Portland, Oregon
March 8, 2007
Farmers now have a free online
tool available that allows them to compare their current
management practices with “best practices” for sustainable
agriculture. Developed by Food Alliance, a non-profit
certification organization, through a partnership with Oregon
State University and Washington State University, and with
support from USDA Risk Management Agency, the tool offers
information and resources to help farmers identify and implement
strategies to manage production, environmental, human resource
and other risks.
The on-line self-assessment tool looks at safe and fair working
conditions, integrated pest management, soil and water
conservation, and wildlife habitat conservation. In each of
these areas, the tool provides background information on issues
and risk manag ement strategies, and links to resources and
incentives to help farmers improve their management practices.
Farmers who enter information on their operation and practices
can also receive an assessment of whether they would qualify for
Food Alliance certification, or whether their management
practices might support other “values-added” marketing
opportunities. All information entered is kept strictly
confidential.
“Years of work by university and agency researchers, and by
representatives of labor and environmental organizations have
gone into developing Food Alliance’s certification standards for
sustainable agriculture,” said Food Alliance Executive Director
Scott Exo. “This self assessment tool gives us a means to share
that work with a broader farmer audience. The market for
sustainably-grown agricultural products is growing rapidly. This
tool should help farmers get a better sense of the requirements
and how diff icult or easy it might be to tap that market.”
Interested farmers should visit
http://sat.foodalliance.org for more information.
Food Alliance is a non-profit organization that certifies
farms, ranches and food processors for sustainable agricultural
and production practices. Businesses that meet Food Alliance’s
standards, as determined by a third-party site inspection, use
certification to make credible claims for social and
environmental responsibility, differentiating their products and
strengthening their brands.
The mission of USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) is to promote,
support, and regulate sound risk management solutions to
preserve and strengthen the economic stability of America's
agricultural producers. |
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