Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture announced today the launch of a new three-year strategic plan. The 2019-2021 Strategic Plan builds on more than a decade of Field to Market’s role as the leading multi-stakeholder organization committed to defining, measuring and advancing sustainability in commodity crop production in the United States. The food and agriculture industry faces increasingly complex challenges to produce food, feed, fiber and fuel for a growing and more affluent global population, while conserving our natural resource base and adapting to a changing climate. A major premise of the new plan involves leveraging the collective influence of Field to Market’s diverse membership to meet this challenge and drive continuous improvement in environmental outcomes. 

The priorities outlined in the new plan will enable Field to Market to implement its commitment to deliver sustainable outcomes for agriculture:

• Convene Diverse Stakeholders to facilitate multi-sector collaboration, advance shared learning, and drive collective action.

• Provide Science-Based Leadership to develop and strengthen resources for measuring sustainability performance and assessing opportunities for improvement.

• Scale Impact Through Partnerships by developing a flexible program framework, facilitating partnerships, and leveraging capacity to support farmers in delivering improved environmental outcomes at the field and landscape levels.

• Enable Credible Communications that facilitate and improve supply chain and industry reporting, showcase leaders in sustainability, and strengthen public confidence in the food and agriculture system. 

“The food and agriculture industry in the United State continues to undergo rapid and profound change,” said Rod Snyder, president of Field to Market. “Field to Market’s new strategic plan will position us over the next three years to realize a future in which the entire agricultural supply chain supports resilient ecosystems and enhances farmer livelihoods.” 

On January 30, Field to Market will welcome new members to its Board of Directors, comprised of three representatives from each of the five membership sectors of Field to Market: Affiliate, Agribusiness, Brands & Retail, Civil Society and Growers. At this first meeting of 2019, the Board will be charged with overseeing the implementation of the new strategic plan.

“I am delighted to welcome these new members whose experience and skills complement the strengths of our current Board and will assist us as we guide this next chapter in Field to Market’s future,” said Stefani Millie Grant, chair of Field to Market’s Board of Directors and senior manager for external affairs and sustainability, Unilever. “The diversity and expertise of our leadership is one of the Alliance’s greatest assets, and there is no greater time than the present to leverage these strengths as we move forward with the implementation of our three-year strategic plan.”

Joining the 2019 board are:

• Michelle Bubniak, corporate sustainability manager, Archer Daniels Midland

• Keira Franz, environmental policy advisor, National Association of Wheat Growers

• Diane Herndon, senior manager of sustainability, Nestlé Purina

• Brandon Hunnicutt, farmer & board member, National Corn Growers Association 

• Mark Isbell, farmer & sustainability and conservation committee member, USA Rice Federation

• Debbie Reed, executive director, Coalition on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases

• Ryan Sirolli, global row crop sustainability director, Cargill

• Jun Zhu, director of waste management, Center for Agricultural and Rural Sustainability at the University of Arkansas

Zhu, Reed, and Franz were each re-elected to a second three-year term on Field to Market’s board, while Bubniak and Herndon are newly elected members. Isbell was elected to fill a vacancy, and Sirolli and Hunnicutt will serve as new representatives for their respective organizations. To learn more about our Board of Directors, please visit https://fieldtomarket.org/the-alliance/governance/board-of-directors/.

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 140 members representing all facets of the U.S. agricultural supply chain, with members employing more than 5 million people and representing combined revenues totaling over $1.5 trillion.

Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture

Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture

Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture™ is a leading multi-stakeholder initiative working to unite the agricultural supply chain in defining, measuring and advancing the sustainability of food, feed, fiber and fuel production in the United States. We bring together a diverse group of grower organizations; agribusinesses; food, beverage, restaurant and retail companies; conservation groups; universities; and public sector partners to create opportunities across the agricultural supply chain for continuous improvements in productivity, environmental quality, and human well-being. With the world population estimated to exceed 9 billion by 2050, the entire agricultural value chain must work together to efficiently and responsibly lay the groundwork for a more sustainable future. From the farm gate to the retail and restaurant counter, the challenge of producing enough food, feed, fiber and fuel for a rapidly growing population, while conserving our planet’s natural resources has become increasingly complex. The nature of this challenge requires an unparalleled level of transparency and collaboration. By uniting the agricultural supply chain and key stakeholders around a common measurement framework, Field to Market seeks to drive continuous improvement in the sustainability of commodity crop production.

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