FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
1. If I'm a farmer, what do I have to do to get my corn included within the CSAP or the Sustainable Corn Exports web-platform?
Farmers do not have to take any action to have their corn considered for use under the CSAP or the Sustainable Corn Exports platform. The total volume allocation of sustainable corn elegible for participation under the CSAP will be determined by multiplying the total amount of acres participating in Farm Service Agency programs that require Conservation Compliance, and the average corn yield per acre for a given Marketing Year. Thanks to the use of a mass-balance sourcing approach (see FAQ 'What is Mass Balance Sourcing'), accounting of qualifying and non-qualifying corn volumes is kept separately and tracked accordingly.
2. Will there be a cost associated to using the Sustainable Corn Exports platform or to issuing a Record of Sustainability for a shipment?
Farmers, Corn Exporters, Importers and End-users will not incur in any cost from registering and using the Sustainable Corn Exports Platform, or by issuing Records of Sustainability for their shipments. The U.S. Grains Council is proud to offer this tool free of charge to facilitate corn trade and enable U.S. farmers to communicate their commitment to sustainable production practices.
3. What benefits will farmers derive from the CSAP?
The Corn Sustainability Assurance Protocol helps U.S. farmers and exporters to provide international supply chain stakeholders with a baseline of the commitment to continuous improvement in corn production practices, and address sustainability requirements and procurement guidelines that may be demanded by customers, companies or regulators.
4. How will the CSAP operate and who will be its users?
The Corn Sustainability Assurance Protocol is operationalized through the Sustainable Corn Exports web-based platform, which includes registered users U.S. Corn Exporters, International Importers and Supply Chain Customers. Through the web-based platform, corn exporters can issue shipment-specific Records of Sustainability to validate that their cargo is a part of the global allocation of sustainable U.S. corn. Corn exporters can transfer each Record of Sustainability to their international customers (corn importers), who can in turn sub-allocate specific volumes to their supply chain customers.
5. What value does the CSAP add in terms of existing sustainability tools and frameworks?
The Corn Sustainability Assurance Protocol is complimentary to and meant to articulate with existing sustainability tools and frameworks. In particular, the CSAP aligns with the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) sustainability goals and uses the Field to Market methodological framework to track trends in environmental impact associated to corn production. The value of the CSAP derives from being a farmer-led initiative to engage with international customers and stakeholders on the issue of sustainable corn production practices, geared towards facilitating trade through clear and open communciation.
6. What is the sustainability definition used under the CSAP?
The Corn Sustainability Assurance Protocol aligns with the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) Sustainability Commitment: "U.S. Corn farmers are committed to continuous improvement in the production of corn, a versatile crop providing abundant high-quality food, feed, renewable energy, biobased products, and ecosystem services. As stewards of the land, we understand the responsibility we have for creating a more environmentally and economically sustainable world for future generations with transparency and through continued advances and efficiencies in land, water and energy use".
7. How is the total volume of corn allocated for participation under the CSAP?
Each Marketing Year, Sustainable Corn Exports will define the total volume allocation of sustainable corn eligible for participation under the CSAP. This volume is determined by multiplying
1) the total amount of acres participating in Farm Service Agency programs that require Conservation Compliance, and
2) the average corn yield per acre for a given Marketing Year. Thanks to the use of a mass-balance sourcing approach (see FAQ 'What is Mass Balance Sourcing'), accounting of qualifying and non-qualifying corn volumes is kept separately and tracked accordingly.
1) the total amount of acres participating in Farm Service Agency programs that require Conservation Compliance, and
2) the average corn yield per acre for a given Marketing Year. Thanks to the use of a mass-balance sourcing approach (see FAQ 'What is Mass Balance Sourcing'), accounting of qualifying and non-qualifying corn volumes is kept separately and tracked accordingly.
8. What is mass-balance sourcing?
Mass balance is a sourcing method that allows for certified and non-certified ingredients to become mixed during the shipping and manufacturing processes”. For more information, see Rainforest Alliance https://bit.ly/3AW2uH5
9. Why use Farm Service Agency Conservation Compliance requirements as criteria for the CSAP?
The CSAP includes Farm Service Agency Conservation Compliance as a key criterion to define U.S. sustainable corn volumes given its broad scope and coverage of farmland in the United States. FSA Conservation Compliance programs are the most widely-encompassing, public-led, on-farm verification mechanism to guarantee basic soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitats in the United States.
The Food Security Act of 1985, as amended, requires producers participating in most programs administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to abide by certain conditions on any land owned or farmed that is highly erodible or that is considered a wetland. Producers participating in these programs and any person or entity considered to be an "affiliated person" of the producer, are subject to these conditions.
Under highly erodible lands (HEL) conservation, any farmer that produces an annually tilled crop on highly erodible land must implement a USDA-approved conservation plan for that land. Over 3 million acres of farmland are annually reviewed under Conservation Compliance enforcement (CRS, 2016).
The Food Security Act of 1985, as amended, requires producers participating in most programs administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to abide by certain conditions on any land owned or farmed that is highly erodible or that is considered a wetland. Producers participating in these programs and any person or entity considered to be an "affiliated person" of the producer, are subject to these conditions.
Under highly erodible lands (HEL) conservation, any farmer that produces an annually tilled crop on highly erodible land must implement a USDA-approved conservation plan for that land. Over 3 million acres of farmland are annually reviewed under Conservation Compliance enforcement (CRS, 2016).
10. Who participates in establishing sustainability policies and practices in the United States?
Farming in the United States encompasses a great diversity of soils, climate conditions, rainfall, topography, geology and even requires different types of equipment, which is why there are no all-encompassing practices or policies for farming in the U.S. Policies are actually driven through coordination between Federal, State and Local regulators and policymakers on the public side, who work with individual farmers, communities, and associations at the State and National levels to define and implement production practices that are aligned with a more environmentally and economically sustainable world.