sustainability for ag 101 nottawasaga 21 jan 2014
DESCRIPTION
Presentation was given to a room of farmers in Ontario, outlining the background to sustainability, how sustainability will affect you on-farm and how the industry is moving forward.TRANSCRIPT
SustainabilityWhat Does it Mean for Ontario Agriculture?
21 January 2014 | Alliston, Ontario | Nick Betts
Sustainability
“Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future
generations to meet their own needs.” (Brundtland Report, 1987)
NOTSustainability
Economically viable
Environmentally sound
Socially beneficial
Social
EconomicEnvironmental
Sustainable
Resource UseEnvironmental ManagementPollution Prevention
Energy EfficiencySubsides/Incentives for Resource Use
ProfitCost SavingsEconomic GrowthR & D
Business EthicsWorkers’ Rights
Standard of LivingEducationCommunity DevelopmentEqual Opportunity
Environmental JusticeResource StewardshipLocal and Global View EquitableBearable
Viable
How Did We Get Here?
Atlantic Fisheries, 1992
Palm Oil, 2006
South American Soy, 2008
Input Manufacturer
Input Supplier
Producer Processor
Aggregator
Wholesale Distributor Retailer
Consumer
Post-Consumer
Green Packaging,Recyclable,
Compostable
Input Manufacturer
Input Supplier
Producer Processor
Aggregator
Wholesale Distributor Retailer
Consumer
Post-Consumer
Workers’ Rights,Fair Trade,Water Use
Green PackagingRecycling
Green Packaging,Recyclable,
Compostable
Input Manufacturer
Input Supplier
Producer Processor
Aggregator
Wholesale Distributor Retailer
Consumer
Post-Consumer
Sustainability,CSR,
Carbon Cost
Green Packaging,Recyclable,
Compostable
Workers’ Rights,Fair Trade,Water Use
Why is it Important?
» Long-term ability to deliver product˃ ENVIRONMENT - conservation, preservation, animal welfare
» Meet demand for product˃ SOCIAL – social justice, CSR, cooperative relationships
» Business viability (bottom line)˃ ECONOMIC - income, market access, market diversity
What Does This Mean To Me?
Key Aspects
1. Systems thinking and understandingi. Long-term goals and outcomesii. Value association (economic, societal, environmental)
– Understanding that non-financial outcomes will affect a business’ bottom line
2. Principled definition of sustainabilityi. For Farm – in 20 years:
1. Will I have resources available to continue business?2. Will my business be as profitable or more profitable?3. Will my actions cause deleterious effects on local society?
Sustainable Agriculture
Agricultural Practices
Agro
chem
ical
s
IPM
NM
P
Certi
fied
Seed
Social Issues
Hum
an R
ight
s
Com
mun
ity R
elati
ons
H&
S
Lega
l Com
plia
nce
Soil
Mai
ntai
ned
Biodiversity
Conv
ersi
on o
f Lan
d
Wat
erco
urse
s/ N
atur
al
Vege
tatio
n
HVA
s m
aint
aine
d
GHGs
Redu
ced
Water
Irrig
ation
Surf
ace/
Gro
und
wat
er
qual
ity
Geographic Trade-offs
- More on-farm data collection- More expensive- Strong government financial
support- 3rd party verification
- Governance through large corporations (Walmart)
- Little 3rd party verification- Low cost- Low robustness/market
acceptance
- Pioneers of sustainability (RSPO, Bonsucro, RTRS)
- Widely accepted and approved
- Focus on “continuous improvement”
On-Farm Sustainability
Soil Management
& Fertility
Crop Protection
Energy Efficiency
Maintain Biodiversity
Marketing PlanSuccession &
Business Planning
Health and Safety Training
Social Equality
Contribute to Environmental Conservation
On-Farm Sustainability
Maintain field-forest ratio
Prevents Pollution
Reduces Costs
Grass waterway/Buffer (Water Quality)
Economically Beneficial for
Farmer
Social Equality
Long-Term Thinking for Business and Environment
Precision Operations
Appropriate Tillage
Runoff/Wind Erosion
Prevention
International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (ISCC)
» Market-driven, not “Sustainability-driven”
» Energy market focus, moving into food (ISCC PLUS)
» Goal: Decrease environmental impact of consumer product
Sustainable Agriculture
Agricultural Practices
Agro
chem
ical
s
IPM
NM
P
Certi
fied
Seed
Social Issues
Hum
an R
ight
s
Com
mun
ity
Rela
tions
H&
S
Lega
l Com
plia
nce
Soil
Mai
ntai
ned
Biodiversity
Conv
ersi
on o
f Lan
d
Wat
erco
urse
s/
Nat
ural
Veg
etati
on
HVA
s m
aint
aine
d
GHGs
Redu
ced
Water
Irrig
ation
Surf
ace/
Gro
und
wat
er q
ualit
y
Conformity through Field To Market (FTM)
» Calculator» No certification/label value» Practice-focussed» Goal: Continuous
Improvement
Sustainable Agriculture
Agricultural Practices
Agro
chem
ical
s
IPM
NM
P
Certi
fied
Seed
Social Issues
Hum
an R
ight
s
Com
mun
ity
Rela
tions
H&
S
Lega
l Com
plia
nce
Soil
Mai
ntai
ned
Biodiversity
Conv
ersi
on o
f Lan
d
Wat
erco
urse
s/
Nat
ural
Veg
etati
on
HVA
s m
aint
aine
d
GHGs
Redu
ced
Water
Irrig
ation
Surf
ace/
Gro
und
wat
er q
ualit
y
The Sustainability Consortium (TSC)
Sustainable Agriculture
Agricultural Practices
Agro
chem
ical
s
IPM
NM
P
Certi
fied
Seed
Social Issues
Hum
an R
ight
s
Com
mun
ity
Rela
tions
H&
S
Lega
l Com
plia
nce
Soil
Mai
ntai
ned
Biodiversity
Conv
ersi
on o
f Lan
d
Wat
erco
urse
s/
Nat
ural
Veg
etati
on
HVA
s m
aint
aine
d
GHGs
Redu
ced
Water
Irrig
ation
Surf
ace/
Gro
und
wat
er q
ualit
y
» Promotes “credible, scalable, transparent process”
» Working Groups:˃ Clothing, Footwear & Textiles˃ Electronics˃ Food, Beverage, & Agriculture˃ General Merchandise˃ Home & Personal Care˃ Paper, Pulp, & Forestry˃ Packaging˃ Measurement Science˃ Retail
» Goal: Continuous Improvement through FTM
Round Table on Responsible Soy (RTRS)
» Built on RSPO/Bonsucro Multi-Stakeholder model
» Strong market acceptance in EU
» Product and Credit Trading» Goal: sustainable production
of soy
Sustainable Agriculture
Agricultural Practices
Agro
chem
ical
s
IPM
NM
P
Certi
fied
Seed
Social Issues
Hum
an R
ight
s
Com
mun
ity
Rela
tions
H&
S
Lega
l Com
plia
nce
Soil
Mai
ntai
ned
Biodiversity
Conv
ersi
on o
f Lan
d
Wat
erco
urse
s/
Nat
ural
Veg
etati
on
HVA
s m
aint
aine
d
GHGs
Redu
ced
Water
Irrig
ation
Surf
ace/
Gro
und
wat
er q
ualit
y
“Market Goal” of Sustainable Sourcing
Advanced OperationDeveloped OperationDeveloping Operation
How does your production
compare to ISEAL Principles?
International non-profit organization that codifies best practice for the design and implementation of social and environmental standards systems
» Facilitates development of BMP for social and environmental standards
» Market-developed» Scope includes Producers to
Retailers – Multi-Stakeholder
ISEAL Comparison
Criteria meets rigorous detail
Meets SAI Platform Principal Easy, Low
Criteria has some detail but lacking public info Partially meets SAI Platform Principal Moderate
Criteria lacking Does not meet SAI Platform Principal Difficult, High
Does not apply Unavailable
MULTI-STAKEHOLDER PROCESS
GOOD GOVERNANCE
CONFLICT OF INTEREST AND DISPUTE RESOLUTION
ACCREDITATION
LOGOS AND CLAIMS
MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
CAPACITY BUILDING AND TRAINING
STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT
SITE SELECTION AND MANAGEMENT
PLANTING MATERIAL
INTEGRATED CROP MANAGEEMNT
SUSTAINABILITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND SUPPORT SERVICES
SAFETY, QUALITY AND TRANSPARENCY
FINANCIAL STRUCTURE
RELATION TO MARKET
DIVERSIFICATION
LABOUR CONDITIONS
TRAINING
STRENGTHENING LOCAL ECONOMY
SOIL CONSERVATION
WATER CONSERVATION
BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION
INTEGRATED WASTE AND CROP BY-PRODUCT MANAGEMENT
ENERGY CONSERVATION
AIR CONSERVATION
EASE OF USE
INTEGRATION INTO ONTARIO SYSTEM
CURRENTLY UN-RECORDED REPORTING REQUIREMNETS
COSTS TO FARMER
STANDARDS
GOVERNANCE & REGULATION OF SYSTEM
SYSTEMS ENHANCEMENT
CRITERIAFARMING SUSTAINABILITY ECONOMIC
SUSTAINABILITYSOCIAL
SUSTAINABILITYENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY ONTARIO CONTEXT
Assured Food Standard (AFS)
EISA
Environmental Farm Plan
Food Alliance
Global G.A.P.
LEAF Marque
Protected Harvest
Rainforest Alliance - SAN
SCS 001
RTRS
Continuous Improvement
Plan- Data/metrics available- Goals set
Do- Implement plan- Record data/metrics
Check- Verification (unbiased source)
Act- Evaluate process- Note changes- Assess new areas to improve business
Forecast» More Retailers-Farmer relationships
» Unification of corporate strategies
» Strong focus on 3rd-party verification
» Likely little/no premium, but, costs likely absorbed by processor
Nick Betts, P.Ag. | Market Development, Sustainability
Grain Farmers of Ontario
[email protected] | @SustainingAg Sustainability