Fresh Picks & Sustainability Tips: May 2024
Email Newsletter: May 6, 2024
I am happy to share that last month (April 2024) marked the 10th Anniversary of Measure to Improve!
Little did I know when I started this business in 2014 how much the fresh produce industry would be transformed by sustainability efforts during these past 10 years. From April 2014 to April 2024 we’ve seen major sustainability initiatives come to life, driven in large part by consumer interest, retail demand, and increasing environmental concerns at large.
I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the entire team at Measure to Improve for your dedication to this work — Cheri, Corrine, Gabe, Julie, Kieran, Kyle, Melissa. And a special thanks to LeeAnne French, for being there from the beginning and believing in my vision when many didn’t.
I would also like to thank our amazing clients and partners, who have allowed us to further our mission to support fresh produce industry producers and processors in measuring, improving, and building credible sustainability programs that generate environmental, social, and financial benefits.
Here’s to the next 10 years!
Warmest Regards,
Nikki Cossio - Founder & CEO - Measure to Improve
Looking Back and Looking Ahead: Celebrating 10 Years in Business
Measure to Improve was founded in 2014 with a simple yet ambitious vision: shape a sustainable fresh produce industry that is resilient, healthy, collaborative, and prosperous.
This April marks the 10-year anniversary of Measure to Improve and gives me the chance to reflect on the company's remarkable journey, our work, and our team's ongoing commitment to shaping a more sustainable future for the fresh produce industry.
Sustainability Surveys
Consumers are increasingly demanding environmentally and socially conscious products. To meet this demand, retailers and large brands are setting sustainability goals and implementing sustainable practices within their own operations. They are also reaching out to their supply chains through sustainability surveys. The number of surveys and the details required grow each year; some buyers are even beginning to make purchasing decisions based on supplier responses.
With sustainability demands here to stay, how can growers prepare to report their sustainability efforts?
Learn more in our “Fresh Produce Growers' Guide to Sustainability Reporting”
Sustainability Survey season is here and there is no better time than now to prepare!
We can help make it easier for you to respond to those retail buyer surveys from Walmart, Kroger, Aldi, and more!
Learn more about our Buyer Survey Support service at the link below.
How Crucial Are Sustainability Practices in Business Operations?
We sat down with Fresh Takes On Tech Podcast to explore the significance of our partnership with IFPA on the climate-smart commodities grant.
With new regulations emerging and buyers increasingly demanding sustainability metrics, staying ahead in sustainability is no longer a choice but a necessity for remaining competitive.
In this episode we talk about:
How Measure to Improve is involved with the IFPA grant.
Where the term climate-smart agriculture came from.
The key climate-smart production practices that should be encouraged.
How these incentives will encourage farmers to change their practices.
How the risks are removed from the growers.
The importance of measuring the inputs, outputs, and yields.
Soil Sampling with Measure to Improve’s Team — Gabe, Nikki, and Kyle
Upcoming Events
5/20 - World Bee Day
6/5 - World Environment Day
6/7 - World Food Safety Day
6/25-6/26 - Salinas Biological Summit