U.S. Farmer Spotlight: Rice Farmer Scott Matthews on Why Irrigation is Like a Giant Math Equation
USSA spoke to him about water conservation and some of the innovative irrigation practices he implements on his farm.
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USSA spoke to him about water conservation and some of the innovative irrigation practices he implements on his farm.
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Doug Winter is a fifth-generation soybean grower from Mill Shoals, Illinois and the vice chairman of the U.S. Soybean Export Council.
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He spoke to us about the precise cost, productivity and sustainability benefits of using the right amount of fertilizer where it’s needed and reducing tillage passes on his fields.
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Thanks to new processes and technologies, the leather production industry has cut its water footprint by 37% in the past 25 years and it’s improving all the time.
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Greg Baltz operates Running Lake Farms in Randolph County, Arkansas. He explains why corn and peanuts are the perfect crop rotation policy that allows him to farm sustainably whilst minimizing his use of fertilizer.
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U.S. organic food sales in 2020 were up a record 12.8% to a new high of €46 billion ($56.4 billion), representing almost 6% of U.S. food sales.
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Jay Hardwick traded a life in academia for what has turned out to be a fruitful career in farming. Today he grows mainly cotton, corn and soybeans on his family’s 12,000-acre operation in Tensas Parish, North East Louisiana.
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Fourth-generation soybean and corn farmer Monte Peterson explains why he uses GMOs in order to farm more sustainably and safely.
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The initiative will focus on row crop rotations to build on the company’s 2030 climate commitment.
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He is constantly striving to implement new practices and innovations that make the farm more efficient, more sustainable and more profitable.
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USSA spoke to him about water conservation and some of the innovative irrigation practices he implements on his farm.
Read more
Doug Winter is a fifth-generation soybean grower from Mill Shoals, Illinois and the vice chairman of the U.S. Soybean Export Council.
Read more
He spoke to us about the precise cost, productivity and sustainability benefits of using the right amount of fertilizer where it’s needed and reducing tillage passes on his fields.
Read more
Thanks to new processes and technologies, the leather production industry has cut its water footprint by 37% in the past 25 years and it’s improving all the time.
Read more
Greg Baltz operates Running Lake Farms in Randolph County, Arkansas. He explains why corn and peanuts are the perfect crop rotation policy that allows him to farm sustainably whilst minimizing his use of fertilizer.
Read more
U.S. organic food sales in 2020 were up a record 12.8% to a new high of €46 billion ($56.4 billion), representing almost 6% of U.S. food sales.
Read more
Jay Hardwick traded a life in academia for what has turned out to be a fruitful career in farming. Today he grows mainly cotton, corn and soybeans on his family’s 12,000-acre operation in Tensas Parish, North East Louisiana.
Read more
Fourth-generation soybean and corn farmer Monte Peterson explains why he uses GMOs in order to farm more sustainably and safely.
Read more
The initiative will focus on row crop rotations to build on the company’s 2030 climate commitment.
Read more
He is constantly striving to implement new practices and innovations that make the farm more efficient, more sustainable and more profitable.
Read more
Stephanie Wetter, Director of Animal Welfare at the National Pork Board, shares her perspective on why there is no substitute for visiting a farm and seeing firsthand the reality of pork production.
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There’s more to our food than meets the eye, writes Kent Swisher of the North American Renderers Association (NARA) in a guest blog for SustMeme.
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At Jorgensen Land & Cattle in Ideal, South Dakota, innovation and tradition go hand in hand.
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Environmental protection and sustainability have lost significant importance under the current U.S. administration. However, Nick Gardner, Chair of the U.S. Sustainability Alliance (USSA), believes this will have little impact on the alliance’s long-term goals.
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May 2026. A national assessment examining how irrigated agriculture is changing across the United States and what this means for future food production, water management, and rural resilience.
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April 2026. A climate-informed study warning that many of California’s most recognizable tree species may be more vulnerable to decline than current conservation assessments suggest.
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April 2026. A joint report examining how rising temperatures and more frequent heatwaves are affecting crops, livestock, fisheries, forests and agricultural workers.
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March 2026. A comprehensive farm-to-fork analysis highlighting the scale and economic importance of the U.S. food and agriculture industry.
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Schuler Red Angus in Bridgeport is the 2026 Nebraska Leopold Conservation Award winner.
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Nutrients recovered from livestock and human waste could dramatically reduce synthetic fertilizer use in the U.S., according to a new Cornell University study.
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Soybean farmers looking for the best way to improve soil health now have a clear way forward, thanks to a study funded by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and co-led by the University of Kentucky.
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This month focuses on technology and innovation. We highlight a new initiative aimed at accelerating U.S. farmers’ adoption of emerging technologies - real-world testing and performance data are key.
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Whilst the USSA members work to exceed regulatory requirement, U.S. laws and regulations provide a robust framework, developed over many years, to ensure and promote the sustainability of its crop, livestock, seafood and forestry sectors. The policies look to immediate impacts on the environment and beyond to cover topics from employment to biodiversity to endangered species. The following pages provide context and an introduction to key federal legislation.
Focused on conservation and environmental stewardship, the USDA, working with The Natural Resources Conservation Service on technical assessment and the Farm Service Agency for enforcements, uses grant management to deliver best practice. A particular focus is on erodible lands and wetlands, with ‘sodbuster’ and ‘swampbuster’ rules, requires presentation of conservation strategies prior to conversion of lands to agricultural use. One result, that soil loss has been halved since 1982.
The U.S. recognizes that sustainability has many facets and action is required in explicit areas. This has resulted in the enactment of a wide range of laws from the Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act to the Endangered Species Act, to research and regulatory action on Insecticides and Fungicides and Rodenticide Act; and, with the Lacey Act a focus on illegal trafficking of plants, fish and animals.
In the latest episode of This is U.S. Sustainability, we hear from two multi-generational farmers – an eleventh-generation grains farmer from Maryland and the owner of a centennial cattle farm in Louisiana – about how they have moved with the times while staying true to their roots. We cover rotational grazing, no-till cultivation, water conservation, biotech seeds, and more. And we discuss why going back to the natural cycle is sometimes the best approach.
Tune in to the latest episode of This is U.S. Sustainability to hear how Paul Catanzaro and Professor Tony D’Amato work together to reach family forest owners and ensure they have the information and resources to make the right decisions about their land. And learn about the vital role Tim Stout, a Vermont landowner, plays in amplifying their message.
Tune in for the lowdown on the innovative, often surprising ways the almond industry and the wider food sector are reducing waste. Jet fuel, beer, water filters and peat moss to grow mushrooms – these are just some of the many applications in use and under development.
Discover how softwoods were used in the architecture of PDX Main Terminal, Portland, Oregon, in this new series from the Softwood Export Council.
Watch nowThis new series from the Softwood Export Council spotlights the global reach and versatility of American softwoods in architecture, offering a behind-the-scenes look at sustainable forestry practices.
Watch nowThis new series from the American Feed Industry Association explores the $267 billion U.S. animal food industry, offering insights into its scale and impact.
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