ST. LOUIS, June 7, 2023 /CSRwire/ - Today, Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture™ announced their Gold Level Equivalence against SAI Platform’s new FSA 3.0, which is the highest possible rating. This update strengthens Field to Market and SAI Platform ‘s Equivalency Agreement announced in 2017.

The Farm Sustainability Assessment (FSA) enables food and drink businesses to assess, improve, and validate on-farm sustainability in their supply chains. It aims to drive relevant and demonstrable continuous improvement of on-farm social, environmental, and business performance through supply chain collaboration and fostering a common understanding of sustainable agriculture. As part of the Equivalency Module, Field to Market’s Fieldprint Platform™ is viewed as an accepted means of fulfilling the requirements of the FSA.

With this equivalency added to the Fieldprint Platform, users will be able to achieve FSA Bronze, Silver or Gold Level Equivalence after completing the Field to Market’s Fieldprint Platform and answering up to 22 questions. This benchmark enables a streamlined process to support Field to Market members in advancing sustainable agriculture in the U.S. These 22 questions further expand Platform questions and hone in on topics including farm management & community, health & safety, crop protection, nutrient management, and biodiversity.

The updated Equivalency Module allows participating farmers utilizing the Fieldprint Platform’s outcomes-based, metrics-driven sustainability approach to tap into a global verification framework and benchmark reference for many sustainable farming schemes.

“It is exciting to bring an updated equivalence level to the Fieldprint Platform, enhancing the sustainability assessment tools available to members interested in reporting on their global supply chains,” says Field to Market President Scott Herndon. “U.S. farmers who are able to demonstrate improvement in operations’ sustainability through our outcomes-based metrics gain additional value through the enhanced recognition in global markets offered through SAI Platform’s FSA program.”

Joe Rushton, FSA Director, said, “We are pleased to continue our collaboration with Field to Market and celebrate their efforts in promoting sustainability among U.S. farmers. The FSA remains committed to fostering a harmonized approach to sustainability across various crops and sourcing regions, and we recognize the significant value that Field to Market brings towards achieving this goal. We firmly believe that this collaboration harnesses the best of both our organizations, enhancing our ability to support our members and facilitate the recognition of their sustainability initiatives.”

This update provides greater efficiency in helping members measure and assess the sustainability performance of their supply chains through improved alignment between the foremost agricultural sustainability initiatives worldwide.

Contact

Katrina Stacey, Field to Market, 202-230-3861, kstacey@fieldtomarket.org

Joe Iveson, SAI Platform, jiveson@saiplatform.org

About Field to Market

Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture™ brings together a diverse group of grower organizations; agribusinesses; food, feed, beverage, restaurant and retail companies; conservation groups; universities and public sector partners to focus on defining, measuring and advancing the sustainability of food, feed, fiber and fuel production. Field to Market is comprised of over 180 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. For more information, visit www.fieldtomarket.org.

About SAI Platform

The Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform (SAI Platform) is a global food and beverage industry platform for developing sustainable agriculture solutions through member-driven pre-competitive collaboration. SAI Platform connects members and external stakeholders to catalyse change and establish sustainable agriculture as a pre-requisite for doing business throughout the food and drink supply chain. To find out more at www.saiplatform.org

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.

More from Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture