Leading Harvest Announces Canadian Pilot with Representation Across the Agricultural Value Chain
Leading Harvest Announces Canadian Pilot with Representation ... PR Newswire
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Leading Harvest Pilots Farmland Management Standard in Canada
The nonprofit agriculture sustainability organization, Leading Harvest, is currently piloting its international farmland management standard in Canada. The pilot program is being conducted in collaboration with Manulife Investment Management, Bonnefield Financial, Farm Credit Canada, and McCain Foods. The initiative aims to officially launch the Farmland Management Standard in Canada by the end of the year. This pilot comes at a time when the federal government is working on its first sustainable agriculture strategy and following the launch of the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership between federal, provincial, and territorial governments.
Leading Harvest’s Impact on Sustainable Agriculture
Leading Harvest is recognized as a game-changer in the industry. The organization has demonstrated that certification can be applied across all crop types, geographies, and management systems to ensure operations adhere to best practices and commit to robust management and continuous improvement. Oliver Williams, Global Head of Agricultural Investments at Manulife Investment Management and member of the Leading Harvest Board of Directors, expressed his support for the organization and its efforts to establish a comprehensive sustainability standard globally.
The Leading Harvest Farmland Management Standard
The Leading Harvest Farmland Management Standard is the first universal, outcomes-based sustainability standard focused on continuous improvement in agriculture. Since its launch in the United States three years ago, it has enrolled nearly 3 million acres representing over 100 crop types worldwide. Earlier this year, Leading Harvest successfully launched in Australia with enrollment across all six states.
Expanding to Canada
Leading Harvest chose Canada as its next expansion location due to the increasing demand for sustainability assurance in the Canadian food and agriculture sectors. Farmers, consumers, and investors are increasingly seeking verification of sustainable practices. Leading Harvest’s expansion across continents and hemispheres highlights the need for a universally applicable framework for continuously improving agricultural sustainability. Kenny Fahey, President and CEO of Leading Harvest, emphasized the importance of alignment across the value chain to drive positive outcomes for all stakeholders.
The Canadian Pilot Program
The Leading Harvest Canada pilot program has received support from Manulife Investment Management, Bonnefield Financial, Farm Credit Canada, and McCain Foods. The pilot program will adapt the existing Farmland Management Standard implemented in the United States and Australia to Canada’s unique agronomic, regulatory, and operating environment through stakeholder input and field testing. Leading Harvest aims to increase participation and representation from across the agricultural value chain throughout the pilot program.
Joining Leading Harvest
For more information about Leading Harvest, the Farmland Management Standard, and how to join, visit www.LeadingHarvest.org.
About Leading Harvest
Leading Harvest is a nonprofit organization that provides transparent standards and education to enable and validate the global transition to a more sustainable agricultural system. Its innovative, third-party audited Farmland Management Standard has been applied across diverse farming operations and crop types globally, with almost 3 million acres now enrolled. The organization was launched in 2020 by stakeholders across the supply chain, including farmland owners, companies, and communities. Founding Supporters of Leading Harvest include Cargill, Nestlé, John Deere, and Nutrien Ag Solutions.
SOURCE: Leading Harvest
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators in the Article
1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?
- SDG 2: Zero Hunger
- SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
- SDG 15: Life on Land
The article discusses the pilot program of Leading Harvest’s Farmland Management Standard in Canada, which aims to promote sustainable agriculture practices. This aligns with SDG 2, which focuses on achieving zero hunger by promoting sustainable agriculture and food security. Additionally, the article mentions the need for verification of sustainable practices and a universally applicable framework for continuously improving agricultural sustainability, which connects to SDG 12 on responsible consumption and production. Lastly, the article mentions the enrollment of millions of acres across diverse farming operations globally, indicating a focus on sustainable land use and biodiversity, which relates to SDG 15.
2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?
- SDG 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding, and other disasters, and that progressively improve land and soil quality.
- SDG 12.6: Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle.
- SDG 15.9: By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies, and accounts.
The article highlights the Farmland Management Standard’s focus on continuous improvement in agriculture and its aim to increase productivity while maintaining ecosystems. This aligns with SDG 2.4, which targets sustainable food production systems and resilient agricultural practices. The article also mentions the need for a universally applicable framework for improving agricultural sustainability, which relates to SDG 12.6, encouraging companies to adopt sustainable practices. Lastly, the enrollment of millions of acres across diverse farming operations globally indicates a focus on integrating ecosystem and biodiversity values into land use planning, which connects to SDG 15.9.
3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?
- Number of acres enrolled in the Leading Harvest Farmland Management Standard
- Number of crop types represented in the enrollment
- Number of participants from the agricultural value chain
The article mentions that nearly 3 million acres representing more than 100 crop types globally have enrolled in the Leading Harvest Farmland Management Standard. These indicators can be used to measure progress towards the targets of sustainable food production systems, resilient agricultural practices, and integration of ecosystem and biodiversity values. Additionally, the article mentions the expectation to increase participation and representation from across the agricultural value chain, indicating a potential indicator for progress towards the target of integrating sustainability practices into companies’ operations.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 2: Zero Hunger | 2.4: By 2030, ensure sustainable food production systems and implement resilient agricultural practices that increase productivity and production, that help maintain ecosystems, that strengthen capacity for adaptation to climate change, extreme weather, drought, flooding, and other disasters, and that progressively improve land and soil quality. | – Number of acres enrolled in the Leading Harvest Farmland Management Standard – Number of crop types represented in the enrollment |
| SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production | 12.6: Encourage companies, especially large and transnational companies, to adopt sustainable practices and to integrate sustainability information into their reporting cycle. | – Number of participants from the agricultural value chain |
| SDG 15: Life on Land | 15.9: By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies, and accounts. | – Number of acres enrolled in the Leading Harvest Farmland Management Standard – Number of crop types represented in the enrollment |
Behold! This splendid article springs forth from the wellspring of knowledge, shaped by a wondrous proprietary AI technology that delved into a vast ocean of data, illuminating the path towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Remember that all rights are reserved by SDG Investors LLC, empowering us to champion progress together.
Source: prnewswire.com
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