Stakeholders Expand Parameters of American National Standard for Sustainable Agriculture
According to a report from the organization that launched the concept of a voluntary consensus standard for sustainable agriculture, nearly 50 committee members met in late May 2009 in Illinois to address issues raised by task forces considering various aspects of the proposed standard. The Leonardo Academy initiated the effort with a draft “trial-use” standard, intended to be implemented while under development, that would have imposed organic requirements and employment practices, such as union organizing and collective bargaining, on every aspect of agriculture in the United States from farm to store. Operating under the American National Standards Institute consensus and transparency principles, a number of industry interests are now involved in the process, which has apparently resulted in a change of focus.
The standard will initially be limited to crop production and will be extended incrementally to eventually include post-farm gate activities and other agricultural production, including livestock. While sustainability remains a significant guiding principle, the standards development committee agreed that its goal would be to “develop a standard that is based on verifiable metrics and will allow for any
technology that increases agricultural sustainability.” The standard’s mission will be to “encourage the widespread adoption of agricultural production and handling practices that are ecologically responsible, equitable, economically viable, science-based, meet global demand for a full range of agricultural products and ensure that future generations are able to meet their own needs.”
One committee member, representing the academic community, stated that the agreement to move forward using “any technology,” “sends a message to all segments of the agricultural community that we are not excluding any appropriate technologies from our considerations as we develop standards that will help all of agriculture become more sustainable.”
Industry representatives were reportedly encouraged by the meeting’s outcome. A spokesperson for the Western Growers was quoted as saying, “These basic guiding tenets, and the discussions leading up to the Standards Committee approval, set the stage for a modular approach to building a performance-oriented sustainability standard.” An American Soybean Association representative reportedly said, “It
is encouraging to work with a diverse group of individuals that represent many sectors of agriculture to create a standard that will have a positive affect on how we produce food, feed and fiber.”
The next phase of the project will involve subcommittee work on the following focused issues: (i) developing criteria for economic, social and environmental sustainability; (ii) compiling a reference library and information; (iii) preparing a structure and process for standard development; (iv) raising funds to carry the work forward; and (v) communicating with stakeholders and the public. All interested parties may participate on the standard’s subcommittees. See Leonardo Academy Press Release, June 5, 2009.
