USSES.ORG/SSAP

U.S. SOYSUSTAINABILITYASSURANCEPROTOCOL

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U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOLUSSES.ORG/SSAP

THE U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITYASSURANCE PROTOCOLINTRODUCTION & OVERVIEWSUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT GOALS

1. Biodiversity and High Carbon Stock Production
Control Measures and Regulations
1.1 Land Use, Sensitive Habitats, and Biodiversity

U.S. Soy production is based on a national system of sustainability
and conservation laws and regulations combined with careful
implementation of best production practices by the nation’s
303,191 soybean farms.1 In addition, most U.S. Soy producers
participate in certified and audited voluntary sustainability andconservation programs.
The U.S. Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol (SSAP) is anaggregate approach audited by third parties that verifies
sustainable soy production at a national scale. The U.S. approachis quantifiable and results-driven with mass balance internationalverification available.
The U.S. Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol describes the

The U.S. Soy Sustainability
Assurance Protocol (SSAP)
is one way that U.S. farmers
can demonstrate theircommitment to sustainability
and continuous improvement.

2. Production Practices Control Measures
and Regulations
2.1 Soil Health & Productivity
2.2 C rop Health & Agricultural Best Management
Practices
2.3 Waste & Pollution
2.4 G reenhouse Gas Emissions, Fossil Fuel Use,
& Air Quality
3. Public and Labor Health and Welfare
Control Measures and Regulations
3.1
3.2
3.3
3.4
3.5

Water Quality & Quantity
Plant Protection & Nutrient Management
Working Conditions & Labor Relations
Worker & Public Safety
Community Relations

The U.S. Soy Sustainability
Assurance Protocol (SSAP)
was positively benchmarked
against the European Feed
Manufacturers’ Federation’s(FEFAC) Soy Sourcing
Guidelines 2021 through theindependent International
Trade Centre (ITC)
customized benchmark tool
at: standardsmap.org/fefac.

regulations, processes and management practices that ensuresustainable soy production. This Sustainability Assurance Protocol is
one part of the overall U.S. Soy producer sustainability program. These
processes and practices of U.S. farmers contribute to the improvementof environmental, social and economic sustainability outcomes over

4. Continuous Improvement of Production
Practices and Environmental Protection
Control Measures and Regulations
4.1 Continuous Improvement

time. These science-based outcomes for U.S. Soy production are
included in Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture
National Indicators Report and is updated every five years. The SSAP
is organized into four Directives and eleven Impact Categories. The

Examination of publicly
available data sourceson the national scale
indicates that between 1980
and 2015, U.S. farmers
increased soy productionby 120% while decreasingenergy used for production
per bushel by 35%.110

The United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)3, adopted in 2015,
are the heart of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and represent “ashared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into

Impact Categories align with the eight environmental indicators thatthe future.” The SDGs were developed as a call to action for all countries of theField to Market reports as critical indicators of sustainable agriculture.2

world as strategies to “improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur
economic growth” while addressing climate change and preserving oceans andSoy is a part of a diverse
crop rotation plan producedon 28% of U.S. cropland.111

forests. These aspirational goals provide a framework for governments, businesses,
Non-Govermental Organizations (NGOs), universities and financial institutions tocollaborate and support priority areas for improvement. Producer actions associatedwith the SSAP support many of the SDGs, but especially SDG 2.4 - Sustainable Food

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U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOLUSSES.ORG/SSAP

Production and Resilient Agricultural Practices. Appendix 1 shows that many ofIn the U.S., 78 million
hectares of land areprotected national forestsand grasslands.112

the SSAP Impact Category Compliance Criteria align with multiple targets in the
SDGs.4 Likewise, many of these criteria align with other international agricultural
sustainability standards.
AUDIT PROCEDURES
1. Over 90% of U.S. soybean producers participate in the U.S. Farm Programand are subject to audit. For the last four years, an average of 22,000 audits5

USDA will spend $71
billion from 2019-2030
on conservation.113

occurred annually.
2. Annual internal audit is conducted by producers.
3. Third-Party Independent Audits of Producers are performed to ensure theaccuracy of internal audits made by producers. Third-party audits are conductedannually by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources
Conservation Service with technical staff in over 2,500 offices across the Nation.
NONCOMPLIANCE CONSEQUENCES
Soybean production is limited by federal law, and noncompliance leads to federal
fines and lawsuits. Noncompliance with the USDA conservation compliance provisions
means enrolled producers are ineligible to receive benefits for most programs
administered by the USDA, and penalties ranging from temporary exemptions withtime to correct the violation to a determination that the producer is ineligible for any
USDA farm payment and must pay back current and prior years’ benefits.
INTERNATIONAL CERTIFICATION
Soy Export Sustainability, LLC, provides shipment-specific record keeping anddocumentation information to ensure proper accounting of mass balance of

DIRECTIVE 1

BIODIVERSITY & HIGH CARBON STOCKPRODUCTION CONTROL MEASURES& REGULATIONSSSAP compliant soy, up to the point of export. The SSAP verifies the sustainableproduction of all soy grown in the U.S., as well as U.S. Soy products for export,
including GMO, non-GMO, and organic.
U.S. SOYBEAN PRODUCER SUSTAINABILITY PERFORMANCE INDICATORSThe following reports document producer performance for:• Environmental and Socioeconomic Indicators for Measuring Outcomesof On-Farm Agricultural Production in the United States
View the Report

The United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals

https://bit.ly/35M98Rg• Life Cycle Impact of Soybean Production and Soy Industrial Products(peer reviewed according to ISO 14040/44 Life Cycle Inventory)
View the Report4

https://bit.ly/3sitUSQ

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U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOLUSSES.ORG/SSAP

1.1 LAND USE, SENSITIVE HABITATS, & BIODIVERSITYIn the top 10 soybeanproducing states (Illinois,
Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
Minnesota, Missouri,
Nebraska, North Dakota,
Ohio and South Dakota),
the amount of forest andland increased between
1980 and 2017 by 1.23
million hectares.114

IMPACT CATEGORY COMPLIANCE CRITERIA
Soybean production was limited after January 1, 2008, in the following areas:

BENCHMARK AND ASPIRATIONAL GOALS

1.1.1	Producers adopt conservation practices like crop rotation, cover crops,

Land use efficiency and crop yield are interdependent. Maintaining higher crop
yields can minimize the need to expand agricultural lands. When agricultural land

nutrient management, vegetated buffer strips, and no-till to improve

expansion does occur, sensitive habitats should be avoided, and biodiversity should

wildlife habitat.

be maintained. The Field to Market Land Use aspirational goals are conserving

1.1.2 	On-farm biodiversity is maintained and protected through thenative habitat and continued improvement of land use efficiency by increasingpreservation of native vegetation where possible. Producers areproductivity.6 The Compliance Criteria for the Land Use, Sensitive Habitats, &Biodiversity Impact Category aligns with the aspirational goal of habitat conservation.

encouraged to participate in conservation programs that provide an
incentive for the preservation of native vegetation.
1.1.2.1

CULTIVATEDAND
NON-CULTIVATEDCROPLANDCULTIVATEDANDNONCULTIVATEDCROPLAND

preserving the ecosystems in which they survive.
1.1.2.2 	Producers comply with Federal Migratory Bird Treaty for the

400
Acres (x 1,000)

Soybean growers comply with U.S. Endangered Species Act7
to protect listed animal and plant species from extinction by

500

protection of shared migratory bird resources.

300

1.1.2.3 	Producers comply with U.S. laws that prohibit altering the habitatof endangered or threatened species in such a way that disrupts

200

essential behavioral patterns, including but not limited to breeding,feeding, and sheltering.

100
0
1982

1987

1992

1997

2002

2007

2012

2017

1.1.2.4 	A Habitat Conservation Plan8 is required as part of an application
for private entities undertaking projects that might result in theYear
Total Cultivateddestruction of an endangered or threatened species.

Total Noncultivated

1.1.2.5

Source: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/technical/nra/nri/results/

		Soybeans are not produced on highly biodiverse grassland.
1.1.2.5.1 T he USDA Conservation Reserve Program (CRP)
Grasslands provides rental payments and cost-share

ANNUAL SOIL
EROSION
PER BUSHEL OF
SOYBEANSFOR SOYBEANS
SOIL
CONSERVATION
INDICATOR

assistance to enrolled producers to maintain and protect
grassland, including rangeland and pastureland, with anTons of soil loss per acre8emphasis on plant and animal biodiversity.

7
6

1.1.2.6

5
4

Soybeans are not produced on wetlands or on peatland.

		 1.1.2.6.1 	Producers are in compliance with U.S. Wetlands

3

Conservation provisions, including the prohibition of

2

production of an agricultural commodity on peatland

1
0
1980

converted after December 23, 1985.9
1985

1990

1995

2000

2005

Year
Source: Field to Market, 2016 National Indicators Report

6

Between 1982 and 2017,
the amount of cropland in
the U.S. decreased by over
21.3 million hectares.115

2010

2015

			

1.1.2.6.1.1	Wetland is defined as an area that: has a
predominance of hydric soils; is inundated

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U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOLUSSES.ORG/SSAP

1.1.2.6.8 The NRCS Agricultural Conservation Easement Program

or saturated by surface or groundwater

Soil erosion rates on all U.S.
cropland decreased 35%
between 1982 and 2017.116

			

at a frequency and duration sufficient to(ACEP)13 provides financial and technical assistance to conserve

support a prevalence of water tolerant

agricultural lands and wetlands. The program restores croplandvegetation typically adapted for life into its previous natural wetland condition in either 30-year or

saturated soil conditions.

permanent easements.14

1.1.2.6.1.2 USDA NRCS will make and keep a record

1.1.3 	Soybeans are not produced on land that was primary forest orcontinuously forested land.

of wetland determinations, which remainin effect as long as the land is used for1.1.3.1

agricultural purposes. Producers may obtainprohibited without special-use authorization.15of their farm and tract records from thelocal USDA office administering their farm.

1.1.3.2	Producers follow U.S. laws prohibiting the use, occupancy, orconversion of public lands in National Forests and Grasslands.

1.1.2.6.1.3 Producers planning to make changes that
could impact wetlands must notify USDA for

1.1.3.3	The NRCS Healthy Forests Reserve Program provides owners

appropriate technical determination.
			with 10-year restoration agreements and 30-year or permanent
easements for conservation actions intended to improve biological1.1.2.6.1.4 P roducers file Form AD-102610 with USDA

diversity, increase carbon sequestration, or help threatened or

Farm Service Agency certifying adherence

endangered species.16 Forestland that is part of a working farm or

to Highly Erodible Lands Conservation andranch can also be protected by permanent easements in the NRCS

Wetland Conservation provisions and must

Agricultural Easement Program.17

meet eligibility conditions to receive any
USDA loans or other program benefits. The
submission of form AD-1026 gives USDA
authorization to enter and inspect all farms
in which the producer has an interest.
1.1.2.6.2	Producers will maintain compliance with wetland conservation
regulations by not draining or converting wetlands.
1.1.2.6.3	Producers follow applicable state laws that prohibit changing
peatland without a regulated permit.

Producers follow U.S. laws regarding conversion of primary forests
to other uses. Use or occupancy of National Forest System land isaerial imagery of their farms and a printout			While overall soil erosion
from cropland in the U.S.
decreased 35% between
1982 and 2017,116 soil
erosion from U.S. Soy
production decreased 47%.117

1.1.4

Soybeans are not produced in designated protected areas.
1.1.4.1

Producers follow U.S. laws that prohibit the production ofsoybeans on land under federally protected status, land designatedWilderness or Research Natural Areas, protected land in National
Forests and Grasslands, and land in the National LandscapeConservation System.

1.1.4.2	Producers follow U.S. laws that prohibit production of soybeans onland protected by the National Park Service.

1.1.2.6.4 Producers will not plant on a converted wetland.
1.1.2.6.5	Producers will not convert a wetland to make possible production ofan agricultural commodity.
1.1.2.6.6	Producers follow Section 404 of the Clean Water Act regarding
agricultural impacts on wetlands.11
1.1.2.6.7	The USDA Farmable Wetlands Program provides rental payments
to producers for restoring and establishing plant cover on wetlands
and wetland buffer zones that were previously farmed.12
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2.1 SOIL HEALTH & PRODUCTIVITYBENCHMARK AND ASPIRATIONAL GOALS
Soils play a critical role in crop production and are greatly affected by land
management and environmental conditions. Sustaining soil health requires the

91% of U.S. Soy travels
to export position bybarge or rail.118

conservation of soil quantity and the maintenance or improvement of soil quality
by preserving soil organic carbon and avoiding nutrient depletion and salinization.
The Field to Market Soil Conservation aspirational goal is continued reduction insoil erosion on all U.S. cropland.18 The Compliance Criteria for the Soil Health &Productivity Impact Category align with those aspirational goals.
IMPACT CATEGORY COMPLIANCE CRITERIA
2.1.1	Producers will utilize best management practices to maintain or improvesoil quality and soil carbon and avoid erosion.
2.1.1.1 	Producers will adopt conservation practices like crop rotation, covercrops, nutrient management, and no-till to improve soil health.

DIRECTIVE 2
PRODUCTION PRACTICES,CONTROL MEASURES& REGULATIONS

2.1.1.2	Producers will adopt conservation tillage methods, including no-till,as appropriate to increase soil health and organic matter, increasemoisture retention, reduce soil compaction and soil erosion, andcontribute to carbon sequestration.
2.1.1.3	Producers will implement best management practices like covercrops, terracing, strip cropping, contour farming, filter strips,

The 2017 Census of
Agriculture reported thatof the 282 million acres of
U.S. cropland and harvested
cropland for which tillage
system data was reported,
37% were managed withno-till (up from 35% in2012), 35% were managedwith reduced till, excluding
no-till (up from 27% in2012), and 28% weremanaged with intensive till
(down from 38% in 2012).119
Some form of conservation
tillage (no-till, strip-till, or
mulch-till) was used on
about 70% of soybean acresin 2012, with about 56%of that being no-till.120

conservation buffers, or other strategies to minimize soil erosion.
2.1.1.4

Producers will monitor and maintain or improve soil health.

		 2.1.1.4.1	The NRCS recommends soil testing every 3-5 years andmore frequently if manure is applied or if attempting
to make large nutrient or pH changes in the soil. Soil

The United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals

sampling is provided by most County Extension Offices
and state university Cooperative Extension Services as afree or low-cost service. Soil sampling data is generally
maintained by the agency.
		 2.1.1.4.2	Precision Farming techniques utilizing Global
Positioning System (GPS) can help producers
implement grid soil sampling.
2.1.1.5	Producers will comply with the USDA Highly Erodible Land
Conservation program.19

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U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOLUSSES.ORG/SSAP		 2.1.1.5.1	Highly erodible land is defined as soils that have an
NRCS employs over 10,000
people in conservation
programs and compliance.

2.1.1.7	Producers will follow all local regulations pertaining to burning

erodibility index of eight or more. The USDA will keep

crop residue and leaving crop residue in place to provide desirable

record of highly erodible land. Producers may obtainagronomic advantages, including water storage and soil fertility.

aerial imagery of their farms and a printout of theirfarm and tract records from the local USDA officeadministering their farm.

2.1.1.8	Producers may utilize the Web Soil Survey (WSS),22 which provides
soil data and information produced by the National Cooperative
Soil Survey. The WSS is operated by the USDA Natural Resources		 2.1.1.5.2	Producers will maintain compliance with highly erodible

Conservation Service (NRCS) and provides access to the largest

land regulations by creating and implementing a required

natural resource information system in the world. NRCS has soil

conservation system plan.

maps and data available online for more than 95% of the Nation’s		 2.1.1.5.3	Producers file Form AD-102620 with USDA Farm Service
Agency certifying adherence to Highly Erodible Lands
Conservation provisions. The submission of Form AD1026 gives USDA authorization to enter and inspect all
farms in which the producer has an interest.

8.4 million hectares are
removed from production
to protect the environment
in the Conservation
Reserve Program.121

counties and anticipates having 100% in the near future. The site is
updated and maintained online as the single authoritative source ofsoil survey information.
2.1.1.9	Producers can access resources for soil carbon management andassessment like the NRCS Soil Health webpage and the USDA Soil		 2.1.1.5.4	Producers planning to make changes that could impact
highly erodible land must notify USDA for appropriate

Health Across the Nation webpage.23
2.1.1.10	The NRCS Rapid Carbon Assessment (RaCA)24 provides statisticallyreliable quantitative estimates of amounts and distribution oftechnical determination.
2.1.1.6	Producers are in compliance with USDA Sodsaver provisions,21
which help protect native sod.

carbon stocks for U.S. soils under various land covers and to theextent possible, differing agricultural management. RaCA data also
provide the following.
		 2.1.1.10.1	RaCA data can be used to support model simulations

COMPARISON OF TILLAGE PRACTICES FROM 2003-2006 TO 2013-2016of soil carbon change related to land-use change,
agricultural management, conservation practices, andclimate change.

160,000

ACRES (1,000’s)

140,000
120,000
100,000

2.1.1.10.2	RaCA data provides a scientifically and statistically

32%

17%

74%

80,000defensible inventory of soil carbon stocks for the U.S.

2.2 CROP HEALTH & AGRICULTURAL BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES

60,000BENCHMARK AND ASPIRATIONAL GOALS

40,000

Crop health is closely tied to production and yield and affects land-use efficiency.

20,000The Field to Market Land Use aspirational goals include continued improvement of0
Conventional Tillage

Reduced Tillage

NRCS Conservation Eﬀects Assessment Project (CEAP) 2003-2006

Continuous No-Till
NRCS CEAP 2013-2016

land use efficiency by increasing productivity.25 The Compliance Criteria for the Crop
Health & Agricultural Best Management Practices Impact Category aligns with theaspirational goal of improved land-zuse efficiency through increased productivity.

Cultivated cropland comprises land in row crops or close-grown crops and also other cultivated cropland, for example, hayland or
pastureland that is in a rotation with row or close-grown crops. Noncultivated cropland includes permanent hayland and horticultural
cropland. Source: United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Services webinar. Structural Practices
and Conservation Tillage on Cultivated Cropland: CEAP Conservation Practice Adoption Reports: 10 years of change. June 25, 2020.

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U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOLUSSES.ORG/SSAP

2.2.4.2	Through a registration process, the Environmental Protection Agency

IMPACT CATEGORY COMPLIANCE CRITERIA
More than 18.2 million
hectares of production
land are enrolled
in the Conservation
Stewardship Program.122(EPA) regulates the sale, distribution and use of pesticides in order to2.2.1	Producers use best management practices to protect and improve

protect health and the environment, regardless of how the pesticide

the quality of plant stocks and crops. Recommendations for BestManagement Practices were developed by USDA to support coexistence
across U.S. soybean production platforms.26

pesticides that are produced by an organism through techniques ofLand use decreased 40%
per ton of U.S. soybean
production since 1980.124

modern biotechnology.

2.2.2.	Soybean seed commerce complies with the Federal Seed Act regarding
27

fair trade and proper labeling.

2.2.4.3	The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is responsible for ensuring
the safety and proper labeling of all plant-derived food and feed,

2.2.2.1	The Federal Seed Act (FSA) protects producers against purchasing
The U.S. Government
established conservation
programs in the 1930s. In
1985, the Food Security
Act greatly increased
conservation effortsmonitored by USDA.123

was made or its mode of action. This includes regulation of thosecontaminated or defective seed and requires that they be informedof what they are buying and protects seed purchasers against any
alteration of that seed. The FSA requires interstate shippers to keep
and make available for inspection a complete record of each lot of
seed shipped in interstate commerce. The complete record must
include a file sample and records of receiving, variety, conditioning
and blending, tests, labeling, sales, and shipping and disposition andmust be kept for three years so seed may be traced from where it
is officially sampled back to the grower, if necessary. Buyers of seed

including those developed through genetic engineering.
2.2.5	The Plant Variety Protection Act (PPVA) provides intellectual property
protection to breeders of varieties of seed propagated and asexuallyreproduced plants. New varieties are certified through the USDA
Agricultural Marketing Service Plant Variety Protection Office (PVPO),
working with the International Union for the Protection of New Varieties
of Plants (UPOV). It is a violation of the PPVA to claim that a variety isplant-variety protected when it is not.32
2.2.6	U.S. soybean farmers who participate in USDA programs including

should keep the grower’s declarations of kind, variety, or type. All

Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC), Price Loss Coverage (PLC), marketing

records should include lot numbers to identify seed. It is a violation

assistance loans, and loan deficiency payments are required to submitof the FSA for anyone to disseminate any false advertisement

an annual Crop Acreage Report. Failure to report can result in fines andconcerning seed. The FSA is supplemented by state seed laws whichloss of program benefits. Farmers must report crop and crop type orprotect purchasers at the point of inspection and sale.28

variety, the intended use of the crop, number of acres of the crop, map

2.2.3	Producers comply with Plant Protection Act29 regulations regarding the useof biological control organisms and the import of plants and plant products.

Energy use (BTUs per
bushel) for U.S. soybean
production has decreased
35% since 1980.124

with approximate boundaries for the crop, planting date(s), planting
pattern when applicable, producer shares, irrigation practice(s), andacreage prevented from planting when applicable.33 Producers must
provide yield data34 (known as the Actual Production History) for each

2.2.4	Producers’ crops will be grown under the Federal government’s

crop year. This data is used to compute crop insurance premiums.

Coordinated Framework for Regulation of Biotechnology, which isa coordinated, risk-based system to ensure that new biotechnology
products are safe for the environment and human and animal health.30
2.2.4.1	The USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS)

31

is responsible for protecting agriculture from pests and diseases,
including regulatory oversight over products of modern
biotechnology that could pose such a risk. The APHIS Plant
Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) program protects against the entry,
establishment, and spread of economically and environmentally

2.2.7	Land-grant university and county extension offices provide informationand technical assistance for Best Management Practices (BMPs) to avoid
disease spread in crops.
2.2.8	Producers will consider Precision Farming Techniques as appropriate
utilizing Global Positioning System (GPS) and other advanced
technologies for yield mapping.
2.2.9	The U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) requires farmers to keep

significant pests, and the Federally Recognized State Managed

appropriate records of expenses, income, deductions, profits, and assets

Phytosanitary (FRSMP) program provides consistency in actions

for tax purposes. U.S. law requires that taxes be filed annually andagainst certain pests at point of entry and at interstate travel.

stresses the importance of record keeping for farmers. Resources for
agriculturally-related income and self-employment tax information can

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U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOLUSSES.ORG/SSAP

2.3.3.3	Producers will comply with National Pollutant Discharge Elimination

be accessed at the IRS Farmer’s Tax Guide (updated annually) andat ruraltax.org.

System (NPDES) requirements on discharges of biological pesticides,

35

Greenhouse Gas Emissions(CO2-e per bushel) from
U.S. soybean production
decreased almost 38%
between 1980 and 2015.125

and chemical pesticides that leave a residue into waters of the U.S.39

2.2.10	The Federal Grain Inspection Service36 provides inspection services on
grains, pulses, oilseeds, and processed and graded commodities. These

2.3.3.4	The use of sewage sludge in agriculture is regulated by the Clean

services facilitate the efficient and effective marketing of U.S. grain andWater Act, which establishes pollutant limits as well as monitoring,other commodities from farmers to domestic and international end

record keeping, and reporting requirements. Land-applied sewage

users. Inspection for grade involves analyzing the sample according to thesludge for agriculture must meet stringent requirements for

quality factors listed in the Official U.S. Standards for Grain and certifying

pollutants, pathogens, and attractiveness to vectors like rodents,

the applicable numeric grade designation, the quality factors responsible forflies, or mosquitoes. The Clean Water Act defines sewer sludge as

the grade assignment, and any other quality factors the customer requests.

the residue generated during the treatment of domestic sewage

37

in a treatment works. Land application of untreated sewage is notallowed for agriculture.40

2.3 WASTE & POLLUTIONBENCHMARK AND ASPIRATIONAL GOALSIn addition to plant protection and nutrients, agricultural operations utilize fossil
fuels, oil, and degreasing agents for their equipment, and some management strategies
incorporate the burning of crop residue. These potential pollutants should beproperly recycled or disposed of to avoid adverse environmental or human impacts.
IMPACT CATEGORY COMPLIANCE CRITERIA
2.3.1	Producers will take measures to reduce and recycle waste and meet all
local regulations as related to waste recycling.
2.3.2

Producers will follow all local regulations pertaining to burning crop residue.

2.3.3	Producers will comply with Clean Water Act Law 40 Parts 116–117, which
regulates discharges of designated hazardous substances. Facilities must
immediately notify the National Response Center and State Agencies

The NRCS operates easement
programs to provide
financial and technicalassistance to conserve
agricultural lands andwetlands. The wetland
easement programs
restore cropland to its
previous natural wetland
condition in either 30-yearor permanent easements.
To date, some 1.8 million
hectares of cropland havebeen enrolled in the program
and restored to wetlands.126

2.3.4	The Oil Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasures (SPCC) Programof the Water Resources Reform and Development Act (WRRDA) regulates
oil and oil product storage by farmers who store more than 2,500 U.S.
gallons in aboveground containers and requires them to have an oil spill
prevention plan (SPCC Plan).41
2.3.5	The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) requires that
farmers storing more than 25 gallons of used oil in underground or
aboveground tanks must ensure that tanks meet EPA underground or
aboveground technical requirements.42
2.3.6	Underground storage tanks (USTs) with a capacity of more than 1,100
gallons of motor fuel are regulated by state and federal regulations
that specify design, construction, installation, notification, monitoring,
operating, release detection, reporting to regulatory agencies, ownerrecord keeping, corrective action, closure and financial responsibility.43

of any unauthorized discharge of reportable quantity of a designatedhazardous substance into navigable waters, the shorelines of navigable
waters, and contiguous zones. Discharge of harmful quantities of oil
must also be reported immediately.38
2.3.3.1	Watersheds with stream reaches with demonstrated water quality
concerns are listed by each state government on the U.S. EPA Clean
Water Act 303(d) list.
2.3.3.2	State governments may require monitoring under the Clean Water
Act section 319 to ensure the implementation of best management
practices and to determine how conservation measures affectwater quality.
16

2.4 GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, FOSSIL FUEL USE, & AIR QUALITYBENCHMARK & ASPIRATIONAL GOALSThe Field to Market Greenhouse Gas Emissions Indicator and Energy Use Indicator for
U.S. Soy (grown for grain and grown for silage) have been relatively steady over the last
five years after general improved environmental performance trends when comparing
2015 data to 1980 data. Field to Market lists among its aspirational goals for U.S.
crop production is continuing improvement in energy use efficiency and reduction ingreenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.44 The Compliance Criteria for the Greenhouse Gas
Emissions, Fossil Fuel Use, & Air Quality Impact Category are aimed at helping U.S.
Soy producers improve their energy use efficiency and reduce their GHG emissions.

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U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOLUSSES.ORG/SSAP

IMPACT CATEGORY COMPLIANCE CRITERIAFor more than 100 years,
the amount of forested
land in the United States
has stayed relatively
constant and is currently
at 309 million hectares.127

2.4.1	Producers will adopt best management practices to reduce Greenhouse
Gas Emissions.
2.4.1.1	Producers will reduce energy usage by adopting conservation tillage
methods as appropriate.
2.4.1.2	Producers will monitor and reduce fossil fuel use for management
records and to increase enterprise viability.
		 2.4.1.2.1	The NRCS maintains four energy tools to increase awarenessand help farmers identify energy reduction potential intheir operations. The estimators can be used to estimate
potential energy savings for irrigation, nitrogen fertilizer use,grain drying, and tillage systems.45 The NRCS also maintains
energy conservation tools to help farmers estimate current
energy usage and calculate energy and cost savings that
could be achieved through the use of high-efficiency
equipment and energy conserving practices, and renewableenergy tools to help farmers estimate energy production
potential from solar panels, wind turbines, and biogas.46
2.4.1.3	Producers will utilize renewable energy resources like biofuels,
biogas, wind, and solar power when possible to reduce fossil
fuel use.

DIRECTIVE 3
PUBLIC & LABOR HEALTH &WELFARE CONTROL MEASURES& REGULATIONS

2.4.1.4	Producers and grain handlers should utilize transportation methods
such as barge and rail when possible to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions and fossil fuel use.
2.4.2	Producers comply with the Clean Air Act and its amendments to protect
and enhance air resources to promote public health and welfare.47
2.4.3	Producers will adopt conservation tillage methods as appropriate inorder to reduce energy use.

The United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals

2.4.4	Producers will consider Precision Farming Techniques as appropriate
utilizing Global Positioning System (GPS) and other advanced
technologies to optimize fossil fuel use and fertilizer application.
2.4.5	U.S. soybean farmers will maintain equipment and machinery toensure safety and proper, efficient functionality. Equipment loans
and equipment lease or rental agreements require that machinery be
maintained to proper working order.

18

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U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOLUSSES.ORG/SSAP

3.1 WATER QUALITY & QUANTITY
Precision farming using GPS
technology allows producers
to precisely apply field
inputs within millimeters.128

3.1.1.4.3	Producers will comply with National Pollutant Discharge
Elimination System (NPDES) requirements on discharges

BENCHMARK AND ASPIRATIONAL GOALS

of biological pesticides and chemical pesticides that

Water quality and quantity are impacted by complex environmental and land andleave a residue into waters of the U.S.50

water management practices, so numerical goals should be set on a regional basis.
The Field to Market water quality and quantity aspirational goals are continued
improvement in irrigation water use efficiency and conservation; and continued
reductions in sediment, nutrients, and plant protection loads from agriculture in
U.S. waterways.48 The Compliance Criteria for the Water Quality & Quantity Impact
Category align with those aspirational goals.
IMPACT CATEGORY COMPLIANCE CRITERIA
3.1.1	Producers will protect the quality and supply of surface and ground-

3.1.2	Producers comply with Section 404 of the Clean Water Act regarding
agricultural impacts on wetlands.51
3.1.3	Producers comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act to protect publichealth by preventing contamination of surface and ground sourcesof drinking water.52
3.1.4	Producers in coastal areas comply with Coastal Zone Act Reauthorization
Amendments (CZARA) Sections 6217 specifying management measureswater by utilizing best management practices and following local, state,

for agriculture sources for states to incorporate into their Coastal

and federal regulations.

Nonpoint Pollution Control Programs. State authorities ensure the3.1.1.1

Producers will optimize irrigation and comply with all applicablewater conservation efforts in their irrigation districts to ensure
effective and equitable allocation of water resources.

3.1.1.2	Producers will adopt conservation tillage methods as appropriate to
reduce water runoff.
3.1.1.3	Producers will use cover crops, terracing, strip cropping, contour
farming, filter strips, conservation buffers, or other strategies tominimize erosion and runoff.
3.1.1.4	Producers will comply with Clean Water Act Law 40 Parts 116–117
which regulate discharges of designated hazardous substances.
Facilities must immediately notify the National Response Centerand State Agencies of any unauthorized discharge of reportable
quantity of designated hazardous substance into navigable waters,
the shorelines of navigable waters and contiguous zones. Dischargeof harmful quantities of oil must also be reported immediately.49

implementation of these measures. Recommended measures include
preserving natural vegetation and avoiding development withinsensitive habitats and erosion-prone areas.53
3.1.5	The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducts water quality testing at
1.9 million sites throughout the United States.54 USGS investigates theoccurrence, quantity, quality, distribution, and movement of surface
and underground waters and disseminates the data to the public, stateand local governments, public and private utilities, and other federal
agencies involved with managing our water resources.
3.1.6	Additional support to producers on water use and quality is available
at the National Water Management Center (NWMC), which focuses on
six key areas: environmental compliance, groundwater, hydrology andhydraulics, irrigation water management, water quality, and watershedplanning and rehabilitation. The NWMC team provides direct assistance,
support, and training to state and local National Resources Conservation
Service offices.55

		 3.1.1.4.1	Watersheds with stream reaches with demonstrated
water quality concerns are listed by each state
government on the U.S. EPA Clean Water Act 303(d) list.
3.1.1.4.2	State governments may require monitoring under Clean
Water Act section 319 to ensure the implementationof best management practices and to determine how
conservation measures affect water quality.

20

3.2 PLANT PROTECTION & NUTRIENT MANAGEMENTBENCHMARK AND ASPIRATIONAL GOALS
Plant protections and nutrients can be transported from fields to surface water andgroundwater, where they can create environmental impacts like the eutrophicationof waterbodies and chemical toxicity to aquatic insects and fishes, as well as humanimpacts like high nitrate levels in drinking water. The Field to Market water quality

21

U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOLUSSES.ORG/SSAP

aspirational goals are continued reductions in sediment, nutrients, and plant

3.2.4	Producers follow Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act

protection loads from agriculture in U.S. waterways. The Compliance Criteria(FIFRA),59 maintaining compliance with agricultural chemical handling,

for the Plant Protection & Nutrient Management Impact Category align withstorage, and application regulations. FIFRA regulates the distribution,

those aspirational goals. These Compliance Criteria also contribute to improved

sale, and use of pesticides.

56

worker safety, reducing the potential for workplace injuries and fatalities fromchemical handling.
IMPACT CATEGORY COMPLIANCE CRITERIA
3.2.1	Producers will adopt conservation tillage methods and other practices
like crop rotation, cover crops, and nutrient management as appropriate
to reduce nutrient and pesticide/herbicide loss and runoff.
3.2.1.1	All soybean-producing states have regulations regarding Nutrient

Agency (EPA) with proper labels and used in accordance withspecifications including how, and under what conditions, chemicals
can be applied. Pesticides must be shown to “not generally cause
unreasonable adverse effects on the environment” before they
can be registered. FIFRA defines the term ‘’unreasonable adverse
effects on the environment’’ to mean: ‘’(1) any unreasonable risk to
man or the environment, taking into account the economic, social,

Management Plans (NMPs) to mandate the development of written

and environmental costs and benefits of the use of any pesticide,plans that manage the quantity, source, placement, and timing ofor (2) a human dietary risk from residues that result from a use offertilizers and soil amendments.57

a pesticide in or on any food inconsistent with the standard under

3.2.1.2	Producers minimize the use of chemical crop protection products asa cost-savings strategy.
3.2.2	Producers will consider Precision Farming Techniques as appropriate
utilizing Global Positioning System (GPS) and other advanced
technologies like the following. Precision Farming techniques like sitespecific crop management (SSM) use precise global positioning andlocation-specific measurements to adjust treatments to the exact needsof the crop and targeted application of pesticides.
3.2.2.1

3.2.4.1	All pesticides are registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection

Variable rate fertilizer and herbicide application.

3.2.2.2	Field mapping for targeted herbicide, pesticide, andfertilizer application.
3.2.3	Producers follow the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Worker
Protection Standard (WPS) for Agriculture Pesticides58 meeting regulations
for: pesticide safety training, notification of pesticide application, useof personal protective equipment (PPE), restricted-entry intervals after
pesticide application, decontamination supplies, and emergency medical
assistance.
3.2.3.1	The WPS requires that employers maintain and provide access tosection 408 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.’’ 60
3.2.4.2	Certification and training are required for pesticide applicators using
restricted-use pesticides. EPA establishes general categories ofcertified applicators for private and commercial applicators.
3.2.4.3	Producers adhere to EPA regulations concerning the rotation ofchemical active ingredients.
3.2.4.4	Pesticides are classified for general or restricted use. Restrictedcategory pesticides may be used only under the direct supervisionof certified applicators or under such other regulatory restrictions
as the EPA administrator may require.
3.2.4.5	U.S. regulations provide penalties for violations of FIFRA regulationsand violation of these instructions is equivalent to violating the law;
consequences can include criminal prosecution, civil remedies fordamages, and loss of license.
3.2.4.6	FIFRA provides states the authority to regulate the sale or use of any
federally registered pesticides in that state.
3.2.4.7	Producers adhere to all federal regulations and guidelines for farmchemical application and producers observe best management

Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and safety and emergency information forpractices. Additionally, producers who apply World Healthpesticides applied on the establishment.

Organization (WHO) Class Ia, Ib, and II pesticides shall not apply
them within 500 meters of populated areas or waterbodies.

22

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U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOLUSSES.ORG/SSAP

3.2.5	The U.S. is a signatory to the Rotterdam Convention of the Prior Informed
Consent (PIC) Procedure for Certain Hazardous Chemicals and Pesticide in
The USDA has an Integrated
Pest Management (IPM)
initiative, led by the
National Institute of Foodand Agriculture (NIFA),
partnered with the U.S. LandGrant University Systemand the private sector.
There are extension IPM
implementation educationand pesticide applicatorsafety programs in all 50
states and six territories.
The USDA maintains an
IPM Program website thatprovides IPM information
and resources. NIFA
maintains websites for the
USDA Regional IPM Centers,
which provide regional IPM
information, technology
advice, crop and pest
data, crop profiles, andpesticide data and links tomonthly newsletters andother information sources.
The Natural Resources
Conservation Service
provides a conservation
standard that is accessible
online or at local Service
Centers. NRCS also provides
technical and financial
assistance to producers to
adopt IPM. The USEPA also
maintains a website thatprovides IPM information
and resources.129

International Trade, enforcing a banned list of chemicals for producer use.
3.2.6	Producers comply with the Toxic Substances Control Act to regulate
61

3.3 WORKING CONDITIONS & LABOR RELATIONSBENCHMARK AND ASPIRATIONAL GOALSThe social and economic stability and well-being of agricultural communities are
critical to agricultural sustainability. Field to Market has developed five socioeconomic

chemicals that pose an unreasonable risk to health or to thenational-scale indicators that include Labor Productivity (calculated using USDA

environment and to regulate these chemicals’ distribution and use.

Economic Research Service Commodities Cost and Returns data derived labor

3.2.7	Producers follow the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA),
which controls hazardous waste, nonhazardous solid waste, andunderground storage tanks.62 RCRA requires hazardous waste to be
managed in compliance with technical standards for containers, tanks,
drip pads, and containment buildings, and regulates accumulation
quantity and time limits. RCRA also requires personnel training,
contingency planning for emergency procedures, preparedness andprevention procedures, land disposal restrictions, manifest tracking,waste minimization, and record keeping for the categories of small- andlarge-quantity hazardous waste generators.63
3.2.8	Producers follow Safe Drinking Water Act regulations to protect publichealth by preventing contamination of surface and ground sources ofdrinking water.64

hours).69 The Compliance Criteria for the Working Conditions & Labor Relations
Impact Category contribute to improved worker economic and hiring protections andimproved labor productivity. U.S. soybean growers comply with applicable local, state,
and federal regulations to protect the health and welfare of their farmworkers.
IMPACT CATEGORY COMPLIANCE CRITERIA
3.3.1	Producers follow the Fair Labor Standards Act,70 which prescribes
standards for basic minimum wage and prohibits the employmentof children under age 16 during school hours and in certain jobs
deemed dangerous.
3.3.1.1	Agricultural employers are exempt from the maximum hours’
provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA). However, the Act
requires employers to pay covered employees not less than one- andone-half times their regular rate of pay for hours worked in excess of

3.2.9	The USDA has an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) initiative, led by
the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), partnered with the
U.S. Land-Grant University System and the private sector. The USDA’s
Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) provides technical andfinancial assistance to producers to adopt IPM.65
3.2.10	The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA)

40 in a workweek unless the employee is otherwise exempt.
3.3.1.2	The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) establishes minimum wage.
Employers are required to keep accurate time and payroll records
for each employee for three years and provide a pay statement toeach employee each pay period. Migrant and seasonal agricultural
workers are protected by the Migrant and Seasonal Worker

requires planning for spills and has Threshold Planning Quantity (TPQ)

Protection Act (MSPA), which sets standards related to wages,

standards for hazardous chemicals and many common pesticides. Anyone

housing, transportation, disclosures, and record keeping. Employers

storing more than the TPQ must file an EPCRA report to provide state

are required to pay employees no less often than every two weeks

and local officials and the public with information regarding potential

or semi-monthly.

hazards. EPA regulates the storage of pesticides in small portable
66

containers through specific storage instructions on pesticide labels.
3.2.11	EPA’s pesticide containment regulations establish standards for67

3.3.1.3	The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) youth employment provisions
for agriculture limit the types of jobs that workers under 16 yearsof age can do and the periods of time they may work. Youngpesticide containers, containment structures, and repackaging

workers aged 14 and 15 may work outside of school hours in any

regulations, including standards for label instructions to ensure the safe

nonhazardous agricultural occupation. States also have their own

use, reuse, disposal, and adequate cleaning of the containers.

youth employment provisions, and the more protective standard

3.2.12	The Pesticide Environmental Stewardship (PES)68 website provides access(state or federal) often applies.71

to pesticide handling information and educational materials.

24

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U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOLUSSES.ORG/SSAP

3.3.2	Producers are in compliance with Federal Equal Employment
Opportunity Law, which provides the following protections:72

3.3.2.1	Prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion,sex, or national origin.
3.3.2.2

Protects men and women who perform substantially equal work inthe same establishment from sex-based wage discrimination.

3.3.2.3	Protects individuals who are 40 years of age or older.
3.3.2.4	Prohibits employment discrimination against qualified individuals
with disabilities.
3.3.2.5

Prohibits employment discrimination based on genetic information.

3.3.2.6

Provides guidelines on employee selection procedures.

3.3.2.7	Protection against religious discrimination includes reasonably
accommodating religious practices.
3.3.3	Producers are in compliance with the Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural
Worker Protection Act, which provides safeguards to migrant and73

seasonal agricultural workers. Farm labor contractors are required
to register with the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). The MSPA gives
workers the right to file a complaint with the Wage and Hour Division,
file a private lawsuit, and testify or cooperate with an investigation or
lawsuit without being threatened, discharged, or discriminated against
in any manner.
3.3.4	Producers are in compliance with the Abolition of Forced Labor Act 74
in that they shall not make use of any type of forced or compulsory
labor, including:
3.3.4.1	As a means of political coercion or education or as a punishment
for holding or expressing political views or views opposed to theestablished political, social, or economic system.
3.3.4.2	As a method of mobilizing and using labor for purposes of economic
development.

26

3.3.4.3

As a means of labor discipline.

3.3.4.4

As a punishment for having participated in strikes.

3.3.4.5

As a means of racial, social, national, or religious discrimination.

3.3.5	Producers are in compliance with the Victims of Trafficking and Violence
Protection Act,75 providing protection and assistance for victims of
trafficking regardless of immigration status.
3.3.6	Producers will recognize the Right of Association for workers, including
the right to unionize or engage in collective bargaining in accordancewith applicable federal and state laws.76
3.3.7	Producers actively support ongoing efforts to seek, recruit, and promotewomen in leadership positions at all levels of the industry—farm,business, community, and state and national organizations. Numerous
women hold leadership positions in these organizations and often serve
as public speakers on behalf of the industry.
3.3.8	U.S. federal laws protect all private and public employees in the UnitedStates from sexual harassment. Victims of sexual harassment can sue
for damages per a 1991 amendment to Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
Victims of sexual harassment in the workplace can file a complaint
with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) or theirstate or local Fair Employment Practices Agency (FEPA), file a private
lawsuit against harassers, or file a tort suit for personal injury damages
perpetrated by harassers.
3.3.9	U.S. federal labor law requires that every agricultural employee
receive information about the working terms and conditions of theirjob. Written contracts must be given to all workers who do not live
permanently in the area and to permanent workers who ask for a
written contract. Contracts must be in writing, in a language theemployee understands, and must include work location, type, time
period, wage and piece rates, benefits, costs, and any other working
terms or conditions.77
3.3.10	The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires businesses with more than 50
employees to provide health insurance coverage to full-time employees
working 30 or more hours per week. Under the ACA, workers are
required to have health insurance or face a tax penalty unless they
qualify for an exemption. Exemptions include economic hardship,income, coverage affordability, religious conscience, incarceration,and undocumented status. Migrant seasonal workers and all lawfully
present immigrants can purchase coverage in a public health insurance
exchange (PHIE).

27

U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOLUSSES.ORG/SSAP

3.4 WORKER & PUBLIC SAFETY

3.4.3	Producers comply with Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA)82
to ensure safe and healthful working conditions, including workplace

BENCHMARK AND ASPIRATIONAL GOALSThe social and economic stability and well-being of agricultural communities are
critical to agricultural sustainability. Field to Market has developed five socioeconomic

3.4.3.1	OSHA specifies that employers should provide training about

national-scale indicators that include Worker Safety (measured by U.S. Bureau of

hazards, methods to prevent harm, and the OSHA standards

Labor Statistics worker illness and injury, and fatalities). Agricultural communities

that apply to the workplace to their employees in a language

can also be affected and potentially harmed by improper management of agricultural

the employees understand. Employees can be terminated for

activities. The Compliance Criteria for the Worker & Public Safety Impact Category

noncompliance with safety regulations and employers are at risk

contribute to improved worker safety and well-being, and improved public safety

when employees do not follow OSHA regulations.

78

and well-being. U.S. soybean growers comply with applicable local, state, and federal
regulations to protect the health and welfare of their farmworkers and the public.
IMPACT CATEGORY COMPLIANCE CRITERIA
3.4.1	Producers comply with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) Worker Protection Standard for Agriculture Pesticides79 meeting

3.4.3.2	U.S. federal laws entitle workers to a safe workplace free of healthand safety hazards. Employees have the right to report hazards
without fear of retaliation. They also have the right to request an
and can speak to the inspector.
3.4.3.3	Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), employers

application, use of personal protective equipment, restricted-entry

must provide a safe and healthy work environment. OSHA

intervals after pesticide application, decontamination supplies, andmandates that employees receive required safety equipment, beemergency medical assistance.

protected from toxic chemicals, and work on machines that are safe.

application equipment is required whether the pesticide is appliedby air blast application, as a spray or fumigant, mist, or fog.
Applicators must suspend application if they are aware of any
person in the application exclusion zone per regulation in Worker
Protection Standard by Environmental Protection Agency.
3.4.1.2

Pesticide handlers and agricultural workers are covered by the
WPS, which offers occupational protections and training. WPS
requirements include keeping workers and others out of fields andexclusion zones during application and implementing restrictedentry intervals (REIs), providing access to labeling information,
providing personal protective equipment, and notifying workers
through oral warnings or warning signs. Clean Water Act (CWA)
permits are required for anyone who sprays pesticides on or nearwater. If pesticide applicators do not follow label restrictions, they
may be subject to enforcement by states or the EPA.80

3.4.2	Producers comply with Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide
Act (FIFRA)81 maintaining compliance with agricultural chemicalhandling, storage, and application regulations.

Over the past decade, nearly
10 million hectares haveadopted IPM, of which 2.4
million (34%) came in thelast three years. Sustainable
Agriculture Research and
Education (SARE) provides
national and regional
education and outreach andonline resources on manysustainable agriculture
topics, including IPM. The
USEPA also maintains a
website that provides IPM
information and resources.130

Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspection

regulations for pesticide safety training, notification of pesticide

3.4.1.1	An application exclusion zone of 100 feet horizontally from28

violence guidelines. OSHA provides the following protections:

If employees believe working conditions are unsafe or unhealthful,
they should bring them to the employer’s attention. They may file
a complaint with OSHA at any time. If the employer is informed of
unsafe conditions but does not correct them, and a worker, with noreasonable alternative, refuses in good faith to expose themselves
to a dangerous condition, the worker will be protected from
subsequent retaliation.83
3.4.3.4	OSHA’s temporary labor camp standard applies to job-related
housing provided by the employer on a temporary basis for workers
not at a permanent location. This standard applies to employers
who provide housing to migrant agricultural workers. The site andhousing must be safe and sanitary. Shelters must protect against
the elements and must meet minimum requirements of a bed foreach person, hot and cold running water, and windows must be
operable for ventilation. In camps where common cooking facilities
are used, stoves must be provided in an enclosed and screened
shelter at a rate of one stove per ten persons or two families,
and sanitary facilities shall be provided for storing and preparing
food. In a room where workers cook, live, and sleep, a minimumof 100 square feet per person shall be provided as well as sanitary29

U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOLUSSES.ORG/SSAP

facilities for storing and preparing food. The standard specifies the

3.5.2	Producers have access to information about farmland protection

number and cleanliness of toilet facilities, laundry, handwashing,and stewardship through the USDA Natural Resources Conservation

and bathing facilities, and specifies requirements for lighting, refuse

Service (NRCS) and American Farmland Trust Farmland Information

disposal, insect and rodent control, and first aid facilities. Any

Center,89 which provides statistics, laws, organization links, literature,

charges for housing must be reasonable and disclosed in theand technical tools, as well as state-specific resources. Additionally,work contract.

the USDA NRCS provides funds to help purchase development rights

84

3.4.3.5	Employers are required to provide drinking water to employees in
the field for the entire work shift.
3.4.4	Producers follow federal and state regulations prohibiting assault
and battery.
3.4.5	Producers comply with the Clean Air Act and its amendments to protect
and enhance air resources to promote public health and welfare.85
3.4.6	Producers comply with the Resource Conservation and Recovery
Act, which controls hazardous waste, nonhazardous solid waste, andunderground storage tanks.86
3.4.7	Producers comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act to protect publichealth by preventing contamination of surface and ground sources ofdrinking water.87

to keep productive farmland in agricultural use through the Farm andRanch Lands Protection Program (FRPP).90 The American Farmland
Trust91 establishes programs and policies for protecting agriculturalland through conservation easement programs, planned growth with
agriculture in mind, and stewardship and conservation practices.
3.5.3	Producers shall engage with local communities to ensure that
communications of concerns, complaints, or other grievances between
community members and producers are understood and addressed in acollaborative manner.
3.5.3.1

The Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA)
supports community awareness and response to hazardous
substances used in society.92

3.5.3.2	The USDA cooperative extension system office is a nationwide
educational network that provides research-based information
regarding standard agricultural practices.

3.5 COMMUNITY RELATIONSBENCHMARK AND ASPIRATIONAL GOALSThe Community Relations Impact Category Compliance Criteria are aimed atpromoting and maintaining good relationships between soybean producers and thecommunities with which they interact.
IMPACT CATEGORY COMPLIANCE CRITERIA
3.5.1	Producers shall have documentation of land ownership, leases, or otherlegal agreements to utilize land for the purpose of soybean production.
3.5.1.1	The Federal Land Policy Management Act protects public lands from
exploitation without authorization or rental agreement.88
3.5.1.2	Land use contracts are governed by state statutory and U.S.
common law. The U.S. court system is the mechanism for mediating
land use disputes.

30

3.5.3.3	The Environmental Protection Agency Water Data Tool
How’s My Waterway 93 provides information about potential
watershed contamination.
3.5.3.4	Producers support the development of local resource planninggroups composed of agricultural landowners and producers toaddress local conservation and environmental issues.
3.5.4	Producers support, via tax dollars, free public education for all children
grades K-12.
3.5.5	Producers support agricultural-related education programs through the
USDA cooperative extension system, a nationwide educational networkthat provides research-based information regarding agricultural practices.
3.5.6	At the local level, producers support the 4-H youth education program,
whose mission is to give all youth equal access to opportunity. 4-H
provides kids with community, mentors, and learning opportunities

31

U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOLUSSES.ORG/SSAP

to develop the skills they need to create positive change in their lives
and communities, including focus STEM programs (Science, Technology,
Currently, over 1.8 million
hectares are protected byeasements held and enforcedby the U.S. Government.131

Engineering and Math), Healthy Living, and Civic Engagement. 4-H
membership now exceeds 6 million with about 50,000 volunteers.94
3.5.7	Producers support the National FFA (Future Farmers of America)
Organization (FFA). FFA is the premier youth organization preparing
members for leadership and careers in the science, business, andtechnology of agriculture. Currently, there are over 700,000 members
in 8,500 local chapters in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.95

The Environmental Quality
Incentives Program (EQIP)
provides funding to farmers
to adopt conservation
practices like nutrient
management, conservation
tillage, cover crops, andfield-edge filter strips.
From 2009 through 2020,
more than $17.4 billion
U.S. dollars have beenspent in EQIP to design andimplement conservation
practices nationwide on over56.2 million hectares.132

3.5.8	The USDA Foreign Agriculture Service (FAS)96 administers programs
that help developing countries advance their agricultural systems andtrade capacity. In partnership with the U.S. Agency for International
Development, FAS administers U.S. food aid programs and education
programs designed to reduce hunger and improve literacy, especiallyfor girls. Programs include the Food for Progress Program, Local andRegional Food Aid Procurement Program, McGovern-Dole Food for
Education Program, and the Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust.
3.5.9	The USDA Food and Nutrition Service administers 15 federal nutrition
assistance programs to reduce hunger in the U.S. by providing foodand healthful diet and nutrition education to children and low-income
people. Programs include the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program
for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), Supplemental Nutrition
Assistance Program, school meals, and summer food service.
3.5.10	Producers support continued U.S. membership in the World Trade

DIRECTIVE 4

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT OF
PRACTICES AND ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTION CONTROL MEASURESAND REGULATIONS

Organization (WTO) and support the authority of the WTO to arbitrate
trade disputes and implement enforcement actions.
3.5.11	Federal law prohibits bribery and fraudulent practices and restricts
conflicts of business interest.

32

The United Nations
Sustainable Development Goals

33

U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOLUSSES.ORG/SSAP

4.1 CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
Conservation Reserve
Program – To protect
the most sensitive areas
by providing financial
assistance to set aside ona long-term basis cropland
vulnerable to soil erosion
or critical to wildlife habitat(8.4 million hectares
enrolled as of 2019).133

BENCHMARK AND ASPIRATIONAL GOALS

innovations that improve crop management.

Continued improvement will require technological improvements and innovations.

4.1.3.1	Cloud computing allows increased data storage, management, andU.S. soybean producers can improve sustainability by continuing to adopt current

remote access to improve crop management decisions.

best management practices and by adopting and supporting the development of new
methods and technologies.
IMPACT CATEGORY COMPLIANCE CRITERIA

4.1.3.2	Scalable sustainability software allows producers to model andquality and to improve wildlife habitat.
4.1.1.1	NRCS will monitor conservation practice outcomes and maintainseveral programs to incentivize improvements in soil erosion, soil

4.1.3.3

4.1.3.4	Satellite imagery allows producers to remotely monitor crops andmake management decisions in near real-time.
4.1.3.5	Improvements in Hyperspectral Imaging Spectroscopy (HIS) and thedevelopment of a Global Hyperspectral Imaging Spectral-library ofAgricultural-Crops (GHISA)98 will improve modeling, mapping, andnutrient efficiency, water quality, irrigation efficiency, groundwater

4.1.3.6	Smart drainage systems, infield sensors, subsurface irrigation, andon-farm irrigation storage and reuse allow for improved water

innovations that improve crop production.

to reduce tillage, pesticide usage, fuel consumption, and GHG
emissions while maintaining or improving yields.
4.1.2.2	Equipment: Innovations like improved no-till drills, draper heads for

management and irrigation.
4.1.4	Producers continue to adopt and support the development ofinnovations that improve the sustainable production of soybeans.
4.1.4.1	Clean energy technologies, energy storage, energy efficiency, andcarbon dioxide capture measures should be adopted as possible tocombining soybeans, air seeders, and Y Drops for applying fertilizer

reduce energy use and GHG emissions.

in-season have improved efficiency by increasing the speed andaccuracy of planting and harvesting.
4.1.2.3	Technology and Data: Precision agriculture technology, Global
Positioning System (GPS), yield monitors, and other technologicalimprovements have improved management data and helped
producers optimize costs and yields.
4.1.2.4	Weather Forecasting: More accurate weather forecasting andtechnological improvements provide access to forecast data in thefield or remotely enables producers to improve decision-making,reduce risk, and more accurately provide what their crops need.
4.1.2.5	Expansion of grain uses: More value-added products expand thedomestic and international marketing opportunities for producers.

From 2009 to 2020, about
11.8 billion U.S. dollars
have been spent on theConservation Stewardship
Program, which in 2021
has over 18.2 million
hectares enrolled instewardship contracts.136

monitoring of agricultural crops globally.

protection, and reforestation.97

4.1.2.1	Genetics and Biotechnology: Advances have allowed producers

Robotics systems can assist with labor management, post-harvest
processing, supply chain logistics, and equipment operation.

health, carbon sequestration, wildlife habitat, wetland restoration,

4.1.2	Producers continue to adopt and support the development ofConservation Stewardship
Program – Rewards
producers for overall
conservation performanceacross entire operations.135

compare different management options for their fields.

4.1.1	Producers will utilize best management practices as appropriate to
optimize yield, water use, agrochemical use, soil health, and water

To date, more than
2,000 partners areworking to implement
conservation practices at
a local level through theRegional Conservation
Partnership Program.134

4.1.3	Producers continue to adopt and support the development of

4.1.5	Continuous improvement is supported by a variety of regulatedconservation programs and technology transfer systems, available
to any group or individual interested in conserving natural resources
and sustaining agricultural production in the U.S., regardless of size.99
Available programs include:
4.1.5.1

The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) protects the mostsensitive areas by providing financial assistance to set aside on along-term basis for cropland vulnerable to soil erosion or critical towildlife habitat (8.4 million hectares enrolled as of 2019)100

4.1.5.2	The Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) rewards producers
for overall conservation performance across entire operations byfunding further on-farm improvements through the adoption of
new conservation practices.

34

35

U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOLUSSES.ORG/SSAP

4.1.5.3	The Environmental Quality Incentive Program (EQIP) provides

updates of relevant federal and local laws to U.S. soybean farmers who arefinancial and technical assistance to increase the environmental
quality of farmland still in production.

The Environmental
Quality Incentive Programprovides financial andtechnical assistance toincrease the environmental
quality of farmland still in
production (19.7 million
hectares enrolled in 2017,2018, 2019, 2020).137

4.1.5.4	The Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) provides

expected to respect and obey federal, state, and local laws.
4.1.7

The National Association of Conservation Districts represents the UnitedStates’ 3,000 conservation districts and the 17,000 men and women who

financial and technical assistance for locally-identified projects

voluntarily serve on their boards. Conservation districts are local units

funded by both federal and partnering entities to solve issues atof government established under state law to carry out natural resource

the regional and watershed level by encouraging land retirement,

management programs at the state level.104

easements, partial-field practices, and conservation practices on
working farmland.
4.1.5.5	The Conservation Effects Assessment Project quantifies theenvironmental effects of conservation practices and programs

4.1.8	USDA Climate Hubs support farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners todevelop strategies to maintain the productivity and profitability necessary

Regional Conservation
Partnership Programprovides financial andtechnical assistance for
locally identified projects
funded by both federal
and partnering entities (10million hectares benefited
through 375 local projects
with over 3,000 partners
at the end of 2019).138

to stay on the land with assessments, demonstrations, drought resources,
ecosystem services, and research data.105

on the environment and develops the science base for managing
the agricultural landscape for environmental quality.101 Project
findings are used to guide USDA conservation policy and program
development and to help conservationists, farmers, and ranchers
make more informed conservation decisions.
4.1.5.6	Landscape initiatives are used to accelerate the benefits ofvoluntary conservation programs, such as cleaner water and air,healthier soil, and enhanced wildlife habitat. Currently, NRCS
operations 10 Landscape Initiatives across the U.S. for wildlife,
water, ecosystems, pollinators, and forestry.102
4.1.5.7

Producers apply technology transfer of Best Management Practices
available in numerous informational mechanisms such as: Certified
Crop Advisors, Discovery Farms, online crop rotation data for
specific geographies and soil types, plot tours, experimental field
and research field days, and Tactical Agriculture Programs.

4.1.5.8	Field Office Technical Guides customized for local soil andconditions are available to enable better production andconservation measures by producers.103 There are also Wildlife
Habitat Evaluation Guides for numerous local plants and animals.
4.1.6

Producers stay informed of relevant national and local laws and regulations.
Primary information resources for law and regulations include local USDA
Service Centers, university agriculture extension services, and national andstate soybean checkoffs and associations, all of which communicate regularly
through publications, websites, and mailings. These organizations provide

36

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U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOLUSSES.ORG/SSAP

1. Over 90% of U.S. soybean producers participate in
the U.S. Farm Program and are subject to audit. For

District Conservationist shall review and reconcile thethe last four years, an average of 22,000

list with the local FSA office. FSA employees based in

106

auditshave occurred annually.
2. Annual Internal Audit is conducted by producers.
3. Third-party Independent Audits of producers areeach county maintain the list of producers selectedin their county. Tract numbers are reviewed, and if
necessary, updated by local offices to account forchanges in ownership or farm organizational changes.

performed to ensure the accuracy of internal

USDA NRCS employees will visit each site to assess

audits made by producers. Third-party audits

compliance and perform audits throughout the year.

are conducted annually by the U.S. Departmentof Agriculture’s (USDA) Natural Resources
Conservation Service with technical staff in over
2,500 offices across the United States.

Only the producers identified on the national
selection list are required to be audited. However,
USDA employees at the state and county levels
may spot-check any producer not identified on the

ANNUAL INTERNAL AUDIT BY PRODUCERS

national selection list if there is reason to question the

Each producer who receives USDA Farm Program

producer’s compliance or if NRCS or FSA receives abenefits is required to conduct an annual internal

hotline referral from the OIG.

audit of compliance. Using Form 1026, the producer

AUDIT
PROCEDURES

compliance review list at the local level, the NRCS

must submit documentation of this audit to the USDA
Farm Service Agency (FSA), which must review andapprove the documentation prior to the producer’s
participation in USDA programs.

Information provided by NRCS over the past five years
shows the following compliance review data:108• 2016: 21,716 Compliance Reviews –2.2% noncompliance

THIRD-PARTY INDEPENDENT AUDIT OF PRODUCERS• 2017: 23,944 Compliance Reviews –To ensure nationwide compliance, third-party

2.0% noncompliance

audits are conducted annually. Third-party audits• 2018: 23,891 Compliance Reviews –are conducted by the USDA Natural Resource

1.3% noncompliance

Conservation Service (NRCS) with technical field• 2019: 19,322 Compliance Reviews –agents in over 2,500 offices throughout the U.S.

1.4% noncompliance*

On average, the USDA randomly selects 22,000 farm
fields each year for an onsite compliance review, with
the number selected being sufficient to accurately
assess compliance at the national level. As further
described below, additional reviews are carried out
if USDA questions the compliance of any producer
or if the USDA is notified through the USDA Office ofInspector General’s (OIG’s) hotline complaint system• 2020: 23,381 Compliance Reviews –1.5% noncompliance
The regulations specifying how to carry out audits areset forth in the NRCS document, the National Food
Security Act Manual, and are subject to further review
and oversight as deemed necessary from the OIG andthe U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).

that a producer may be out of compliance.107
The list of onsite farm compliance reviews is broken
down by state and county. Upon receipt of the38*2019 Reviews were reduced due to Federal disaster declarations in some states.

39

U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOLTHIRD-PARTY INDEPENDENT AUDITORS PROCESSAND QUALIFICATIONS
A detailed description of the process and auditors isshown in the NRCS National Food Security Act Manual,Parts 510 through 520.109 Parts 518 and 519 outlines

USSES.ORG/SSAP

7. The State Conservationist or designee shall provide
training and follow-up to correct deficiencies.
8. The State Conservationist or designee shall identify
potential cases of fraud, waste, and abuse.

how compliance reviews are conducted and quality

SGS conducted a review of the USDA-Natural

assurance maintained.

Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) audit process,Audits will be randomly selected from a national
database of tracts as authorized by the USDA.
Audits will be performed as determined by theState Conservationist who will conduct compliancereviews within each state, as set forth in thefollowing paragraph:
1. Knowledge, skills, and abilities to assess the status

as described above, for the purpose of assessing
compliance to ISO 17021-1:2015, specifically in regard
to inspectors, their training, and the overview of the
program. Based upon document reviews, including
manuals, organizational charts, maps, and compliance
processes during the audit, the auditors determinedthat NRCS met the equivalency requirements of eight
primary standards of ISO 17021-1:2015.

of both House Education and Labor Committee
and Workers’ Compensation compliance: If there
are currently no employees in a county withthe requisite training and knowledge, skills, andabilities to perform Compliance Reviews, theArea Conservationist or STC shall assign another
employee the responsibility for that specific county.
2. The State Conservationist or designee shall ensure
Compliance Review procedures are consistent with

INTERNATIONALVERIFICATION

Parts 518 and 519 and the Quality Control Manual.
3. The State Conservationist or designee shall assure
actions taken pertaining to requests for variances
are executed and completed within the specified
time frame.
4. The State Conservationist or designee shall assure
execution of policy is consistent and uniform within
the state and among adjacent states.
5. The State Conservationist or designee shall assure
corrective action is taken to address deficiencies
found in quality reviews.
6. The State Conservationist or designee shalldetermine if additional reviews are required.

40

41

U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOLUSSES.ORG/SSAP

Soy Export Sustainability, LLC, (SES) will provide

created and maintained by the Shipper will

shipment-specific record keeping and documentation

include, at a minimum, the volume and date

information for U.S. soybeans. To ensure properof shipment of soy from the U.S. Additional

accounting of mass balance of U.S. soybeans

information may be recorded by the Shipper.

compliant with this Protocol up to the point wherecertificates are issued for batches of compliant soy atpoint of export, the Protocol requires the following:
1. SES, acting as the developer, owner, and operatorof the Protocol, will annually determine the total
amount of U.S. Soy that is in compliance with theProtocol, based on information provided by theauthorized audit bodies.
a. This determination will be based on a calculationof the total number of soybean-producing acresthat the group has entered into the Protocol andthe average yield per acre recorded by the group.

d. Agree to allow SES access to the volume and dateof shipment of soy from the U.S.
6.	Each shipment of soy certified by this Protocol
will be accompanied by a uniquely identified(numbered) shipment-specific document containing
selected information from the Shippers’ record,
and an SES attestation that the specific batch of soy
follows a mass balance accounting method chain ofcustody from a volume of Protocol-compliant soy
verified by the authorized audit body.
7.	In no circumstance will a Shipper be issued acertificate if the batch in question did not follow a

2.	This information will be maintained via a record

mass balance accounting method chain of custody

keeping system that resides on an internet-

from a volume of Protocol-compliant soy verified

accessible database (the Database).

by the authorized audit body, or if the certificate

3.	A unique certificate will be produced for each batchof U.S. Soy exported under this Protocol that iscompliant and recorded in the Database.
4.	Shippers using the Database will establish andwould result in that soy shipment exceeding thevolume of Protocol-compliant soy verified by theauthorized audit body. This ensures that the volumeof Protocol-compliant soy as claimed by SES-issued
certificates never exceeds the total volume ofmaintain a firm-specific record that will provide

Protocol-compliant soy entered into the system

the necessary information for a uniquely identified(recorded in point 1, above).

shipment-specific document to accompany
individual U.S. Soy exports.
5.	In order to receive the certificate of compliance8.	SES will use the volume and date of shipment ofsoy from the U.S. to manage and provide necessary
reporting on the Protocol. Soy Export Sustainability,with this Protocol, a Shipper or exporter desiring to

LLC, will also maintain the website and antransport certified soy must:

alternative/backup system for document issuancea. Register as a user of the U.S. Soy Sustainability
Assurance Protocol (SSAP).
b. Establish a Shipper-specific and secure record on
the Database.

ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION

and record keeping should the web-based system
not be available.
For reference, the Database can be accessed atwww.usses.org.

c. Document shipment-specific information on
the Shipper-specific secure record. The record
42

43

U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOLUSSES.ORG/SSAP

The Natural Resources Conservation Service and the National Agricultural Statistics
Service are key agencies at work to ensure responsible agriculture production in the
United States.

NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION SERVICE
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/national/home/
The mission of the Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) is to provide national
leadership in the conservation of soil, water, and related natural resources. The NRCS
provides balanced technical assistance and cooperative conservation programs tolandowners and land managers throughout the United States as part of the U.S. Departmentof Agriculture (USDA). USDA invests approximately $6 billion annually in agriculture
conservation efforts, including staffing over 2,500 conservation offices employing 10,000
individuals in conservation and compliance.

NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL STATISTICS SERVICE
http://www.nass.usda.gov/index.asp
The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) provides timely, accurate, and useful statistics
in service to U.S. agriculture. The USDA’s NASS conducts hundreds of surveys every year andprepares reports covering virtually every aspect of U.S. agriculture. Production and supplies
of food and fiber, prices paid and received by farmers, farm labor and wages, farm finances,chemical use, and changes in the demographics of U.S. producers are only a few examples.

44

SUSTAINABILITYGOALS
FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT FOR
THE U.S. SOYBEAN INDUSTRY45

U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOLUSSES.ORG/SSAPThe United States soybean producer organizations, including the United Soybean Board(USB), American Soybean Association (ASA), and the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC),
concurred upon a national strategy for further enhancing U.S. soybean sustainability throughthe improvement of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) in environmental, economic, andsocial sectors.

BY 2025, U.S. SOYBEAN FARMERS AIM TO:• Reduce land use impact by 10% (measured as acres per bushel)• Reduce soil erosion by 25% (measured as tons per bushel)• Increase energy use efficiency by 10% (measured as BTUs per bushel)• Reduce total greenhouse gas emissions by 10% (measured as pounds
CO2-equivalent gasses emitted per year)

U.S. Soy commits to focusing resources on research, outreach, and measurements to make

FOOTNOTES

certain we are achieving these targeted goals. National benchmarks for resource use/impact
per unit of production on land use, soil erosion, energy use, and greenhouse gas emissions
for U.S. soybeans are measured by Field to Market, based upon 2000 national-level data of
the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other public sources. This Field to Market process will
improve efficiency and reduce impacts across soybean-producing regions.
U.S. Soy’s commitment to sustainability is a long-term promise, rooted in conservation
programs created by the U.S. Department of Agriculture over 75 years ago. U.S. Soy
recognizes that sustainability is defined by continuous improvement.

46

47

U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOL

2017 Census of Agriculture, USDA, National
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gov/Quick_Stats/CDQT/chapter/1/table/1

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United Nations, Department of Economic
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3

https://sdgs.un.org/goals

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12

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10

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water/wetlands/?cid=stelprdb1043554#:~:text=The%20
Farm%20Bill%20allows%20producers,best%20
ways%20to%20mitigate%20wetlands
11

48

USDA NRCS. Healthy Forest Reserve Program.
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easements/forests/?cid=nrcs143_008387
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programs/farmbill/?cid=nrcseprd1542214
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documents/Form-AD1026-Highly-Erodible-Land.pdf

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23

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37

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laws-regulations/summary-clean-water-act
38

25

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41

40 CFR Parts 239-282

29

42

30

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44

20

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21

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45

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46

33

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34

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35

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50

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51

61

62

42 U.S.C. Title 42: The Public Health and Welfare.
Chapter 116: Emergency Planning and Community Rightto-Know. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE2010-title42/html/USCODE-2010-title42-chap116.htm
63

52

USEPA. Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). [Laws andRegulations Overview]. https://www.epa.gov/sdwa

USEPA. Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). [Laws andRegulations Overview]. https://www.epa.gov/sdwa

Office for Coastal Management and National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Coastal
Nonpoint Pollution Control Program. Webpage.
https://coast.noaa.gov/czm/pollutioncontrol/

USDA. Integrated Pest Management Program (IPM).
Program webpage. https://nifa.usda.gov/program/integrated-pest-management-program-ipm USDA and
NIFA. Regional IPM Centers. Webpage. 2021. https://www.
ipmcenters.org/ Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Conservation PracticeStandard. Code 595. January 2010. Sustainable Agriculture
Research and Education (SARE). Webpage. www.sare.org
USEPA. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Principles.
Webpage. https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/
integrated-pest-management-ipm-principles#do

53

USGS, Water Data for the Nation, webpage.
https://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis
54

USDA NRCS, National Water Management
Center, webpage. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/
wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/nwmc/
55

Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable
Agriculture, 2016. Environmental and Socioeconomic
Indicators for Measuring Outcomes of On-Farm
Agricultural Production in the United States(Third Edition). ISBN: 978-0-692-81902-9.

64

65

56

Hall, P.K. and E. Essman, State Legal Approaches
to Reducing Water Quality Impacts from the Useof Agricultural Nutrients on Farmland. National
Agricultural Law Center. May 2019. https://nationalaglawcenter.org/wp-content/uploads//
assets/articles/agnutrient_report.pdf
57

United States Department of Labor. Youth Rules!
Agricultural Employer’s Pocket Guide on Youth
Employment. https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/
files/WHD/legacy/files/ag_pocket_guide.pdf
71

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. [Lawsand Guidance]. https://www.eeoc.gov/laws-guidance
72

U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Human
Trafficking Laws and Regulations. September
2019. [Laws and Regulations List]. https://www.
dhs.gov/human-trafficking-laws-regulations
75

U.S. Department of Labor. Bureau ofInternational Labor Affairs. What Are Workers’
Rights? [Regulation Summary]. https://www.dol.
gov/agencies/ilab/our-work/workers-rights
76

Public L. 92-261. The Equal Employment
Opportunity Act of 1972.

US EPA, Pesticide Worker Safety, Pesticide Containerand Containment Regulations at a Glance, webpage.
https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety/pesticidecontainer-and-containment-regulations-glance

Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable
Agriculture, 2016. Environmental and Socioeconomic
Indicators for Measuring Outcomes of On-Farm
Agricultural Production in the United States(Third Edition). ISBN: 978-0-692-81902-9.

77

78

68

Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable
Agriculture, 2016. Environmental and Socioeconomic

USEPA. Occupational Pesticide Safety and Health.
https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety
79

69

USEPA. Occupational Pesticide Safety and Health.
[Website]. https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-worker-safety
58

USEPA. Summary of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide,and Rodenticide Act. [Laws and Regulations summary].
https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summaryfederal-insecticide-fungicide-and-rodenticide-act
59

USEPA. Summary of the Federal Food, Drug,and Cosmetic Act. Webpage. https://www.
epa.gov/laws-regulations/summary-federalinsecticide-fungicide-and-rodenticide-act
6050

Indicators for Measuring Outcomes of On-Farm
Agricultural Production in the United States(Third Edition). ISBN: 978-0-692-81902-9.
Office of Financial Management. Fair Labor Standards
Act (FLSA). [Regulation overview]. https://ofm.wa.gov/
state-human-resources/compensation-job-classes/
compensation-administration/fair-labor-standards-act-flsa
70

United States Department of Labor.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
[Webpage]. https://www.osha.gov/
82

International Labour Organisation. International
Labour Office. Elimination of All Forms of Forced orCompulsory Labor. January 2001. Cornell University
ILR School. https://ecommons.cornell.edu/bitstream/
handle/1813/99344/Forced_labor_no__13_The_
elimination_of_2004_ed.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed
74

United States Environmental Protection Agency(USEPA). What is EPCRA? Overview, webpage.
https://www.epa.gov/epcra/what-epcra

Pesticide Environmental Stewardship (PES),
website. https://pesticidestewardship.org/

USEPA. Summary of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide,and Rodenticide Act. [Laws and Regulations summary].
https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summaryfederal-insecticide-fungicide-and-rodenticide-act
81

U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour
Division. Migrant and Seasonal Agricultural Worker
Protection Act (MSPA). [Regulation overview]. https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/agriculture/mspa
73

66

67

Pesticide Worker Safety, webpage. https://www.epa.
gov/pesticide-worker-safety/agricultural-workerprotection-standard-wps *Congressional ResearchService. Stubbs, M., Environmental Regulation
and Agriculture. CRS Report. 7-5700. R41622. June
16,2014. https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R41622.pdf

Pesticide Educational Resources Collaborative(PERC). http://pesticideresources.org/. UnitedStates Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA)
and Pesticide Educational Resources Collaborative(PERC). How to Comply With the 2015 Revised Worker
Protection Standard for Agricultural Pesticides:
What Owners and Employers Need to Know.
EPA 735-B-16-001. September 2016. http://www.
pesticideresources.org/wps/htc/htcmanual.pdf UnitedStates Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA).
Agricultural Worker Protection Standard (WPS).
80

United States Department of Labor, Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
webpage. https://www.osha.gov/workers
83

29 CFR Section 1910.142. Temporary Labor Camps.
https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/29/1910.142
84

USEPA. Summary of the Clean Air Act. [Lawsand Regulations Summary]. https://www.epa.
gov/laws-regulations/summary-clean-air-act
85

USEPA. Summary of the Resource Conservation
and Recovery Act. [Laws and Regulations Summary].
https://www.epa.gov/laws-regulations/summaryresource-conservation-and-recovery-act
86

USEPA. Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). [Laws andRegulations Overview]. https://www.epa.gov/sdwa
87

U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land
Management (editor), 2016. The Federal Land Policy
and Management Act of 1976, as amended. U.S.
Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management,
Office of Public Affairs, Washington, DC. 106 pp.
88

USDA, NRCS, Farmland Preservation andFarm Transition, webpage. https://www.nal.
usda.gov/afsic/farmland-preservation-andfarm-transition Farmland Information Center(FIC), webpage. https://farmlandinfo.org/
89

USDA, NRCS, Farm and Ranch Lands Protection
Program, webpage. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/
portal/nrcs/detail/null/?cid=nrcs141p2_018768
90

American Farmland Trust, webpage.
https://farmland.org/
91

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U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOLUSEPA. Emergency Planning and Community
Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA). [Regulation Information
Website]. https://www.epa.gov/epcra
92

USEPA. How’s My Waterway, Version 2.
[Water Data Application]. https://www.epa.
gov/waterdata/hows-my-waterway
93

National 4-H Council. Webpage. https://4-h.org/

94

National FFA Organization. Webpage.
https://www.ffa.org/
95

USDA, Foreign Agricultural Service, Programs.
website. https://www.fas.usda.gov/programs
96

USDA NRCS. Alphabetical Listing and Archive of NRCS
Programs and Activities. [List]. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/
wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/alphabetical/
97

USGS, Western Geographic Science Center, Ongoing
research in Global Hyperspectral Imaging Spectrallibrary of Agricultural-Crops (GHISA), webpage.
https://www.usgs.gov/media/files/ghisa-spectrallibrary-world-crops-support-nasas-sbg-mission
98

USDA NRCS. Conservation Technical Assistance
Program (CTA). [Program] https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/
wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/programs/technical/
99

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency.
Conservation Reserve Program fact sheet. End of October
2020. https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/
usdafiles/Conservation/PDF/crp-one-pager-oct-2020.pdf

100

USDA NRCS. Conservation Effects Assessment Project(CEAP). [Program Overview]. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/
wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/technical/nra/ceap/

101

USDA NRCS. Landscape Conservation Initiatives:
Conservation Beyond Boundaries. [Initiatives
Portal]. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/
nrcs/main/national/programs/initiatives/

102

USSES.ORG/SSAP

NRCS data on Conservation Compliance Reviews,
2016-2019.

106

USDA. Office of Inspector General (OIG). OIG Hotline.
[Reporting portal]. https://www.usda.gov/oig/hotline

107

Percent violation data provided by NRCS.

108

USDA NRCS. National Food Security Act Manual, Fifth
Edition. December 2015. [Manual]. https://directives.
sc.egov.usda.gov/RollupViewer.aspx?hid=29340

109

Field to Market, National Indicators Report,
Soybean Fact Sheet, 2016. http://fieldtomarket.org/
media/2016/12/SOYBEANS_Field-to-Market_2016National-Indicators-Report_Fact-Sheet.pdf

110Crop Production 2018 Summary (February 2019) –USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, pg.52.
Calculation is total soybean area planted (page 52) divided
by U.S. cropland planted (page 8). https://www.nass.usda.
gov/Publications/Todays_Reports/reports/cropan19.pdf

111

USDA Forest Service, Forests and Grasslands.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/managing-land/national-forests-grasslands

112

USDA NRCS. Field Office Technical Guide (FOTG).
[Technical Resource]. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/
wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/technical/fotg/
National Association of Conservation Districts.
Webpage. https://www.nacdnet.org/

104

USDA, Climate Hubs. Webpage.
https://www.climatehubs.usda.gov/

105

52

Study entitled FARM TO MARKET: A Soybean’s
Journey From Field To Consumer, page 181.
https://www.soytransportation.org/FarmTo
Market/FarmToMarketStudy082012Study.pdf
NOTE: Calculation is rail 44% + barge 47% = 91%

128

118

U.S. Department of Agriculture, National
Agricultural Statistics Service. (April 2019). 2017
Census of Agriculture: United States Summaryand State Data. Volume 1, Geographic Area Series,
Part 51. AC-17-A-51. www.agcensus.usda.gov

119

Claassen, Roger, Maria Bowman, Jonathan McFadden,David Smith, Steven Wallander. Tillage Intensity andConservation Cropping in the United States, EIB-197,
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic ResearchService, September 2018. https://www.ers.usda.gov/
webdocs/publications/90201/eib-197.pdf?v=7027.1

120

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency.
Conservation Reserve Program fact sheet. End of October
2020. https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/
usdafiles/Conservation/PDF/crp-one-pager-oct-2020.pdf

Congressional Budget Office. CBO’s January
2020 Baseline for Farm Programs., pg 3. February
2020. [Baseline] https://www.cbo.gov/system/
files/2020-01/51317-2020-01-usda.pdf

121

USDA, NASS. U.S. Yield & Production: Production by
State, U.S. Soybean Production by State 2020. http://
soystats.com/u-s-yield-production-production-by-state/

122

114

U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2020. Summary
Report: 2017 National Resources Inventory, Natural
Resources Conservation Service, Washington, DC, andCenter for Survey Statistics and Methodology, Iowa State
University, Ames, Iowa. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/
portal/nrcs/main/national/technical/nra/nri/results/

115

U.S. Department of Agriculture. 2020. Summary
Report: 2017 National Resources Inventory, Natural
Resources Conservation Service, Washington, DC, andCenter for Survey Statistics and Methodology, Iowa State
University, Ames, Iowa. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/
portal/nrcs/main/national/technical/nra/nri/results/

Oswalt, Sonja N.; Miles, Patrick D.; Pugh, Scott A.;
Smith, W. Brad. 2018. Forest Resources of the UnitedStates, 2017: a technical document supporting theForest Service 2020 update of the RPA Assessment. Gen.
Tech. Rep. WO-xxx. Washington, DC: U.S. Departmentof Agriculture, Forest Service, Washington Office., Table
1a, page 5, https://www.fia.fs.fed.us/program-features/
rpa/docs/2017RPAFIATABLESFINAL_050918.pdf

127

113

116
103

Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture,
2016. Environmental and Socioeconomic Indicators for
Measuring Outcomes of On-Farm Agricultural Productionin the United States (Third Edition). ISBN: 978-0-69281902-9. http://fieldtomarket.org/media/2016/12/
Field-to-Market_2016-National-Indicators-Report.pdf

117Communication with NRCS Technical Staff.
https://www.ars.usda.gov/oc/timeline/comp/123

Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable
Agriculture, 2016. Environmental and Socioeconomic
Indicators for Measuring Outcomes of On-Farm
Agricultural Production in the United States (Third
Edition). ISBN: 978-0-692-81902-9, https://fieldtomarket.
org/national-indicators-report-2016/soybeans/

124

U.S. Air Force, National Coordination Officefor Space-Based Positioning, Navigation, andTiming. Agriculture. [Application Overview].
http://www.gps.gov/applications/agriculture/
USDA. Integrated Pest Management Program (IPM).
Program webpage. https://nifa.usda.gov/program/integrated-pest-management-program-ipm USDA and
NIFA. Regional IPM Centers. Webpage. 2021. https://www.
ipmcenters.org/ Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Conservation PracticeStandard. Code 595. January 2010. Sustainable Agriculture
Research and Education (SARE). Webpage. www.sare.org
USEPA. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Principles.
Webpage. https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/
integrated-pest-management-ipm-principles#do

129

USDA NRCS. RCA EQIP Data Viewer, 2021. https://www.
nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/NRCS_RCA/reports/fb08_cp_eqip.
html; USDA. Integrated Pest Management Program(IPM). Program webpage. https://nifa.usda.gov/program/integrated-pest-management-program-ipml; USDA and
NIFA. Regional IPM Centers. Webpage. 2021. https://www.
ipmcenters.org/; Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM). Conservation PracticeStandard. Code 595. January 2010. Sustainable Agriculture
Research and Education (SARE). Webpage. www.sare.org;
USEPA. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Principles.
Webpage. https://www.epa.gov/safepestcontrol/
integrated-pest-management-ipm-principles#do

130

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency.
Conservation Reserve Program fact sheet. End of October
2020. https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/
usdafiles/Conservation/PDF/crp-one-pager-oct-2020.pdf

131

Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable
Agriculture, 2016. Environmental and Socioeconomic
Indicators for Measuring Outcomes of On-Farm
Agricultural Production in the United States(Third Edition). ISBN: 978-0-692-81902-9.

125

USDA NRCS. Agricultural Conservation Easement
Program (ACEP). [Conservation Programs].
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/
main/national/programs/easements/acep/

126

USDA NRCS. RCA Data Viewer, 2021. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/programs/?cid=stelprdb1119097

132

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U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOLUSSES.ORG/SSAP

U.S. Department of Agriculture, Farm Service Agency.
Conservation Reserve Program fact sheet. End of October
2020. https://www.fsa.usda.gov/Assets/USDA-FSA-Public/
usdafiles/Conservation/PDF/crp-one-pager-oct-2020.pdf

133

Natural Resources Conservation Service, Resource
Conservation Act Data Viewer. Webpage. March 31,
2020. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/national/technical/nra/rca/ida/?cid=stelprdb1187041
United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
and Economic Research Service (ERS). Conservation
Programs. Webpage. September 23, 2019. https://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/natural-resourcesenvironment/conservation-programs.aspx

134

THE U.S. SOY ADVANTAGE

USDA NRCS. Email correspondence with
NRCS Technical Staff, June 3, 2021.

The foundation of the U.S. Soy Advantage is innovation, which is focused on investment in continuous

USDA NRCS. Email correspondence with
NRCS Technical Staff, June 3, 2021.

composition and consistent supply of our soy and soy products, as well as the sustainability practices of

135

136

USDA NRCS. RCA EQIP Data Viewer,
2021. https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/
NRCS_RCA/reports/fb08_cp_eqip.html

improvement and meeting customer needs. Today, the U.S. Soy Advantage is anchored by exceptionalour 303,191 soybean farms.

137

USDA, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
Administration and Status of the Regional Conservation
Partnership Program: 2019 Report to Congress.
https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/PA_NRCSConsumption/
download?cid=nrcseprd1595617&ext=pdf

138

EXCEPTIONAL COMPOSITION
U.S. soybeans have an excellent meal nutritional bundle (protein, amino acids, andenergy) and superior oil functionality and performance. These attributes give U.S. Soyan edge over the competition with continuous (or ongoing) innovation in the pipeline
to ensure the U.S. remains the leader in the soy industry.
CONSISTENT SUPPLYThe U.S. has an abundant supply of soy that can be reliably moved from the field
to domestic end users or to the coasts for export using the best transportation
infrastructure in the world.
SUSTAINABLE FARMING PRACTICES
U.S. soybean farmers are the most sustainable in the world. Through theircommitment to continuous improvement, U.S. soybean farmers are committed totaking care of the environment, being good citizens, and producing their crop as
efficiently as possible to deliver the most sustainably grown soy in the world.
INNOVATION BEYOND THE BUSHEL
The soybean industry is constantly innovating, whether it be in seed development,
production practices, or marketing opportunities. The U.S. Soy industry vows to meetthe needs of a growing world while protecting our natural resources.

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U.S. SOY SUSTAINABILITY ASSURANCE PROTOCOL

MAY 2021
CONTACT:
16305 Swingley Ridge Road, Suite 200
Chesterfield, MO 63017-USA
Phone: 636.449.6046
Fax: 636.449.1292
usses.org

U.S. Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol endorsed by:

Nondiscrimination Statement
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions
participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression),sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights
activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.) should contact
the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program
information may be made available in languages other than English.
To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at How to File a Program Discrimination Complaint
and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866)632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights,1400 Independence Avenue,
SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov.
USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer, and lender.

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