Field to Market Announces Goals to Advance Sustainability of U.S. Agriculture

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Field to Market

Dec 05, 2014, 10:00 ET


Washington, D.C. (PRWEB) December 05, 2014 -- Tweetable highlights:

  • Sustainable outcomes for ag at heart of @FieldtoMarket commitments #Fieldprint #SustAg http://bit.ly/1BhpOf9
  • Sustained rdxn in #soil erosion to tolerable levels/below on all U.S. commodity cropland pledged by @FieldtoMarket http://bit.ly/1BhpOf9
  • #FieldtoMarket commits to ↑ productivity, conserve native habitat & enhance landscape quality= > land use efficiency http://bit.ly/1BhpOf9
  • #FieldtoMarket to help solve regional #waterquality issues by reducing sediment, P, N & pesticide loads #SustAg http://bit.ly/1BhpOf9
  • Sustained rdxn in GHGs from U.S. cropland per unit of output pledged by @FieldtoMarket members #Fieldprint #SustAg http://bit.ly/1BhpOf9
  • #FieldtoMarket to help solve regional #waterscarcity issues thru continual improvement in irrigation efficiency http://bit.ly/1BhpOf9
  • #FieldtoMarket commits to deliver sustained improvements in energy use efficiency from U.S. crop production #SustAg http://bit.ly/1BhpOf9
  • To achieve these goals, @FieldtoMarket pledges to engage 20% of U.S. commodity cropland acres in its program by 2020 http://bit.ly/1BhpOf9

On World Soil Day, Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture announced goals to advance the sustainability of U.S. agriculture, committing its membership comprised of 66 grower organizations; agribusinesses; food, beverage, restaurant and retail companies; conservation groups; universities and public sector partners to driving sustainable outcomes for corn, soybeans, wheat, cotton, rice, potatoes and other crops in six key areas.

“With these goals, Field to Market signals a new level of commitment to engage the entire agricultural supply chain to address the collective environmental challenges we face and responsibly manage our planet’s natural resources,” said Rod Snyder, president of Field to Market. “In a resource-constrained world with growing global demands on food and water, we must work together to pursue solutions that deliver environmental, social and economic benefits. These goals represent a shared commitment to deliver sustainable outcomes through continuous improvement.”

Driving Sustainable Outcomes

Field to Market and its members pledge to deliver:

  • Sustained reduction in soil erosion to tolerable levels or below on all U.S. cropland.
  • Sustained improvement of land use efficiency by increasing productivity on U.S. cropland, conserving native habitat, and enhancing landscape quality.
  • Sustained contribution to solving regional water quality problems as evidenced by reductions in sediment, phosphorus, nitrogen, and pesticide loads from U.S. cropland.
  • Sustained reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from U.S. cropland per unit of output.
  • Sustained contribution to solving regional water scarcity problems through continual improvement in irrigation water use efficiency and conservation.
  • Sustained improvement in energy use efficiency from U.S. crop production.

To achieve these goals, Field to Market will seek to engage 20% of productive acres of U.S. commodity crop production, which is equivalent to 50 million acres, in its supply chain sustainability program by 2020.

Convergence around a Common Sustainability Framework

Field to Market provides useful measurement tools and resources for growers and the supply chain that track and promote continuous improvement at the farm level through its supply chain sustainability program. The program promotes a voluntary, collaborative approach to sustainability that is expressly science-based, technology neutral and focused on outcomes that are within a grower’s control. This approach continues to gain support from stakeholders across the agricultural supply chain.

“By creating shared value from farm to fork, Field to Market’s membership continues to grow at a significant pace, increasing by more than 30 percent in 2014,” said Snyder. “From farmers and agribusinesses to food and beverage companies and conservation groups, we are seeing increasing convergence around a common framework to measure sustainability in U.S. agriculture.”

New members in 2014 include: Agricultural Retailers Association, Agrium, American Farmland Trust, Coalition on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases, Brown-Forman, Illinois Corn Growers Association, Illinois Soybean Association, Iowa Agriculture Water Alliance, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Tate & Lyle, The Conservation Fund, The Freshwater Trust, Thompson Coburn LLP, U.S. Soybean Export Council and the University of Tennessee Extension. For a complete list of members, visit fieldtomarket.org/members.

About Field to Market

Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture brings together a diverse group of grower organizations; agribusinesses; food, beverage, restaurant and retail companies; conservation groups; universities and public sector partners to focus on defining, measuring and advancing the sustainability of food, fiber and fuel production. Field to Market is comprised of more than 65 members representing all facets of the U.S. agricultural supply chain, with member companies employing more than 3.9 million people and representing combined revenues totaling over $1.3 trillion. For more information, visit fieldtomarket.org and follow us on Twitter at @FieldtoMarket.

Betsy Hickman, Field to Market, https://www.fieldtomarket.org/, +1 202-802-6477, [email protected]