Sustainability in agriculture has never been optional. It is a crucial pathway to safeguarding our planet for future generations. By adopting principles and methods that protect the natural environment, farmers are able to do more with less, preserving resources and being more efficient with the land.
U.S. soybean producers are at the forefront of this shift, collectively pledging to implement sustainable practices across their operations. Together, they have long been good stewards of land, water and nature. In general, soy producers know that if they look after their land well, they will enjoy better harvests and be better placed to serve those that depend on them.
The latest data[1] makes for positive reading. In the last 40 years, U.S. soybean farmers have significantly boosted their resource efficiency per bushel of crop. On average, they are producing 43% less greenhouse gas emissions, 60% less water for irrigation, and improve their land use efficiency by 48%. And during that period, they have increased the amount of soy being produced by 130%, using roughly the same amount of land that has been used for decades.
To keep farmers on track and maintain momentum, the United Soybean Board (USB), the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) and the American Soybean Association (ASA) laid out a series of goals in 2014. Using the benchmark year of 2000, US soybean farmers aim to, by 2025:
- Reduce land use impact by 10%
- Reduce soil erosion by an additional 25%
- Increase energy use efficiency by 10%
- Reduce total greenhouse gas emissions by 10%
Of course, steady progress has been made against these targets, as measured by the Field to Market[2] team. The land use impact goal was exceeded back in 2015, showing a consistent improvement in crop yield. According to a study of farmers[3] conducted by the soy checkoff, almost 60% of farmers said they have changed their production practices to increase the sustainability of their operation, and a third of them said improving soil health is the most important thing for them to do if they are to maintain and increase the sustainability of soybeans.
However, there is more work to do. For example, while GHGs per bushel of soybeans improved substantially between 1980 and 2000, the slightly higher use of nitrogen fertilizer has resulted in a fairly flat trend ever since.
And the groups representing U.S. soybean growers are keen to push farmers further. “Together with USSEC and the American Soybean Association, we’re working on developing goals that stretch well beyond 2025,” says Jack Cornell, USB’s director of sustainable supply. “And the goals will showcase our commitment to transparency and accountability and show that farmers are the solution to protecting our planet.”
For Cornell, meeting – and exceeding – sustainability targets requires giving farmers access to the tools, technology and technical assistance “to help them mitigate the risks they take on as they continuously improve their operations towards more sustainability, while maintaining their profitability”.
Reality check: The extent of commitments
While the U.S. soy industry’s commitment to progress is commendable, sustainability is an ongoing challenge across all sectors. In farming, the variability in climate, incidences of extreme weather and persistent economic pressures poses a significant challenge to maintaining sustainable practices. Despite these hurdles, the resilience and adaptability of soy producers are evident, and as Cornell says, communicating what has – and hasn’t – been achieved is crucial if farmers are to maintain momentum. “In this day and age it’s important to show transparency and accountability when it comes to sustainability goals.”
To enable that transparency and to help communicate progress, the U.S. Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol (SSAP) was established to outline the regulations, processes, and management practices that ensure sustainable soy production. The national-based system aggregates how U.S. soy farmers contribute to the improvement of environmental, social, and economic sustainability outcomes. The vast majority (more than 300,000) of U.S. soybean farmers now follow the SSAP and are subject to third-party independent auditing.
It’s a system that is constantly reviewed based on feedback and benchmarked against other soy sourcing guidelines in other parts of the world, such as the European Feed Manufacturers’ Federation’s soy sourcing standards. In fact, to meet the growing demands of European buyers of soy – and the requirements set out by the EU’s Renewable Energy Directive which relates to biodiesel production – USSEC and USB established the SSAP-RED (Soy Sustainability Assurance Protocol-Renewable Energy Directive) as another voluntary program.
The largest sustainability verification scheme in the world
It is a mechanism that seems to be working. According to USSEC data[4], 70% of U.S. soy exports are verified under the SSAP, making it the largest sustainability verification scheme in the world.
The SSAP is a way of giving buyers of U.S. Soy reassurance that the farmers responsible for that soy are doing all they can to protect the environment and operate responsibly. More and more buyers, particular across the North Asia and Europe regions, are requesting SSAP-verified certificates for their purchases.
And they can pass on that reassurance to consumers. Brands and retailers in the U.S. can make use of the separate Sustainable U.S. Soy Mark[5] which indicates a product containing soy ingredients that were grown in the U.S., are compliant with all U.S. environmental regulations, protect highly erodible soils and wetlands, and were grown on family farms with responsible labor practices.
The journey of U.S. soy producers toward sustainability is marked by significant achievements and ongoing challenges. Through initiatives like the U.S. Soy mark and the SSAP, the industry is demonstrating its commitment to environmental stewardship and setting a benchmark for others to follow. But as Cornell adds, sustainability goals must be connected to profitability if U.S. soy farmers are to continue protecting the environment for generations to come. “As a farmed-led organization, we care deeply about making goals that mean something for the continued profitability of U.S. farms – and that will also aid us in the efforts to mitigate dynamic weather events.”
References
[1] http://fieldtomarket.org/media/2021/12/Field-to-Market-National-Indicators-Report_SoybeanFactsheet_FINAL.pdf [2] https://fieldtomarket.org/national-indicators-report/soybeans [3] USB, 2018. Winter Soybean Producer Attitudes Survey Results [4] https://solutions.ussec.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/1488-USSEC-Annual-RPT-Digital-Version_Final.pdf [5] https://www.unitedsoybean.org/hopper/united-soybean-board-partnership-launches-pilot-phase-of-sustainably-grown-us-soy-mark