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GrasslandsAllianceMediaAdvisory GrasslandsAllianceReleasesFirstCertificationStandardforSustainable, Climate-friendlyBeefProductioninNorthAmerica EnablingaRenaissanceinResponsibleRanching Howdoyouknowifthesteakonyourplateorthebeefinyourburgerwassustainablyraised?Didit comefromaranchthatprotectswildlifeandecosystems,treatsanimalshumanely,andpays farmworkersdecentwages?TheUSisthelargestbeefproducerintheworld,andAmericanseatalotof it–about54poundsperpersonayear.Andyettherehasbeennoconsensusonwhatsustainable livestockproductionlookslikeatthegrassrootslevel,nocomprehensivesustainabilitycertification systemforranches,andnowidelyacceptedecolabelonbetterbeef.That’sabouttochange. Afterfouryearsofresearch,discussionsandfieldtrials,theGrasslandsAlliance,amulti-stakeholder coalitionledbyconservationgroups,hasreleasedthefirstcomprehensiveguidelinesforresponsibly raisingcattleonNorthAmerica’svastrangeandpastures.Thestandardscoveralltheinterlocking spheresofsustainability–environmentalprotection,economicviabilityandsocialjustice–aswellas climatechange,animalwelfareandhumanhealth. RanchersandfarmerswhocomplywiththeGrasslandsAlliancecriteriawillbecertifiedgreenandable touseanecolabel,nowunderdevelopment.Thiswillallowprogressiveproducerstosendaclearfarmto-marketsignalthattheyaremeetingthemostrobustsustainabilitystandards.Ranchers,consumers andcommercialbuyershavebeenaskingforawaytodistinguishbeeffromeco-friendlyandclimatesmartranches. TheGrasslandsAlliancewasorganizedbytheNaturalResourcesDefenseCouncilandtwogroupswith extensiveexperienceinsettingstandards,auditingandcertifyingfarms--theRainforestAllianceand FoodAlliance.Indevelopingthecattlestandard,thecoalitionengagedotherNGOs,ranchers,scientists, corporatebeefbuyers,andbeefmarketingexperts. Consumersincreasinglyseekoutproductsthatarethird-partyendorsedbyindependent,nonprofit programssuchasRainforestAllianceCertified™,OrganicandFairtrade.Popularbrandsareworking withcertifierstoridtheirsupplychainsofmajorsinssuchasdeforestationandchildlabor,andensure thatsuppliersareefficientandresilientenoughtowithstandclimatechange,droughtandsocialunrest. Aroundtheworld,cattleranchingisaleadingcauseofdeforestationandotherenvironmental degradation,andamajorcontributorofclimate-disruptingemissions.IntheUS,forexample,cattle emitnearlyasmuchofthepowerfulheat-trappingpollutant,methane,asfrackingandotherformsof naturalgasandpetroleumextraction.Theotherhighestimpactcrops–palmoil,soy,paperpulp,sugar –developedsustainabilitystandardsandcertificationprogramslongago. TheGrasslandsAlliancestandardfusedtraditionalknowledgegainedovergenerationsofranchingwith thelatestscience.Itprovidesdetailedguidanceonraisingcattleinthemostsustainableway–suchas howtokeepthegrassgreen,avoiderosionandpollution,protectendangeredwildlife,controlinvasive weeds,conservewater,safeguardstreams,managelivestockhumanely,reduceclimate-relatedrisks andimpacts,andprotectconsumerhealth. Ranchersandfarmerswereinvolvedindevelopingthestandard.Oneofthem,MichaelHale,who managesaherdofSpanishbreedcattleonnativerangeinNortheasternOregon,saidthatagood standard,“ismorethanachecklistofbestmanagementpractices;it’sawayforusrancherstoshare experienceandaguidetosustainablelandstewardship.” TheRainforestAllianceCertifiedsealofapprovalisoncoffee,tea,chocolate,bananasandahostof productsfromfarmsmeetingtherigorousstandardsoftheSustainableAgricultureNetwork(SAN).The SANstandardisdesignedforcountrieswherefarmsaremostlysmall,regulationsandgovernment assistanceareweakandmanyfarmersarestrugglingtomakeendsmeet.TheGrasslandsAlliance standardisexpresslytunedtoconditionsintheUS. JeffreyHayward,VPofProgramsfortheRainforestAlliance,said,“Asourbeefcertificationprogram gainstractioninCentralandSouthAmerica,we’reexcitedtohaveanalignedpartnerstandardintheUS. Thatwillallowproducersandbuyerstoworkwithone,streamlinedsystemnomatteriftheirfarmisin BrazilorMontana.” JonathanKaplan,headoftheFoodandAgricultureProgramatNRDCsaid,“TheGrasslandsAlliancewill helpranchersaddressessentialsustainabilityissues,includingpromotionofhealthysoils,more productivegrasslands,predatorco-existence,andantibioticstewardship." MarciaDeLonge,anagroecologistattheUnionofConcernedScientists,said,“Aclear,science-based roadmaptowardsustainablebeefproductionsystemsthatsupportfarmersandranchers,conserves valuablegrasslands,andreducesnegativeenvironmentalimpactsismuchneeded.Itisexcitingtosee effortsliketheGrasslandsAlliancestandardworkingtoencouragebeefproductionthatisashealthy, sustainable,andclimatefriendlyaspossible.” TheGrasslandsAlliancestandardhasbeenreviewedbymanyranchers,scientists,environmentalists, activistsandotherexperts.Aspartofaninclusiveprocesstogatherasmuchinputaspossible,the allianceinvitesanyoneinterestedtocommentonthestandard,whichisavailableonthecoalition’s website.Alongwithranchers,NGOs,governmentagencies,retailersandrestaurants,theGrasslands Allianceisplanningforthefirstcertifiedranches,supplychainsandsustainablyproducedbeefavailable toconsumers.Updateswillbeavailableonthewebsite. ABOUTTHEORGANIZATIONS TheRainforestAllianceisaninternationalnonprofitorganizationthathasworkedfornearly30years aroundtheworldtoconserveforestsandnaturalresourceswhileadvancingsustainablelivelihoods.The RainforestAlliancecollaborateswithforesters,farmers,businessesandworkerstobuildhealthy communities,protecthabitat,andrebalancetheEarth,workingtowardsthevisionofaworldwhere planetandpeopleprospertogether.Tolearnmore,visitwww.rainforest-alliance.org TheNaturalResourcesDefenseCouncil(NRDC)isaninternationalnonprofitenvironmentalorganization withmorethan2millionmembersandonlineactivists.Since1970,ourlawyers,scientists,andother environmentalspecialistshaveworkedtoprotecttheworld'snaturalresources,publichealth,andthe environment.NRDChasofficesinNewYorkCity,Washington,D.C.,LosAngeles,SanFrancisco,Chicago, Bozeman,MT,andBeijing.Visitusatwww.nrdc.organdfollowusonTwitter@NRDC. TheFoodAllianceworksatthejunctureofscience,businessandvaluestodefineandpromote sustainabilityinagricultureandthefoodindustry,andtoensuresafeandfairworkingconditions, humanetreatmentofanimals,andcarefulstewardshipofecosystems.Tolearnmorevisit foodalliance.org TheSustainableAgricultureNetwork(SAN)isacoalitionofnon-profitconservationorganizationsin America,Africa,EuropeandAsiapromotingtheenvironmentalandsocialsustainabilityofagricultural activitiesthroughthedevelopmentofstandardsforbestpractices,certificationandtrainingforrural farmersaroundtheworld.Seetherevised2017standardontheSANwebsite. TheUnionofConcernedScientistsusesscienceforahealthyplanetandsaferworld.Itsreport,“Cattle, ClearedForests,andClimateChange:ScoringAmerica’sTopBrandsonTheirDeforestation-FreeBeef CommitmentsandPractices,”ishere.
