Stewardship & Sustainability Practices
With the world population estimated to reach 9 billion by 2050, the entire agriculture supply chain must work together to efficiently and responsibly lay the groundwork for the future. Not only do farmers look to their ag retailer for advice to boosts yields and profits, they are increasingly seeking out agronomic insights that also help improve soil, water and other natural resources.
Each year, ARA membership decides a new set of policy issues the association will focus on with elected officials and key regulatory agencies in Washington, D.C. The established set of policy issues typically drive discussions during the annual ARA Legislative Fly-In. Read more about ARA's proposed solutions related to climate change and sustainable ag practices.
ARA Position
- Work with agricultural stakeholders on sustainable water policies focused on increasing water supplies that benefit rural communities, U.S. agriculture, and the environment.
- Ensure sustainability initiatives are outcome-based rather than practice-based.
- Support proactive education and outreach to policymakers and consumers on on-farm sustainability.
- Support collaboration among governments, corporations, philanthropic organizations, agricultural retailers, farmers, and local communities to expand voluntary, incentive-based climate-smart agriculture programs.
- Support federal consistency and workability across state lines for climate policies and offset markets, rather than a patchwork of state approaches.
- The ARA Climate Stewardship/Carbon Credit Working Group will continue to define retailer and farmer interests in carbon markets and provide education and tools to facilitate participation.
- Work with USDA’s Climate-Smart Agriculture and Forestry Strategy to ensure agricultural retailers have a voice and support voluntary, incentive-based implementation.
- Support regulatory clarity and scientific consistency in Clean Water Act jurisdiction and water resource management.
- Support the SPARC Initiative and voluntary Best Management Practices (BMPs) for fertilizer and pesticide application.
- Support sound science for nutrient criteria and support states as lead jurisdictions.
- Work with 4R partners to increase retailer database participation and implementation in NRCS stewardship programs.
- Support increasing federal investment in agriculture, forestry, and food-related research.
- Support efforts to minimize food waste and loss.
- Support global agricultural development and promotion of U.S. agricultural goods.
While the public has a growing interest in how food, fiber, and fuel is produced, the agricultural community continues to find innovative ways to increase efficiency and produce more with less, while protecting the environment. As farming becomes increasingly complex, many factors must be considered by farmers as they make decisions about planting; fertilizing; managing for disease and pests; and conserving energy, soil and water.
A new opportunity emerges for ag retailers to help farmers navigate this complex decision matrix by combining agronomic advice with sustainability insights to drive continuous improvement in the productivity, profitability and environmental outcomes of farmers’ operations.
Background
SPARC
ARA is a leading voice in the Sustainability Programming for Ag Retailers and Certified Crop Advisors (SPARC) Initiative. By providing voluntary, incentive-based tools to farmers, ranchers and forest owners, they are able to maximize the sequestration of carbon and the reduction of other greenhouse gas emissions, as well as increase the resilience of the land. ARA also in favor of:
- Supporting the development and oversight of private sector markets for GHG credits.
- Promoting public and private sector tools to incentivize farmers, ranchers and forest owners to prioritize and scale climate-smart practices.
- Offering incentives for farmers to reduce energy consumption, increase use of on-farm renewable energy, and make continued progress toward reducing the lifecycle GHG emissions of agriculture- and forestry-based renewable energy.
- Increasing federal investment in agriculture, forestry and food-related research substantially and continuously.
Food & Ag Climate Alliance
ARA is a member of the Food & Ag Climate Alliance, a coalition consisting of organizations representing all sectors of America’s agricultural industry as well as forest owners, the food sector and environmental advocates working together to define and promote shared climate policy priorities. Progress in addressing climate change and promoting sustainable agricultural practices can only be achieved by:
- Supporting voluntary, market- and incentive-based policies.
- Advancing peer reviewed, science-based outcomes.
- Promoting resilience and helping rural economies better adapt to climate change.
Get Involved with ARA
ARA members are committed to finding innovative ways to increase efficiency and produce more with less, while protecting the environment's natural resources. Join ARA's Climate Stewardship/Carbon Credits Working Group to work with other retailers and suppliers to form priorities for ARA to share with lawmakers and regulators as climate-smart ag practices and carbon markets are seen as solutions to climate change. View this ARA blog post to see how ARA is leading in the climate and carbon credit market discussion.
Questions? Send questions to the ARA policy team of experts via the DC Help Desk.