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On-Farm Network^® and CCPI Overview and Activities

We have an enormous opportunity to accelerate water quality improvements from agriculture by 1) improving our ability to monitor and evaluate – and thus improve – nutrient management and 2) better engaging farmers by aligning their financial interests with environmental stewardship and providing them with the information needed to understand the rationale for making management changes. The On-Farm Network® offers a strategy for real time evaluation and fine-tuning of nutrient management, documentation of impact, and more effective engagement of farmers in making and sustaining improvements.

Current N recommendations seldom distinguish between time of application, N sources, method of application or rainfall, all of which are important factors. The current methods do not provide farmers with an accessible way to compare the economic impacts of different practices. Through the On-Farm Network®, farmers work in collaboration with their peers and advisors to evaluate recommendations and make field-specific improvements – adaptive management in real time with documentable benefits. The On-Farm Network® increases benefits and impacts by aggregating field data across multiple farms and creating a feedback loop to the farms, both individually and in aggregate, to foster improved environmental and economical efficiency.

The On-Farm Network® will build and implement the infrastructure necessary to evaluate and document on-the-ground N management efforts and deliver real and measurable improvements that benefit water quality. Specifically, the On-Farm Network® will:

1) Provide training and materials to pool data at the local watershed level and coordinate data management and analysis across watersheds, and provide training and assistance for management of group dynamics and farmer participatory learning at the local level;

2) Manage the open data process that will make data results and analysis available to participants and the wider stakeholder community, while protecting farmer confidentiality;

3) Implement the coordinated communications strategy needed to engage and communicate effectively with critical stakeholders and farmers;

4) Communicate with and train universities, agencies and other interested parties on how to collect and utilize data to influence farmer behavior more effectively;

5) Develop and disseminate training materials and provide direct training of stakeholders at the watershed level on how to implement an adaptive management program; and

6) Provide assistance and fill gaps as partners work to increase the role EQIP plays in adaptive management of nutrients through NRCS Standards 590 and 799.

Work Plan for On-Farm Network through CCPI projects:

Activity	Timeframe
Recruitment of farmers	Ongoing
Collection of field information for evaluative tools	Spring
Aerial imagery of all fields GSS (annual)	August-September
Collection of stalk sections, yield and stalk sections from the replicated strip trials (every fall);	Fall
Summary, analysis, and preparation of data for presentation at farmer winter discussion sessions and discussion of the information with farmers at the winter meetings (every winter)	Winter
Review and analysis of data for publication as fact sheets, updates, and articles in scientific and farm publications	Ongoing
Implementation of extensive communications and outreach strategy targeted to crop consultants, extension and district staff, and additional federal and state agency experts to communicate the value of a networked adaptive management approach and how it can be implemented at the local and regional level.	Ongoing
Quantification of the benefits of adaptive management and the on-farm network for adoption of new N practices.	Ongoing
Statistical analysis of strip trial results, individually and pooled across watersheds	Ongoing
Statistical analysis of Guided Stalk samples using ordered survey logistic regression and odds ratios to establish benchmarks for efficiency of N practices.	Ongoing
Semi-annual reports on project progress and activities, including updates on performance items specific to the project (acres and farmers enrolled, data summaries and analysis, strip trial results, changes in nitrogen applications and management, and progress in utilization of EQIP and CCPI)	December and June
Supplemental narratives to explain and support payment requests	As needed
Development of adaptive management fact sheets and technical notes	Ongoing
Attendance and participation in CIG showcase and similar NRCS events	Periodic, at least once during grant period
Final report

EQIP Funding:

Breakdown per field and watershed group, with an estimated 50 fields per watershed group
	Direct cost related to field	Cost per field
1	Aerial Imagery	$152
2	Tracking info into database	$25
3	Picking points/load GPS/prep soil survey	$25
4	Printing	$25
5	Field stalk sampling	$100
6	Bags, lab analysis, shipping	$80
	Total/ field for guided stalk sampling	$407
	Watershed group with 50 fields -- GSS	$20,350
7	Strip trials – 8 per watershed at $1,500/trial	$12,000
	Total per watershed – EQIP funding	$32,350

Roles of ISA and EDF:

In collaboration with the many partners engaged in implementing CCPI projects in the nine watershed proposals in which On-Farm Network® was included, Iowa Soybean Association and Environmental Defense Fund will coordinate implementation of the On-Farm Network® itself. ISA will be the lead in overseeing the work of consultants and other technical advisors working on the ground with farmers in representative areas to collect in-field data and managing collection of aerial imagery. ISA will be responsible for data management and analysis. EDF will play a lead role in interacting with NRCS and EPA at the national level, as well as collaborating closely with ISA in developing partnerships and communicating with partners at the state and watershed level (including NRCS, grower organizations, conservation districts, and others). EDF and ISA will collaborate in development and dissemination of communications materials, fact sheets, web publications, media engagement, and other tools for sharing and disseminating information about the project within and beyond those actively engaged in the project. ISA will play the lead role in tracking the data and presenting the data that will be used for monitoring the impact of the project – number of farmers and acres enrolled, strip trial results, aerial imagery and guided stalk sampling results, surveys of farmer management and behavior changes, aggregate reductions in nitrogen, and related metrics.

Contacts:

Tracy Blackmer, ISA, (515) 334-1037, tblackmer@iasoybeans.com

Suzy Friedman, EDF, 202-492-1023 and sfriedman@edf.org