March 11, 2022
EcoPractices by Sustainable Environmental Consultants 2021 Recap
2021 was the year “Regenerative Agriculture” entered the spotlight with features in Forbes and the New York Times it’s no surprise #regenerativeag is the new trend in the sustainability space.
But it’s not a new concept at EcoPractices or to the farms and food supply companies we serve. It’s the foundation and principles many across the United States rely on daily to keep their farms and production possible.
Since 2016, our EcoPractices platform has helped farms and food companies support their regenerative ag practices by establishing baseline metrics and validating on-farm practices. Utilizing these metrics and data help farms and food companies support their regenerative ag goals and sustainability marketing.
In 2021 we continued to support regenerative agriculture efforts as our team of agronomist and scientists quantified and verified field-level practices across several key regenerative agriculture pillars including:
- Soil Health
- Water Quality
- Carbon Emissions
- Biodiversity
Of course, without the hard work of the farmers, producers, and food companies implementing these efforts the following metrics and our success would not be possible. For that, we thank you!
Soil Health
26% of the fields we monitored in 2021 utilized natural manure on their farms which helps increase organic soil matter. Increased organic matter means healthier soil which leads to less soil erosion and increased resilience.
In addition to improving soil health, these efforts resulted in a major cost savings in 2021 due to increased commercial fertilizer costs. Across our monitored farms, over $17 million was saved when compared to applying commercial fertilizer.
Water Quality
Utilization of natural manure also impacts water quality by improving soil health. By implementing sustainable practices, such as natural fertilizer, farmers saved nearly 10,000 (9178) metric tons of NKP runoff from entering local watersheds and ecosystems.
Carbon Emissions
64% of the acres we monitored used no till or reduced till farming practices which uses less equipment passes in the field when compared to conventional farming practices. By reducing equipment passes, farms are able to reduce their GHG emissions and carbon footprint.
Biodiversity
Of the over 45 diverse crops verified in 2021, 31% of the acres monitored were cover crops. Cover crops increase biodiversity by improving existing ecosystems, building resilience against diseases and pests, and increasing habitat for pollinators and beneficial insects.
And that’s not all.
What’s next for EcoPractices?
In 2022 we will continue to expand our efforts with food and beverage companies as well we non-profit organizations focused on reducing environmental impacts in the agriculture industry.
As consumer pressures continue to build on those in the ag and food supply sectors, we strive to highlight the hard work already in progress and the improvement efforts towards reducing environmental impacts.
Regenerative ag is here to stay and EcoPractices is here to help.
About Sustainable Environmental Consultants
Established in 2008, Sustainable Environmental Consultants is part of the Wright Service Corp. employee-owned family of companies. Since its inception, SEC has endeavored to be a leader in providing innovative solutions to better the planet through sustainability risk management, third-party data reporting and verification, and agricultural compliance and engineering. We provide a full range of environmental services needed by food companies and their agriculture supply systems. To learn more, visit www.sustainableenviro.com.
