By: Business Wire

Del Monte Foods formally announces its sustainability goals for reducing environmental impact, including work with their growers to “introduce agricultural practices that help farmers grow stronger, more productive crops using less acreage, and with less fertilizer, water and other materials. Today, this focus extends to the Company’s manufacturing facilities to reduce its environmental impact from its cannery operations, and to its supply chain to reduce its impact from the sourcing and distribution of goods. At the same time, Del Monte has found that sound environmental practices coincide with improved business efficiencies. Read article.

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/del-monte-foods-formalizes-environmental-sustainability-goals-2010-07-29?reflink=MW_news_stmp

July 30, 2010

By: Western Farm Press

SureHarvest Professional Services was commissioned by the California Pear Advisory Board and the Pear Pest Management Research Fund to survey the use of sustainability farming practices among California pear growers. SureHarvest surveyed 56 growers representing 71% of the industry and found a large majority employing integrated pest management practices, conservative applications of fertilizer and a high use of cover crops to conserve soil.

http://westernfarmpress.com/citrus/california-pears-high-on-sustainability-scale-0730/

By: Emily McClendon – Environmental Leader

As sustainability becomes an increasingly vital part of the consumer psyche, green marketing has developed into the ultimate way to reach consumers about their supposedly “green” products. Without strong standards, some companies will exploit the idea of “green” merchandise in order to gain profit. Truly sustainable companies have reaped the benefits of reducing their carbon footprint with reduced overall costs and increased net revenues.

http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/07/28/understanding-how-green-marketing-works-and-when-to-use-it/

By: Environmental Leader

An initiative under discussion would require companies to post information regarding their environmental impact as well as the financial implication of their environmental impact. This initiative would force companies to be more sustainable as consumer demand for sustainability increases and would decrease the profitability of environmental “black hole” companies. The main benefits of this initiative would be increased environmental awareness and a global effort for sustainable business practices.

http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/07/14/initiative-could-require-businesses-to-reveal-environmental-impact/

By: Environmental Leader

The Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) and the United Nations Global Compact made an agreement to work together to advance the importance of corporate responsibility and reporting. Consumers today at recognize the value of sustainability reports. Consumers admit that these reports increase their potential investments and change their behavior in favor of companies that issue CSR reports. The promotion of sustainability practices has been an increasing trend and those involved are seeing the reward as consumer demand for sustainable products increase.

http://www.environmentalleader.com/2010/05/28/csr-reporting-improves-co-performance-gri-hands-out-awards/

The growing demand for sustainability has taken root in all aspects even in the potato industry. Potato producers have realized that in today’s economy they must market sustainability and use it as the key aspect of their marketing strategy. With programs such as Healthy Grown in place in Wisconsin, the level of participants is expected to increase as sustainability is becoming the “it” item of today’s agricultural world.

http://thepacker.com/The–greening–of-potatoes–Sustainability-takes-hold/Article.aspx?oid=1156761&aid=212&fid=PACKER-SPECIAL-SECTIONS

Wisconsin potato grower-shippers are faced with an important decision, organic or Healthy Grown? Many producers make this decision based on their customers – to increase profit they must select customers that are willing to stock either organic or Healthy Grown potatoes. Healthy Grown potatoes are gaining success with the increasing demand for local products, notwithstanding competition form organic growers. According to Dick Okray there is one clear benefit, “the bigger takeaway is that we learned to be better stewards of the land.”

http://thepacker.com/Badger-State-growers-split-on-demand-for-organic–Healthy-Grown-program/Article.aspx?oid=1156769&aid=684&fid=PACKER-SPECIAL-SECTIONS

By: The Packer Staff

Modern Mushroom Farms works to increase its product traceability through all aspects of its supply chain by using YottaMark’s traceability software, HarvestMark. This will provide customers with access to information such as quality and food safety that is shown throughout the supply chain. The software will allow Modern Mushroom to upload and print Global Trade Item Numbers.

http://thepacker.com/Modern-Mushroom-Farms-to-use-HarvestMark-traceability/Article.aspx?oid=1067598&aid=614&fid=PACKER-HANDLING-AND-DISTRIBUTING

By: Mollie Bloudoff-Indelicato – Lodi News-Sentinel

The Michael-David Winery and Bogle Winery are offering cash incentives to growers to undergo the Lodi Rules certification process. Sustainable business practices benefit the environment, winery, and grower, and therefore, are worth the extra expenses to receive certification. The growing demand for sustainable food and the benefits provided by “going green” are being recognized by these leading wineries.

http://www.lodinews.com/news/article_f0874f14-b815-56bc-9cea-59a36f9573d9.html

By: Yolo Conservation Plan

The vineyards are currently managed by Warren Boyle, the grandson of the founder, who farms 1,000 acres under the “Certified Green” principles (Previously known as “Lodi Rules”), a sustainable farming program designed to lead to improvements in environmental health of the surrounding ecosystem.  This approach encompasses practices in all apsects of viticulture, water management, management of the farm ecosystem, pest management, and even in human resources.  Certification is awarded to an individual vineyard based on an annual audit by a third party.

http://yoloconservationplan.org/yolo_pdfs/newsletter/Yolo-spring-2010.pdf

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