Southern Plains Agricultural Resources Coalition CIG for Natural Resources

The objectives of the Southern Plains Agricultural Resources Coalition include the adaptation of no-till conservation cropping systems to improve soil resource performance and to encourage adoption through demonstration, evaluation, utility, affordability and usability in the field. Our innovative approach will be to develop a market based system to create incentives for qualified producers. Certification and labeling will be tied directly to conservation systems applied on the land. Agricultural producers seek Food Alliance certification as a tool for product differentiation and brand enhancement that supports transitions from commodity markets, in which producers compete primarily on price, to niche markets more influenced by product qualities. Market benefits from certification encourage producers to adopt conservation measures while maintaining or even enhancing farm income.