CSAP

The U.S. Corn Sustainability Assurance Protocol (CSAP) offers international corn buyers and export markets insights into U.S. corn production sustainability practices and outlines U.S. state and federal laws that provide assurances that these practices are being implemented, where required, throughout the country.

The CSAP is organized into 11 impact categories that benchmark the sustainability standards used for other crops. These categories align with the eight critical environmental outcomes that Field to Market calculates as indicators of sustainable agriculture in the 2021 National Indicators Report: biodiversity, energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, irrigation water use, land use, soil carbon, soil conservation and water quality.

Download The CSAP

A new tool

The CSAP offers international corn buyers and export markets insights into the sustainability of U.S. corn production practices and regulations

Farmer-driven

The CSAP was initiated within a farmer-led working group inside the Council, to let the world know about the sustainability of U.S. corn production practices

Export-focused

The CSAP helps corn exporters to address disclosure requirements and sustainability procurement guidelines in international markets, for stakeholders that may not be familiar with the regulatory framework or production practices of U.S. corn production.

Continuously evolving

The CSAP compiles the best practices and regulations that U.S. corn producers adhere to, reflecting a baseline of sustainable production practices. It can evolve as farmers continue to adopt and leverage new technologies and tools for production.

CSAP Continuous Improvement Goals

Greenhouse Gas Emissions & Air Quality

Continued improvement in energy use efficiency

Reduced emissions from U.S. cropland per unit of output

Sustained Contribution to reducing the overall greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural landscape

Water Quality & Quantity

Continued improvement in irrigation water use efficiency and conservation on U.S. cropland

Improved regional water quality through reduction in sediment, nutrient and pesticide loss from U.S. cropland

Soil Health & Productivity

Continued reduction in soil erosion on all U.S. croplands

Land Use, Sensitive Habitats and Biodiversity

Support of diverse species and ecosystems by conserving and enhancing habitats across U.S. agricultural landscapes

Improved productivity on U.S. croplands

Crop Health & Agricultural Best Management Practives

Continued adoption and access to sustainability - enhancing agricultural practices, technologies and innovation to increase plant and crop health.

Increased implementation of new and existing best agricultural management practices

Agrochemical & Nutrient Management

Continued reductions in sediment, phosphorus, nitrogen and pesticide loads from agriculture in U.S. waterways

Waste & Pollution

Continued efforts to minimize waste throughout the production, processing and consumption process

Continued use of agricultural technologies to expand the uses for corn and make the use of corn products even more efficient

Working Conditions & Labor Relations

Improved worker economic and hiring protections, and improved labor productivity

Continued compliance with prevailing laws and regulations

Worker & Public Safety

Improved worker and public safety and well-being

Continued compliance with prevailing laws and regulations

Community Relations

Promoting and maintaining good relationships between corn producers and the communities they interact with

After completing SAI Platform’s Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) benchmarking process, CSAP Version 1.1 achieved Gold Level Equivalence, which means that buyers of U.S. corn and corn product can provide additional assurance of the sustainability of their U.S. corn purchases to comply with their sourcing policies and international stakeholder requirements