Over 60 thought leaders from the Food, Beverage and Agriculture (FBA) supply chain sector gathered in Calgary, AB on June 18th & 19th to discuss how to increase the use of evidence-based systems to encourage, motivate and reward sustainable agriculture in North America.
Experts participated in a passionate and technically infused dialogue, sharing ideas, experiences and expertise and in so doing, generated the following outcomes:
•A shared Statement of Values to shape a Coalition for Action, based on a market for standardized sustainability outcomes and utilization and integration of existing tools, systems and platforms.
•A Common Understanding of why and how we can structure a North American Coalition focused on sustainability, integrating traceability and chain of custody solutions that span supply chains.
•A Clear set of Objectives to advance action, encourage engagement and value for the entire supply chain, and deepen the science and extension of sustainable management practices.
•A Framework for Success that identifies opportunities and gaps, assets and resources we can leverage to achieve shared priorities.
Key Takeaways
Supply chain member feedback and dialogue centered on the following shared values for scaling Ag Sustainability metrics:
• Farm-Level systems – the integration of knowledge, data and tools based on regional farm management systems, to create trust and value across the supply chain
• Enhanced profitability – understanding that commercial success and sustainability go hand in hand
• Being science-based – utilizing and investing in the best science to inform the development of sustainability metrics
• Ensuring simplicity – balancing complexity vs. fitness for purpose while eliminating duplication of effort
• Aligned communication – engaging the full supply chain with a focus on consumers and producers using a common language to develop understanding and market pull.
The Call to Action:
A clear undercurrent of Action infused the discussions, recognizing that sustainability platforms exist and we don’t need to reinvent the wheel:
“We have an opportunity to collaboratively build, test and integrate data and technology solutions, based on farm-level management systems, that can bridge sustainability metrics to the rest of the FBA supply chain, creating value for all”
Join Us in creating an industry-led, market-driven framework for sustainable agricultural products, sharing in the financial, risk and efficiency gains that collaboration on this scale can achieve.