Our Environmental Indicators

The Fieldprint Platform measures field-level biodiversity using the Habitat Potential Index (HPI), a scoring system developed by Field to Market in 2014. The HPI evaluates how well a field supports habitat based on management practices like crop diversity, tillage intensity, and integrated pest management, among others.

Scores range from 0-100. A low score suggests significant opportunities for habitat improvement, while a high score indicates the field is already well-positioned to support biodiversity.

The Energy Use indicator estimates the cumulative energy demand (CED) associated with producing a given crop, following a cradle-to-processing-gate system boundary. The CED accounts for the primary energy, from fossil and non-fossil sources, and used throughout the life cycle, including upstream supply chains. In the Fieldprint Platform, Energy Use can be expressed as the sum of three components:

• Upstream: Energy use associated with electricity generation and distribution, transportation of agricultural inputs, and production of fuels, fertilizers, pesticides, and seed.
• On-farm mechanical: Energy use associated with mobile and stationary machinery on-farm, such as tractors, combines, and irrigation pumps.
• Post-harvest: Energy use associated with mobile and stationary machinery outside the farm, such as crop transportation and drying.

The GHG Emissions indicator in the Fieldprint Platform estimates emissions associated with producing a given crop, converting greenhouse gases to Global Warming Potential (GWP) using the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report's 100-year time horizon factors.

The indicator follows a cradle-to-processing-gate system boundary and supports separating emissions by gas type (CO₂, CH₄, N₂O). The indicator is expressed as the sum of the four components below, which encompass all major emission sources in row crop production:

• Upstream: Emissions associated with electricity generation and distribution, transportation of agricultural inputs, and production of fuels, fertilizers, pesticides, and seed.
• On-farm mechanical: Emissions associated with mobile and stationary machinery on-farm, such as tractors, combines, and irrigation pumps.
• On-farm non-mechanical sources and sinks: Emissions associated with eight soil processes, such as nitrous oxide, direct land use change, CO2 from urea, and soil organic carbon fluxes (which can be a source or a sink), and emissions from inputs such as lime and urea fertilizers.
• Post-harvest: Emissions associated with mobile and stationary machinery outside the farm, such as crop transportation and drying.

The Irrigation Water Use (IWU) indicator is expressed as the amount of irrigation water required to produce one unit of additional crop output compared to non-irrigated conditions. Lower IWU values indicate more water-efficient irrigation practices, as less water is needed to produce each additional unit of crop output.

The Land Use indicator quantifies agricultural intensity by measuring the land area required to produce one unit of crop output. Expressed as area per crop production unit, such as acres per bushel for grains or acres per pound for crops like cotton and peanuts, this indicator provides insight into how intensively land resources are being utilized.

Lower values indicate greater land use intensity, meaning less land is needed to produce each unit of output, which is a key consideration as agricultural systems balance productivity with environmental stewardship.

The Soil Carbon indicator provides a quantitative assessment of annual soil carbon stock changes from consecutive calendar years for a field boundary for the top 30-cm of the soil profile. This indicator uses SWAT+ (Soil and Water Assessment Tool Plus), a robust Tier 3, process-based model that simulates carbon dynamics across multiple soil carbon pools.

The model accounts for how management practices influence carbon flows between these pools, incorporating factors such as tillage intensity, crop rotation diversity, cover cropping, nutrient applications, residue management, and organic matter additions. This approach allows farmers to assess how management changes can enhance soil carbon sequestration over time, supporting both climate mitigation goals and long-term soil health.

The Soil Conservation indicator is a comprehensive measurement that quantifies soil lost to erosion from water and wind in agricultural landscapes. Reported as tons of soil lost per acre per year, this indicator helps farmers understand and address soil erosion. The Soil Conservation indicator utilizes two powerful process-based models developed and maintained by USDA: the Water Erosion Prediction Program (WEPP), and the Wind Erosion Prediction System (WEPS).

The Water Quality indicator leverages the Stewardship Tool for Environmental Performance (STEP) developed by USDA. STEP evaluates the potential for nutrient losses from agricultural fields based on site-specific soil, topographic, and climate conditions. STEP assesses four nutrient loss pathways: nitrogen and phosphorus lost in surface water runoff and nitrogen and phosphorus lost to subsurface leaching. STEP is an index tool that determines field-specific risk levels and evaluates how management practices mitigate those risks.

This approach offers insights into loss pathways and targeted improvement opportunities, allowing farmers and supply chain partners to identify the most effective practices for water quality improvement in their regions.