Four New Members Selected for National Sustainable Agriculture Standards Committee, One Open Seat
(3BLMedia/theCSRfeed) Madison, WI - September 21, 2010 - After a two month application submission and review period, Leonardo Academy announces the appointment of four new members to the Sustainable Agriculture Standards Committee:
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Gary DeLong, Novecta (User)
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Eric Landen, Landen Consulting (Environmentalist)
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Lesa Vold, Validus (Environmentalist)
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Pamela Ronald, University of California, Davis (General Interest)
These individuals will be filling seats vacated by Tracy Miedema, Stahlbush Island Farms; Frank Casey, Defenders of Wildlife; Marty Matlock, University of Arkansas; Jacques Wolbert, MPS-ECAS.
The new Committee members were selected from a pool of 165 applicants. “With each round of Committee openings,” Leonardo Academy President, Michael Arny, said, “the experience and expertise among the applicants with regard to sustainable agriculture issues becomes more and more pronounced, as does the overlap in stakeholder interests. Above all, our objective is always to maintain a balance of interests across the four stakeholder categories of producers, users, environmentalists and general interest, as well as a diversity of perspectives, expertise and sector representation within each category.”
“While seats on the Standards Committee are coveted,” Arny continued, “the importance of subcommittee and observer participation cannot be overestimated. The contribution of non-Committee members has been incredibly valuable to both the Subcommittee work and previous Task Force work and will continue to play a critical role for the duration of the process.”
The objective of the National Sustainable Agriculture Standard initiative is to establish a comprehensive, continual improvement framework and common set of economic, environmental and social metrics by which to determine whether an agricultural crop has been produced in a sustainable manner. With participation from a broad diversity of stakeholders from across the entire agricultural supply chain, this historic effort has the potential to strengthen all types of agricultural production in the U.S., in addition to rural communities and the ability of those communities to positively impact the environment, through science-based, performance-oriented criteria that meet the goals of sustainability.
Announcing Vacant Seat on Standards Committee
Leonardo Academy is seeking applications for one vacant seat on the National Sustainable Agriculture Standards Committee, within the User category. Individuals or representatives of entities that use agricultural goods, such as product handlers, processors, distributors, manufacturers, food service companies, retailers and restaurants, as well as labor groups, consumer groups, agricultural development NGOs, academia, and other interested parties that are interested in engaging in a national dialogue on sustainable agriculture are encouraged to apply.
How to Apply for Standards Committee Membership
To receive an application for membership on the Standards Committee, contact Jennifer Trucks at Leonardo Academy: jennifer@leonardoacademy.org or (608) 280-0255, or visit http://www.leonardoacademy.org/programs/standards/agstandard/development.html.
Applications must be submitted by 12:00 pm CDT on Thursday, October 21, 2010. The new Committee member will be announced Thursday, November 4. Individuals who have previously submitted applications for Committee membership will automatically be placed in the pool of applicants for the current openings.
About the Standards Committee
The 58-member Standards Committee is in the process of developing a national standard for sustainable agriculture under the rules of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The Committee consists of a skilled, diverse membership representing a broad range of perspectives from across all areas of agriculture, including commodity producers, specialty crop producers, agricultural product processors, food distributors, food retailers, environmental organizations, labor organizations and industry trade associations, as well as government representatives, academics, regulators and certifiers. Leonardo Academy is the ANSI-accredited standards development organization that is providing facilitation and process support for the standard development initiative.
About Leonardo Academy
Leonardo Academy is a charitable organization dedicated to advancing sustainability by leveraging innovative tools and information to motivate the competitive market. By utilizing an interdisciplinary approach to sustainability education and implementation, we strive to make sustainability practical for everyone. We develop integrative sustainability solutions designed to enhance the environmental stewardship, social responsibility and economic prosperity of organizations, corporations and individuals. We envision a world filled with sustainable opportunities that can transform the way we live today and ensure the prosperity of future generations.
Contact Information
Jennifer Trucks, Sustainable Agriculture Standard Project Manager
jennifer@leonardoacademy.org
(608) 280-0255
LA9152
