Healthy soil and sustainable growing

["Tradingpost" <tradingpost@lobo.net>]

http://www.greenbiz.com/news/2008/10/03/sustainable-agriculture-standard-talks-begin

Sustainable Agriculture Standard Talks Begin
By GreenBiz Staff
Published October 3, 2008

MADISON, Wis. -- More than 50 representatives from a broad range of 
industries and areas have begun discussions to set a standard for sustainable 
agriculture. The talks, facilitated by the non-profit Leonardo Academy, are 
aimed at creating a voluntary standard under the rules of the American 
National Standards Institute.

Members of the sustainable agriculture Standards Committee, which met in late 
September, include diverse agricultural producers, food and clothing makers 
and retailers, including Dole, Earthbound Farms, the National Corn Growers 
Association, General Mills, Amy's Kitchen, Levi Strauss & Co. and Whole Foods 
Market. The Committee also includes environmental, labor, government, 
academic and certification representatives.

The group identified the main issues it will need to tackle, and laid out its 
course of action. Major topics will include the relationship between organic, 
mainstream and sustainable agriculture; genetically engineered crops; 
continually improving standards; including small and medium farms and 
conventional agriculture; carbon sequestration in soil; labor protections; 
the intersection of product safety and sustainability; and applying standards 
to livestock and non-plant agriculture sectors.

But before the Committee delves into those topics, it has settled on six 
steps to take next: conduct a needs assessment for the standard; review and 
articulate the mission, principles and scope of their work; collect reference 
documents; report on different methodologies for measuring various aspects of 
sustainability; identify potential funding to ensure full stakeholder 
participation; and develop outreach efforts to include all stakeholders.

The Committee has so far chosen one reference, Scientific Certification 
Systems' Draft American National Standard for Trial Use for Sustainable 
Agriculture.