Seats On Sustainable Ag Standards Committee Open
November 3, 2008 Nearly 200 people applied to serve on the standards committee earlier this year and only 58 were chosen, but three seats are now open after three members recently resigned. The committee also elected its leadership this week, and Will Healy of Ball Innovations is among it.
Healy, research and technical manager at Ball Innovations, was elected secretary.
“The problem today is that the agricultural heritage of America is being lost,” Healy says. “There are a lot of misunderstandings, misconceptions and misinformation generated about what we as growers do and how this impacts consumers. Identifying a framework and set of indicators for sustainability will provide us all with a target to move toward, improve our production systems and enhance our products in ways that are not only better for the environment but for growers and consumers also.”
Other elected officials include:
– Marty Matlock, director of the Center of Agricultural and Rural Sustainability at the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, as chairman of the committee.
–Ronald Moore, Moore Farms and American Soybean Association, as vice-chair; and
–Grace Gershuny, representing the Organic Trade Association (OTA), as vice-secretary.
The committee voted to set aside the Draft Standard For Trial Use from Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) back in September, so those brought on board will help develop a standard from scratch.
The three open positions are designed for anyone who uses agricultural products, including retailers and restaurants, food service companies, product handlers, processors, distributors and manufacturers–and has an interest in sustainable agriculture.
To receive an application for the standards committee, contact Amanda Raster at Leonardo Academy by phone at (608) 280-0255 or by email at [email protected]. Only applications for the User Interest category will be considered at this time.
Applications should be submitted by 12 p.m. (CDT) on Monday, November 24. All applicants will be notified of their committee status by Monday, December 8.
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