SUSTAINABILITY


and thus manage approximately 9% of the total acreage of the valley.14


This gives


OMG leverage when it comes to land-use negotiations and perhaps sustainability conversations for the entire valley moving forward.


Current research questions To date, our research has been secondary in nature and based on the study of local level research on Willamette Valley cropping systems and reports on major cropping systems in the US, primarily corn and soybean. While the frameworks and findings can be applied to OMG’s operations, it is our goal to conduct specific research trials on our production fields to gain a more granular understanding of soil, water, and agronomic dynamics on our members’ farms. Probable research targets include assessment of the long-term economic and environmental impacts of a no-till meadowfoam and annual ryegrass system and modeling of the economics of nursery (growing two crops at one time) planting of meadowfoam and perennial grasses. As we continue with expansion of daikon radish seed production as well as experiment with other cool-season oil seeds and small grains, we are also asking early stage questions about their fit within no-till and minimal residue management systems. In the next quarter we will also begin a project that will expand the scope of our research beyond our production fields. Specifically, we will examine the impacts of our supply chain choices on consumption of fuel, fertiliser, and agrochemicals. As a small volume oilseed producer, NPP will continue to rely on contract manufacturing relationships. All available facilities involve transporting our crop and utilise a variety of techniques to extract oil including mechanical and solvent processes. The interplay of cost, distance, and efficiency needs to be better understood.


Conclusions


Sustainability within specialty crops such as meadowfoam, grasses, and radish is a virtually unexplored field. The ability to conduct research on minor crops is not only budget constrained, but also limited by the ability to obtain information on every facet of the production system. For example, the chemicals used on meadowfoam are not broadly used. If lifecycle or sustainability assessments of chemistries are going to be available, they will likely be for the chemicals used across the great majority of agricultural commodities – for example, glyphosate. The establishment of a body of knowledge on small crop sustainability will necessarily require assessment of a more limited


14 PERSONAL CARE March 2013


number of variables. OMG will move forward through a combination of modelling (utilising frameworks from other crops), direct measurement of variables such as soil erosion and nutrient application, and an evaluation of the supply chain spanning our farms through finished oil product warehouses.


The topic of sustainability in raw material sourcing is evolving. As we know, companies need metrics by which to make decisions, and several customers have posited the question about how to assess sustainability in raw materials, especially naturals. The challenge is creating a framework which focuses on key sustainability drivers such as CO2 emissions, water usage, and social dynamics, while being sufficiently flexible to address differences in regional agricultural practice, transportation, and manufacturing processes.


PC


References 1 Adams WM. The future of sustainability: re-thinking environment and development in the twenty-first century. IUCN: The World Conservation Union, Report of the IUCN Renowned Thinkers Meeting, 29-31 January 2006.


2 USDA. 2007 Census of Agriculture. National Agricultural Statistics Service.


3 USDA. Report released by National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). Agricultural Statistics Board, 2011.


4 Oregon Seed Council. The Economy. [Online] (www.oregonseedcouncil.org/economy).


5 Coba K. Oregon Department of Agriculture. National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. [Online] 2012. (www.nasda.org/cms/8825.aspx).


6 National Council on Farmer Cooperatives. About Co-ops. [Online] 2010. (www.ncfc.org/about-ncfc/about-co-ops).


7 Steiner JJ, Griffith SM, Mueller-Warrant GW, Whittaker GW, Banowetz GM, Elliot LF. Conservation practices in western Oregon


perennial grass seed systems: I. Impacts of direct seeding and maximal residue management on production. Agronomy Journal 2006; 98 (1): 177-86.


8 National Research Council. Impact of Genetically Engineered Crops on Farm Sustainability in the United States. The National Academies Press. 2010, pp. Committee on the Impact of Biotechnology on Farm-Level Economics and Sustainability.


9 Steiner JJ, Mueller-Warrant GW, Griffith SM, Hittaker GW, Banowetz GM. Meadowfoam management in perennial grass seed production systems. Corvallis, OR : Seed Production Research at Oregon State University, 2005.


10 Mellbye ME, Young III WC, Garbacik CJ. Long- term evaluation of annual ryegrass cropping systems for seed production. Corvallis, OR : Seed Production Research at Oregon State University, 2009.


11 USDA. About Us. National Institute of Food and Agriculture. [Online] 2011. (www.csrees.usda.gov/qlinks/extension.html).


12 Eleveld B, Silberstein T, Mellbye M, Young B, Lahmann E. Enterprise budget: annual ryegrass, conventional tillage, volunteer seeding and no-till. Willamette Valley Region. Corvallis, OR, Oregon State University, 2010.


13 Banowetz GM, Griffith SM, Steiner JJ, Gavin WE, Mueller-Warrant GW. Sustainability in seed production enterprises – what we’ve learned. Corvallis, OR. Seed Production Research at Oregon State University, 2009.


14 Oregon State University Extension Service. 2011 Oregon County and State Agricultural Estimates. Corvallis, OR. Oregon State University Extension Service, 2011. Special Report 790-11, April 2012.


15 2008 Oregon County and State Agricultural Estimates. [Online] (www.oregon.gov/ODA/ about_ag.shtml#Statistics_and_Oregon_State_ University_studies_available).


16 Council, Oregon Seed. Oregon Seed Industry – Fact Sheet. Received March 12, 2009 as part of House Bill 2186 and Senate Bill 928 testimony packet compiled by Oregon Seed Council, 2009.


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4