Promises Made. Promises Kept?

For more than a decade, Bucyrus, Ohio, farmer Steve Reinhard has been working to improve his production practices. He's transitioned from blanket fertilizer applications to a more precise approach, changed his application timings, and moved to a no-till system.

- By Chelsea Dinterman

“Sustainability impacts our day-to-day decision making all the time,” Reinhard said. “When we talk about sustainability, we’re always looking at three different forms of sustainability. Not only do we have the environmental impact but also financial sustainability and how we pass the farm on to the next generation.”

As Reinhard independently changed his operation, sustainability discussions hit the mainstream. Critiques around greenhouse gas emissions and resource use drove many corporations to think about their environmental policies. Agriculture was no exception. Commodity groups across the industry have implemented sustainability commitments, but the path to meeting those goals, and the impact on farmers, remains unclear.

What Commitments Have Been Made?

While commodity group's commitments vary greatly, many focus on improving efficiency.

“There are over 500 different definitions of sustainability, but many of them boil down to doing more with less in different ways,” said Matt Sutton-Vermeulen, a partner at the Context Network.

Across the industry, commitments to reduce soil erosion, land use impact, and greenhouse gas emissions are common. Some groups echoed the goals of broader industry organizations. For crop-focused groups, Field to Market, a sustainable agriculture alliance formed in 2006, paved the way, while many livestock-focused groups looked to the Meat Institute.

As goals evolve, groups also work with university researchers and farmer representatives to identify goals that are reasonable and obtainable.

Why Make Commitments?