Date of Award
1-23-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Agriculture, MSA
First Advisor
Tina Teague
Committee Members
Bert Greenwalt; Michele Reba; Nelson Benson
Abstract
The Field-to-Market Fieldprint Calculator is a software tool designed to estimate and compare relative sustainability of differing agricultural practices. This observational research compared conservation techniques to conventional practices in rice and cotton on three separate farms in Northeast Arkansas. Considering management and site conditions, the Fieldprint Calculator was used to compare sustainability metrics to standards at various spatial scales in a spidergraph report. Eight metrics were analyzed to produce reports, including greenhouse gas emissions, water quality and quantity, land and energy use, soil carbon and conservation, and biodiversity. Results showed no significant change in yield between the different production methods, but a reduced environmental impact and potential financial benefits within the conservation observations.
Rights Management
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Palumbo, Melissa Adelle, "Sustainability Implications of Agricultural Practices in the Arkansas Delta: A Field to Market Approach" (2026). Student Theses and Dissertations. 1144.
https://arch.astate.edu/all-etd/1144
