Growing Returns

An agricultural marriage made in heaven: state programs & private sector initiatives

By Eileen McLellan / Bio / Published: January 14, 2015

At last week’s State Ag and Rural Leaders’ summit in Florida, legislators from across the U.S. discussed sustainability initiatives in the food supply chain. The conversations and presentations were informative for all – but what was missing from the conference was discussion about the role the private sector can play in supporting public sustainability initiatives.

State programs to support farmers

State programs can go a long way towards supporting farmers’ conservation efforts without economic downsides (and potentially increased revenues). Read More »

Posted in Supply Chain / Tagged agriculture, ecosystems, farmers, farms, fertilizer, food production, food security, nutrient efficiency, Partnerships, private sector, sustainability, sustainable agriculture | Read 2 Responses

Beyond regulation: making the business case for sustainable farming

By Suzy Friedman / Bio / Twitter profile / Published: January 7, 2015

Regulations and lawsuits generate more tension, disagreement, division, and, too often, failure to communicate, than just about anything else in the agricultural world. Regulations are on my mind of late because of several developments:

Ohio recently considered legislation to increase regulations on fertilizer applications after a toxic algae bloom last August shut down water supplies to nearly half a million people.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in the final stages of a proposal to resolve ongoing confusion about the extent of federal jurisdiction over isolated wetlands and streams under the Clean Water Act (CWA), clarifying which are protected and which are not, based on science. Sixty percent of our nation’s streams lack clear protection from pollution under the CWA, yet one of every three Americans gets their drinking water from streams that are vulnerable to pollution. Just this week, new Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell noted that Congress will address this proposal in the current legislative session.

Also posted in ecosystems, fertilizer, Partnerships, sustainable agriculture, western water / Tagged agriculture, nitrogen, nutrient efficiency, nutrient pollution, regulation, toxic algae, Walmart, water quality | Read 1 Response

Setting the table for more sustainable food in 2015

By EDF Staff / Published: December 29, 2014

2014 was a milestone year for sustainable agriculture across the United States and around the world. In the U.S., we saw food companies and agribusiness like United Suppliers step up to the plate to meet Walmart’s new demand for sustainable grains, and EDF’s launch of the new Sustainable Sourcing Initiative. We also saw the launch of the United Nations’ Global Alliance for Climate-Smart Agriculture, which aims to enable 500 million farmers worldwide to practice sustainable farming.

On the Colorado River, countless stakeholders including U.S. and Mexican policymakers, conservation organizations and farmers came together to orchestrate and witness the Colorado River Delta pulse flow – the temporary release of water across the United States-Mexico border that brought relief and restoration to the dry, empty river delta ecosystem – an historic accomplishment for people and the environment.

Also posted in Carbon Market, Climate Resilience, Habitat Exchange, Wildlife Protection / Tagged agriculture, California Air Resources Board, Carbon Offsets, climate change, compost protocol, ecosystems, farms, fertilizer, food security, GHG mitigation, habitat exchange, Partnerships, sustainable agriculture, water quality, water use, western water | Comments are closed

Will Ohio’s proposed fertilizer legislation solve the runoff problem?

By Karen Chapman / Bio / Published: December 4, 2014

Proposed legislation in Ohio would regulate when farmers can apply fertilizer to their fields.

The Ohio General Assembly will vote next week on legislation that aims to address the problem of nutrient pollution, which was responsible for a massive algae bloom in Lake Erie that contaminated the drinking water of more than 400,000 Ohio residents this past August.

In short, the bill would ban application of fertilizer on land that is frozen, covered by snow, saturated with rain, or when the weather predicts a certain amount of rainfall. Those who violate the ban could face penalties of up to $10,000.

Policies that set rational ground rules for when farmers can apply fertilizer to their fields and that create real incentives to reduce nutrient pollution are important, but it’s going to take more than legislation to solve the runoff problem. Read More »

Posted in Supply Chain / Tagged agriculture, ecosystems, fertilizer, fertilizer optimization, hypoxia, Lake Erie, nitrogen, nutrient pollution, Ohio General Assembly, phosphorus, soil health, sustainable agriculture, Toledo, toxic algae, water quality, western water | Comments are closed

General Mills selects United Suppliers to increase fertilizer efficiency in the field

By Suzy Friedman / Bio / Twitter profile / Published: November 20, 2014

Isn’t it nice when somebody steps forward boldly to do the right thing and is rewarded for doing so? General Mills did just that for United Suppliers and the SUSTAIN platform, which will help farmers improve nitrogen use efficiency and productivity.

In July, General Mills put out a call for proposals to help the company meet increased production needs in ways that contribute to cleaner air and water.

It was almost like a future posting in sustainability want ads: “General Mills, a 17+ billion dollar food company, has the following need: Seeking best practices in nitrogen fertilization (nitrogen optimization) technologies for sustainable agriculture.”

The company recognized the pressing need to limit nutrient losses while also helping farmers produce more of the wheat, corn, soybeans and other crops it needs to make the products we buy.

And the winners are….
Read More »

Posted in Supply Chain / Tagged Adapt-N, corn, ecosystems, fertilizer, fertilizer pollution, General Mills, nitrogen, nutrient efficiency, Partnerships, soil health, soybean, SUSTAIN, sustainable agriculture, United Suppliers, water quality, wheat | Comments are closed

How one business is reducing nutrient losses on 10 million acres

By Suzy Friedman / Bio / Twitter profile / Published: October 14, 2014

The people over at United Suppliers are savvy. When they caught wind of Walmart’s pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by, in part, asking its top suppliers to reduce fertilizer losses from cropping systems, they jumped at the chance to differentiate themselves in the marketplace.

“For us, it was a no brainer,” says Matt Carstens, United Suppliers vice president. “If Walmart and major food companies have identified fertilizer pollution as a business risk, it makes sense for us to help them address that risk. We want to be at the forefront of helping farmers meet these demands. It’s a great business opportunity, not to mention the right thing to do.

“After all, farmers want the same thing. Reduced losses translate to increased profits and greater sustainability.”

Posted in Supply Chain / Tagged 4Rs, agriculture, ecosystems, fertilizer, food production, GHG mitigation, Lake Erie, SUSTAIN, sustainable agriculture, United Suppliers, Walmart | Comments are closed

A business-smart approach to ending fertilizer pollution

By Suzy Friedman / Bio / Twitter profile / Published: October 6, 2014

Toxic algae bloom in Lake Erie. Photo credit: NOAA

The toxic algae scare in Toledo this past summer really drove home the problem of fertilizer pollution in this country, right through the faucets of half a million unsuspecting residents. Don’t drink the water, officials warned. Don’t even touch it.

We need and rely on farmers every day for our well-being. But when producing food for a growing population threatens to deprive us of water, another life essential, it’s time to rethink the way we feed America.

That’s why I’m so excited about EDF’s new Sustainable Sourcing Initiative. Our goal in this collaborative effort is to engage every player in the U.S. grain supply chain to solve what has been an intractable problem for decades.

The challenge

Fertilizer, of course, is necessary for achieving high crop yields. But its inefficient use contributes to climate instability and causes dead zones that contaminate water supplies and kill millions of fish each year.

Posted in Supply Chain / Tagged agriculture, Chesapeake Bay, ecosystems, fertilizer, food production, food security, Lake Erie, nitrogen, Partnerships, Toledo, toxic algae, Walmart | Comments are closed

Reducing risks to corn production requires a supply chain solution

By Suzy Friedman / Bio / Twitter profile / Published: July 14, 2014

Corn is our country’s biggest crop economically and takes up nearly one-third of U.S. cropland. It is a pillar of our food production system – a key ingredient in everything from drinks, sauces and snack foods to dairy products, fuel and meat.

So when news about corn’s risky future pops up, we should all take note, and the entire agricultural supply chain should work toward solutions.

Water & Climate Risks Facing U.S. Corn Production, produced by the nonprofit sustainability advocate Ceres, is the latest analysis to sound the warning bell.

Last year U.S. corn growers harvested a record 14 billion bushels of corn, making them among the most productive farmers in the world (this year’s harvest is expected to be huge as well). But climate change and groundwater depletion are threatening to undermine corn’s success as global demand increases. Inefficient fertilizer use is compounding the problem.

Also posted in Climate Resilience / Tagged agriculture, Ceres, Climate, commodity crops, corn, drought, ecosystems, fertilizer, Field to Market, grains, Smithfield, supply chain, Walmart | Comments are closed

Climate change a risky business for America’s agriculture

By Rebecca Shaw / Bio / Published: June 30, 2014

Economists estimate that Texas’ continuing drought has cost farmers up to $8 billion so far. [ScottOlsson/Getty]

Nobody escapes climate change, especially not farmers.

The report released this week by a group of prominent and politically diverse business leaders and public officials stood out, in part, because of the alarming losses it forecasts for America’s agricultural industry.

This matters to all of us, because commodity agriculture is big business in the United States, putting food on our plates every single day.