Agricultural Sustainability

Farm and Food Care | Milton, Ontario | 15 April 2014

1. Economically Viable

2. Environmentally Sound

3. Socially Beneficial

Sustainability

“Meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of

future generations to meet their own needs.”

(Brundtland Report, 1987)

- More on-farm data collection- More expensive- Government financial

support- 3rd party verification

- Governance through large corporations (Walmart)

- Built on trust (little 3rd party verification)

- Low cost- Low robustness/market

acceptance

- Pioneers of sustainability (RSPO, Bonsucro, RTRS)

- Widely accepted and approved

- Focus on multistakeholder approach

- “continuous improvement”

Geographic Trends

•Multi-stakeholder-led

• Producers, Industry, Societal Groups

• Industry/Consumer-focused

• Science-based

Roundtable on Responsible Soy

1. Legal Compliance/Good Business Practices

2. Responsible Labour Conditions

3. Responsible Community Relations

4. Environmental Responsibility

5. Good Agricultural Practices

Roundtable on Responsible Soy

Expanding Sustainable Marketing Through RTRS Pilot

Objectives

-Retain markets that are transitioning to RTRS-certification

-Organize a system to minimize burden on growers

-Set stage to build consensus nationally on sustainable agriculture

-Pilot model that can expand to whole-farm

-Expand market potential through sustainable reputation

Vision

Producer Incentive

• Long-term Reputation and Market Retention• Little/No Premium• Increase on-farm efficiencies (lowering bottom-line)

• Operational efficiencies• Agro-chemical efficiencies• “Proven” decision modelling

• Not an enhancement.

• Minimize burden on producer through funding, innovative development and management techniques

• Encouraging on-farm sustainable development

• Facilitate access to all global markets to our producers, not be limited by “sustainability”

• Communicate through Canadian embassies the innovation of Canadian producers

GFO Involvement

GFO & Sustainable Development

Since July 2013…

•Developed RTRS National Interpretation

•Fieldprint Calculator Project (with Pulse Canada group & Serecon)

•Ontario Sustainability Working Group (member)

•Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Crops (member)

•Roundtable for Responsible Soy (member)

•Sustainable Agriculture Initiative (contributor)

•International Sustainability and Carbon Certification (contributor)

Challenges• Management of increased assurance (“trust”)

• Little/no premium, but, costs likely absorbed by processor

• More Retailers-Farmer relationships

• Unification of corporate strategies

Opportunities

Vision

Nick Betts, P.Ag. | Environment and Sustainability

Grain Farmers of Ontario

nbetts@gfo.ca | @SustainingAg Sustainability