LEADING HARVEST

LEADING HARVEST WAS FOUNDED WITH THE GOAL OF LEADING THE CREATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF AN ALL-ENCOMPASSING SUSTAINABLE FARMING MANAGEMENT CERTIFICATION PLATFORM TO ADVANCE SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND PRESERVE AND PROTECT THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND FARMING COMMUNITIES. AN INAUGURAL ALL-CROPLAND STANDARD WAS CREATED AND FINALIZED IN THE FORM OF THE LEADING HARVEST FARMLAND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. ESTABLISHED IN 2020, THE ORGANIZATION QUICKLY WENT TO WORK ENROLLING PARTICIPANTS AND ASSISTING THEM WITH ESTABLISHING A RELATIONSHIP WITH A THIRD PARTY WHO WOULD VERIFY CONFORMANCE TO THE STANDARD IN THEIR OWN AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION. LEADING HARVEST ALSO ENGAGED IN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMING TO ENSURE THAT ITS PARTICIPANTS AND THE BROADER STAKEHOLDER COMMUNITY COULD ADVANCE SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE AND ACCESS THE TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE EMBEDDED IN THE LEADING HARVEST CERTIFICATION PROGRAM. THERE ARE CURRENTLY 27 ENROLLED PARTICIPANTS THAT REPRESENT OVER ONE THOUSAND INDIVIDUAL FARMS THAT COLLECTIVELY EXCEED 1.9 MILLION ACRES IN THE UNITED STATES ACROSS 31 STATES OVER 100 DIFFERENT ROW AND PERMANENT CROP TYPES.TO MAINTAIN CERTIFICATION, PARTICIPANTS ARE SUBJECT TO REGULAR SURVEILLANCE AUDITS AND RECERTIFICATION AUDITS. ENROLLMENT AND ACREAGE HAVE STEADILY INCREASED SINCE 2020.LEADING HARVEST CREATED A GROUP CERTIFICATION MODULE IN 2022 TO ALLOW LANDOWNERS TO CERTIFY AS A GROUP AND TO GIVE SMALLER LANDOWNERS ACCESS TO THIRD-PARTY CERTIFICATION AT COMPETITIVE COSTS. LEADING HARVEST ALSO BEGAN WORK WITH MAJOR FOOD AND BEVERAGE BRANDS TO CERTIFY WITHIN ITS SUPPLY CHAINS. LEADING HARVEST HAS RELEASED EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS TO ASSIST IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GROUP CERTIFICATION, AS WELL AS CROSS-WALKED ITS STANDARD TO OTHER REPORTING STANDARDS TO HARMONIZE SUSTAINABILITY. IN 2023, LEADING HARVEST CREATED THE FARMLAND MANAGEMENT STANDARD- PASTURE AND LIVESTOCK TO BE APPLIED TO ANIMAL AGRICULTURE OPERATIONS.