Sustainability
The efficient use of water and inputs ranks as the most important value in measuring sustainability, according to The Packer’s most recent poll.
NatureSeal, the company originally known for preserving fresh-cut apples, has a new blend for fresh strawberries.
Australia, the dusty continent, has permanent measures in place to deal with drought. Perhaps toughest to adopt is separating water rights from land ownership to allow water trading, which puts a high value on the resources. Conservation and mandatory use reporting also play a role.
Today is Earth Day. In agriculture Earth Day is every single day.
The chief architect of McDonald’s sustainability project says it’s driven by consumers not by activists.
By pollinating an estimated $15 billion in U.S. crops each year, this little bug has gotten big attention – especially when its health has been put at risk by the frustratingly complex Colony Collapse Disorder.
There was a time when once grain left the farm gate, little was thought about where it went. Those days are disappearing quickly.
The farm-to-table residential model has been sprouting up everywhere from Atlanta to Shanghai. It involves homes built within strolling distance of small working farms, where produce matures under the hungry gaze of residents, where people can venture out and pick greens for their salads.
The 75,000-square-foot greenhouse runs on 100% renewable energy, employs more than 50 workers and will produce 10 million pounds of leafy greens and herbs annually.
Survey finds common ground for farmer conversations about food.
Industry establishes benchmarks to measure improvement
Kimball, Neb. rancher shares his endless fascination at the lush diversity of the shortgrass ecosystem.
Be mindful of the cow patties in the field, but be respectful of the beetles that gather around them.
Thanks to a long-term, collaborative effort, a new fact sheet detailing Beneficial Uses of Manure and Environmental Protection has been released.
SUSTAIN platform addresses consumers needs with yield and farmer profitability in mind.
When John Frey of Mankato received an inquiry about putting a solar array on his land, he didn’t need to be persuaded on the merits. Renewable energy was already his sole focus after retiring as a dean at Minnesota State University. Solar power, he said, is a virtual requirement if we’re to wean ourselves off fossil fuels.
When John Frey of Mankato received an inquiry about putting a solar array on his land, he didn’t need to be persuaded on the merits. Renewable energy was already his sole focus after retiring as a dean at Minnesota State University. Solar power, he said, is a virtual requirement if we’re to wean ourselves off fossil fuels. When 40 acres of solar panels go up on his rural Lake Crystal land, perhaps this May, he’ll be looking at it as part of a global solution to climate change.
The Lower Brule Sioux Tribe is looking to wipe out invasive trees that are reducing grazing area for cattle.
As more and more farmers turn to cover crops, they want to know if there are benefits beyond improved soil health and conservation. Are improved yields also in store?
Many farmers are still interested in learning more about how to fold this production practice into their operation – and more importantly, how to do so mistake-free. A new mobile-friendly publication series from Purdue Extension hopes to put some of these worries to rest.
Climate change is usually talked of as a negative, and it often acts accordingly through more weather volatility and more extreme weather events. Even so, climate change can give farmers a helping hand.
Timber stand improvement is a rarity among landowners, but a little care and maintenance could bring big returns.
Getting the next generation involved in the quest to feed 9 billion people by 2050.
Chances are, if you are a farmer, your parents also farmed. And your grandparents. And your great-grandparents. And your great-great-grandparents...
A complete physical exam can give you the piece of mind to keep doing what you’re doing, or it could uncover areas of concern. Soil is no different.
A 126-page life cycle assessment study commissioned by the Corrugated Packaging Alliance finds that neither corrugated containers nor reusable plastic containers hold the upper hand in all environmental impact measures.
The Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops (SISC) online calculator will take wing in February to help produce growers document and report on the sustainability practices they are using in their businesses.
Jamie Barsimantov, says the combination of SISC metrics with SupplyShift’s technology platform will directly empower farmers and their industry partners to better assess and improve sustainability performance.
Edward says that SISC has attempted to create a standard way to measure metrics related to sustainability but acknowledged there is more work to be done.
The 2019 introduction of the European Commission’s European Green Deal invites the produce industry to be a leader in climate neutral and plant-friendly policies, according to industry trade group Freshfel Europe.