Ontario Grain Farmer August 2021

12 AMERICAN CORN FARMERS have announced timely sustainability goals for the sector, hoping to appeal to consumers’ environmental interests and farmers’ desire for less government intervention and regulation. The goals, outlined by the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA), came as U.S. President Joe Biden was stepping up his drive towards a greener America, particularly in carbon reduction. All sectors that generate greenhouse gas, including agriculture, are under the Biden administration’s microscope. The NCGA, which represents the interests of 300,000-plus corn farmers nationwide in 50 affiliated state organizations, sensed the sustainability movement growing nearly two years ago. It started conferring across the sector to create achievable outcomes, putting it in good stead as the U.S. government’s commitment to climate change mitigation intensified. “If we didn’t address sustainability, we’d either be left behind or let someone else define it for us,” says association president John Linder, a farmer from Ohio. “I believe we are just getting started. We can play an even bigger role as the nation continues to address carbon in our atmosphere. We are a willing and able partner to help sequester it, and corn is the perfect vehicle for our success.” The NCGA has its sights set on five key targets it wants corn farmers to reach by 2030: • reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 13 per cent Social responsibility NCGA NEW SUSTAINABILITY GOALS Owen Roberts • reduce soil erosion by 13 per cent • increase land-use efficiency by 12 per cent • increase water-use efficiency by 15 per cent • increase energy-use efficiency by 13 per cent TECHNOLOGY Owing to technology-enabled advances corn farmers have made through the years, Linder and other board members are optimistic about the chances of meeting these goals even earlier than stated. For example, Linder notes that between 1980 and 2015, corn farmers used 41 per cent less land and 40 per cent less water to grow a bushel of corn. As well, 58 per cent less soil was lost to erosion, and greenhouse gas emissions fell by 31 per cent. "[Corn farmers] have decades of documented improvements on our side, which happened long before sustainability became a part of our daily vocabulary," says Linder. “We’ve done a lot of things that farmers just don’t talk about. So, we’re kind of tooting our own horn here,” adds NCGA board member Deb Gangwish, a Nebraska corn farmer. Gangwish says women are a key target for communicating the new sustainability goals. Studies have shown women purchase the overwhelming majority of food in U.S. households — as much as 85 per cent. She specifically mentioned working through Common Ground, a consumer-facing farm advocacy and education organization established by the NCGA to help dispel myths about food and farming. Women farmers are featured on the Common Ground website, sharing personal experiences and their support of research and technology, to find “common ground” with others. On the Common Ground website, Missouri farmer Addie Yoder talks about the importance of shared values. Sustainability SUSTAINABILITY IN ONTARIO Grain Farmers of Ontario remains committed to sustainability. Working with our supply chain partners we ensure our farmer-members are economically sustainable while operating in a manner that meets their commitment to the environment and society. Most recently, sustainability targets are ramping up within our supply chains, whether crop input manufacturers, end users, or retailers: • Bayer has established a target to be carbon neutral by 2030. • General Mills is targeting regenerative agriculture on 1 million acres of farmland by 2030. • Maple Leaf Foods is the first major food company to go carbon neutral. • Walmart’s ‘Project Gigaton’ is aimed at reducing 1 gigaton of greenhouse gas emissions from their supply chain by 2030. Similar to our U.S. counterparts, sustainability gains in Ontario have been driven by our farmer-members’ commitment to ongoing improvements. in corn ↑ 39% in soybeans ↑ 17% in winter wheat ↑ 37% in corn ↓ 45% ↓ 18% in soybeans ↓ 36% in wheat 28% ↓ 37% ↓ 43% ↓ in corn in wheat in soybeans ↓ • Land use efficiency (we are producingmore with less) • GHG emission impacts (we are reducing climate impact) • Energy used on farm (we are reducing energy use)