’s been around for 20 years. Their "secret sauce" is bringing together everyone, from growers and agribusinesses to massive brands like Walmart, Nestle, and Mars. They provide an environment for true collaboration across all sectors with the goal of improving farmer outcomes while making sure the environment and businesses thrive.
As a farmer, I know the word "sustainability" can sometimes feel like a buzzword without much substance. But Carrie explained that Field to Market is focused on two things: resilient ecosystems and farmer livelihoods. It’s not just about the environment; it’s about making sure the people doing the work can stay in business. And in today’s ag economy, we like how that sounds.
The Fieldprint Calculator
One of the most practical things we discussed was the Fieldprint Calculator. It’s a tool that measures different metrics, such as soil health, water use, and biodiversity, to give you a "spider diagram" of your farm's footprint. The wider the web, the higher the score, but the smaller the web the better your performance in that metric.
Carrie described it a bit like golf: the lower the score, the more sustainable the practices in the field. It’s a way for us to see our own data, identify where we can be more efficient, and have better conversations with the folks downstream who might be looking to offer a premium for certain practices. It is also a great tool to get us thinking about what we do in the field that affects the metrics. Many times, a slight change could be more efficient and save us money.
Why Should You Care?
I get it, we’re busy. Between planting, harvest, and the million other things that break down during the day, having time to pay attention to another organization feels like a tall order. But here’s the truth: if we aren't in the room, the definitions of "sustainability" and "regenerative agriculture" will be written without us. The great farming practices that are just second nature to us get overlooked and not rewarded by those who may receive value from such actions. Communication and understanding are key, and if we are not in the room to explain how we will make progress?
Field to Market makes sure the farmer's voice is equal to the brand's voice. They are creating projects that offer technical assistance, helping pay for sustainable practices, or even offering warranties to decrease the risk of trying something new. These days, we must go with what we know, so receiving some guarantee to try something new is paramount to making positive change on the farm.
My conversation with Carrie reminded me that agriculture isn't the same as it was fifty years ago. The closer we can get to our value chain and the consumer, the better off we’re going to be in the long run.
If you want to hear more about how they are building the next generation of leaders through the Resilient Futures Leadership program or learn about the Sustainable Ag Summit coming to Texas this November, be sure to listen to the full episode.
Let’s keep telling the story.
Tune in and listen below, it's a good one!
💚 https://open.spotify.com/show/2xQkadHp60CkKLaD43Eotq?si=3feeafe618874ac4