U.S. Soybean Sustainability Assurance Protocol:
YOUR ANSWER FOR SUSTAINABLE SOY
In Autumn 2013, the U.S. soy industry rolled out a certification system for sustainable U.S. soy. This certification is grounded in the U.S. Soybean Sustainability Assurance Protocol (SSAP). The protocol lays out the laws, rules and production practices that show U.S. soybean farmers have been continuously improving for 75 years. “The SSAP and resulting certification provides a reliable source
for sustainable soy to help meet the world’s needs,” says Laura Foell, soybean farmer from Iowa and United Soybean Board (USB) director (pictured below).
work with U.S. farmers to develop conservation plans specific to their farms and monitor compliance. Conservation programs have been a part of U.S. agriculture for
more than 75 years. Currently, USDA invests more than US$6.0 billion annually in conservation program to protect lands, improve water and soil quality, and improve wildlife habitat. As of this summer, over 30 million hectares were enrolled in conservation programs. But the U.S. soy industry and U.S. farmers aren’t stopping there.
With support from private and public research, agronomists, and technology providers, U.S. soybean farmers continually adopt new practices and products to increase the yield and quality of their crop while protecting natural resources. The SSAP brings together all of these laws, rules and programs
to show that U.S. soybeans are grown in compliance with and often exceeding global sustainability standards. With the help of the SSAP and certification, buyers of U.S. soy are able to prove that their source of soy is
sustainable.To learn more about the SSAP and the certification, please visit
ussec.org/ssap.
USB is an organization consisting of U.S. soybean farmers that
focuses on investing in activities to expand and develop markets for U.S. soy and to improve U.S. soybeans. Foell also serves as secretary of the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), which oversees international marketing projects on behalf of U.S. soybean farmers and USB. U.S. farmers annually produce approximately 80 million metric
tons of soybeans on 30 million hectares. In fact, thanks to improved varieties and production practices, U.S. soybean yields have increased 53 percent since 1980. Not only is the protocol supported by U.S. laws and rules, it is
also measured by a life cycle assessment and annual sustainability reports – both of which are conducted by third parties. And U.S. farmers are subject to third-party, independent audits by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) as a result of their participation in many conservation and farm programs administered by USDA. “As a farmer, I have a personal interest in protecting the land and
resources,” adds Foell. “I want this land to be productive for future generations, my kids.” Ninety-six percent of U.S. farms are family-owned and will be
passed on to the next generation. After hearing this, it isn’t surprising that the United States has long been a global leader in conservation. More than 95 percent of U.S. cropland follows conservation requirements in the USDA Farm Program. Approximately 12,000 USDA staff members
Explore this at our free workshop, Spring 2014
Please contact us for further details and or to book your place
Please visit
www.datastorsystems.com or telephone +44 (0)1260 277025
FEED COMPOUNDER JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2014 PAGE 33
A Dedicated Feed and Commodity Business System
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