b"We all want to be able to eat, we want to have economies andcommunities that are that are successful. But we dont want to havethat at the expense of environmental degradation. MIKE NEMETHthan that, got down to working with neighbours, local towns, schools,as tillage and changing crop varieties grown, and practices to do on districts, water management zones. There was a lot of other people weedge of fields on marginal lands such as growing buffer strips. started working with that we hadnt worked with in the past. We were able in this first phase to come up with what are those On the company side, they were impressed to find data from thethings. And then what's the best return on investment to the growers EcoMetrics analysis showing the value of water stewardship andand other stakeholders from doing them, she says.sustainability across the value chain. By doing water stewardship onPlans for the next phase of the project include implementing those farm, producers can drive good environmental outcomes, Nemeth says. strategies and seeing what benefits they provide. The partners want We all want to be able to eat, we want to have economies andto create a template that producers located in other watersheds can communities that are that are successful. But we don't want to haveuse do these assessments themselves. There are plans for the Potato that at the expense of environmental degradation, he adds.Sustainability Alliance to take over the role ALUS Canada played in While the first phase of the study only looked at a single Norththe first phase. American watershed in Manitoba, those involved in the project seeFor Berry, he encourages other growers to get involved. He was it applicable globally. By using the assessment tools, growers in anysurprised by how much he was able to learn about water usage on region would be able to identify their own partners across the valuethis own farm through the first phase of the project and is looking chain and therefore gain a better understanding of how their waterforward to taking part in the next phase.stewardship work is adding value at all levels. I think it works on an individual basis because you do all your There are plans for future phases of the project. Modelling hasassessments of your own operation first, Berry says. See where been done and plans drawn up on projects that could give growersyou can improve and what you can move on and see what you're the best return on investment. Wilson explains theyve broken itdoing already. As you go through the assessment, you'll figure it out down into two different strategiespractices to do in fields suchyourself. 20SPUDSMART.COMFall 2023"