Following through on the promise (Editorial)

We are reminded of the old challenge to “Put up or shut up.”
Faced with a continuing barrage of criticism that farming is a major cause of the Chesapeake Bay’s ill health and that farmers aren’t doing enough to remedy the situation, Maryland farmers are “putting up.”
“Want to see what we are doing?” they are asking. ... “We will show you.”
That show-and-tell goes by the acronyn FSCAP, which stands for the Farm Stewardship Certification and Assessment Program.
It was established by the Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts to acknowledge and salute farmers who are good stewards of their natural resources and to encourage farmers to consider putting even more conservation best management practices on their land where the opportunity exists.
The project has established the Agricultural Conservation Stewardship Certification Standard, which measures compliance with state requirements for the farm’s nutrient management plan plus a level of implemented conservation BMPs that address all resource concerns on the farm.
The Farm Stewardship Certification and Assessment Program is a wide-ranging collaborative effort of both environmental and agricultural organizations to recognize good stewardship by farmers.   
It has brought together, for example, the Maryland Farm Bureau, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Maryland Department of Agriculture; and USDA-Natural Resources Conservation Service.
To date, FSCAP funding partners include: the United Soybean Board, through the Maryland Soybean Board, the Maryland Grain Producers Utilization Board; the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Chesapeake Bay Trust.
Two farmers and their farms — Steve Ernst in Clear Spring and J.D. Rinehart of Smithsburg — last month became the first two to win certification under the program.
There are at least 15 other farmers awaiting the required on-the-farm assessment,
When a farmer volunteers to be evaluated, FSCAP works through the local soil conservation district to visit the farm to review the existing nutrient management plan, soil conservation and water quality plan and other pertinent documents to determine if the farmer meets the ACSCS.
The assessor and the district planner will walk the farm with the soil conservation and water quality plan to see if all resource concerns have been met.
If additional conservation best management practices are needed, the farmer may elect to work with the district for technical assistance in determining, designing and installing the appropriate BMP to solve the problem, after which the ACSCS evaluation could continue.
Proud of what you have done? Want to show it off? Sign up for FSCAP at your local SCD office.