There are numerous fresh produce associations with missions to serve the industry, and each brings value to the members they serve. However, there is one crop association that we would like to focus on in this blog – the Potato Sustainability Alliance (PSA).

The fresh produce industry is making significant advancements in sustainability, but the PSA stood out to Measure to Improve (MTI) as an example of coordinated and functional sustainability assessment.

While cropping systems across fresh produce crops vary, and sustainability impacts change by geography and crop, the PSA presents a foundational approach to sustainability assessment that other associations can use as a framework to guide coordinated, collaborative, and meaningful sustainability change.

Fresh Produce Industry Working Group Efforts

MTI has the honor of engaging with and supporting many fresh produce industry associations. In most industry associations we work with, we continue to see the emergence of working groups focused on supporting their members on their sustainability journeys. These groups often spend time and resources identifying where they fit in the sustainability space, trying not to duplicate efforts with other organizations, and ultimately providing value to their members.

The working groups we have participated in have full-time staff members steering the work but rely upon the insights that only come from those on the ground and in the thick of it everyday. They are coordinated by staff, but the extremely intelligent, passionate, experienced volunteer members that make up the working group have full-time jobs in their respective companies.

Given MTI’s unique position in participating in multiple work groups, we have seen a duplication in efforts and a trend of divergent directions. The PSA program, outlined below, represents a model working groups can follow for sustainability measurement success.

About the Potato Sustainability Alliance

The Potato Sustainability Alliance (PSA) works at the intersection of growers, processors, and buyers to define, measure, and advance sustainability for the entire potato value chain. In alignment with MTI’s approach to sustainability, the PSA uses robust metrics to drive improvements in productivity and profitability.

The PSA Program delivers guidance and access to customized tools tailored by the PSA to meet shared Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) market requirements. This means participants can access streamlined and simplified reporting while gaining valuable performance insights. All of this is delivered to create alignment within the potato value chain through industry-defined focus areas.

PSA Program Sustainability Pillars

The PSA Program has adopted three industry-defined pillars of sustainability: Environmental Stewardship, Farm Legacy, and Safe & Nutritious Food. Each pillar has accompanying focus areas and a commitment from the PSA. This format establishes a clear direction for the PSA Program participants and creates a guide that can be constantly referred back to in order to remain true to an agreed-upon direction. As any industry collaborative sustainability working group embarks on its efforts, creating clear criteria for success up front and establishing a focused path forward is essential.

This approach is not too different from MTI’s Sustainability Planning Service, which helps clients develop a sustainability roadmap. The service helps an organization set, measure, and achieve its sustainability goals, identify and initiate supply chain-wide initiatives to increase resilience and communicate Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) priorities to investors.

*Image Credit: 2023 North American Potato Sustainability Assessment*

Data-Driven Benchmarking & Decision-Making

The PSA Program released its 2023 Potato Sustainability Assessment Report that summarizes an annual on-farm assessment using the Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture (SOA) Standard and Cropwise™ Sustainability (CWS) app. A total of 420 growers, representing 589,120 potato acres across the U.S. and Canada participating in the PSA Program, were included in the assessment.

The PSA Program utilizes robust metrics and widely adopted measurement methodologies to benchmark the performance of the potato industry. MTI has built our business on prioritizing measurable outcomes that inform data-driven decision-making. Seeing an entire industry collectively embody what MTI stands for affirms that this is a meaningful and impactful approach to realize positive change. We encourage other associations and working groups to engage MTI to apply the same methodology to other fresh produce value chains.

Easing Supply Chain Sustainability Reporting Burden

In addition to providing valuable industry benchmarking, PSA Program participants were given the opportunity to share their data with participating PSA members, fulfilling supply chain sustainability reporting requirements. As MTI has previously noted, supply chain reporting is moving from a “nice to have” to a requirement. A coordinated industry effort, such as the PSA Program, is easing the reporting burden for many growers and is a model other fresh produce industries should be taking note of.

MTI has been assisting clients in sustainability reporting and sees the incredible value that an industry-wide coordinated effort could have. What the PSA has provided its members saves time for those required to report their metrics but also creates consistency among the entire potato value chain.

Key Takeaways

The PSA Program has spent years developing and honing their work, clearly delivering results. And they are ahead of the rest of the fresh produce industry when it comes to coordinated efforts. We are no longer at a point where we have the luxury of time - sustainability reporting is no longer a “nice to have” but is now a requirement of doing business.

For other fresh produce associations looking to serve their members, it is time to elevate your working groups and support your members in sustainability assessments and reporting. This will require a high level of coordination and collaboration, not only within your associations but amongst your associations, to eliminate duplicative efforts and create consistency.

Engaging experts like MTI can more quickly advance association work and better position members for sustainability success. MTI brings over a decade of experience to the table, can serve as a neutral third party to members, and protect sensitive data while developing industry-wide benchmarks and strategies.

Learn More

Learn more about Measure to Improve and our work
Learn more about the Potato Sustainability Alliance and their work
View a recent case study of our work in Food Waste Reduction in the potato industry

FAQs

What is the Potato Sustainability Alliance (PSA)?

The Potato Sustainability Alliance (PSA) is an inclusive, pre-competitive collaboration of all players in the potato value chain. They are defining, measuring, and advancing potato sustainability by using robust metrics to drive improvements in productivity and profitability. Their efforts are focused on protecting the environment and streamlining how farm-level data is collected and made available to end-users.

What is the Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture (SOA) Standard?

The Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture Standard (also referred to as the Standard) provides a framework to help agricultural supply chain companies and crop producers improve outcomes in regenerative agriculture.

What is the Cropwise Sustainability (CWS) app?

The Cropwise Sustainability (CWS) app is a free tool that helps farmers assess their sustainability performance and compare it to their peers. The app uses Syngenta's Sustainable Outcomes in Agriculture Standard, which is based on the Gold FSA standard.

Insights from the Potato Industry: Proactive and Collaborative Approach to Sustainability