By Ryan Olson, USW Director of Trade Policy

In the growing global conversation about sustainability, information on each step in a product’s supply chain is becoming increasingly important. Global consumers and international regulators are interested in understanding not only how commodities like wheat are produced, but also their environmental impact. U.S. wheat farmers have a positive story to share and U.S. Wheat Associates (USW) is carrying that message forward across the globe.

Some within the international food and agricultural commodity supply chain are using third-party certification programs as tools to verify the sourcing of sustainably produced ingredients or those ingredients are produced using sustainable practices. These programs are often voluntary and vary widely in criteria, but these certifications are increasingly requested by U.S. wheat customers. According to the International Trade Centre, a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization (WTO), the percent of cultivated area covered by voluntary certification schemes varies by crop, but has been growing significantly over the last decade.

The requirements for what qualifies as sustainable are diverse and can be driven by regulatory or market-based needs. In general, these certifications seek to provide companies and consumers with some assurance or transparency that ingredients met established criteria or environmental outcomes are part of its production.

When it comes to wheat, global millers, bakers and other customers are asking for information on practices U.S. farmers use to grow wheat as they seek to comply with certification requirements from customers further down the product line. USW is a productive partner in these discussions, thanks to research and assets like USW’s Stories of Stewardship series and the Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) completed by USW in partnership with the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) and the National Wheat Foundation.

Key findings from the LCA indicate U.S. wheat farmers have dramatically reduced greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, water use, land use and soil erosion on a per-bushel basis – all important messages for customers around the world.

Miguel Galdos, USW regional director for South America, is on the frontline of handling requests for proof of U.S. wheat’s sustainability.

“In the South America, sustainable sourcing is becoming increasingly important for our customers, especially those who ship value-added products to markets like the European Union,” Galdos said. “Recently, we have been working with a customer who sought more information on U.S. environmental outcomes related to deforestation and grassland conversion to satisfy a commercial certification requirement for feed ingredients. We were happy to work closely with them to provide more information and look forward to engaging with them and other partners in the future to support the positive sustainability outcomes for U.S. wheat production.”

The global sustainability conversation is constantly evolving, however it is clear that consumers want to know more about where and how the ingredients in the products they buy are grown and sourced. With a strong story to tell and a growing set of available resources, USW is well-positioned to support our customers in meeting the sustainability and certification requirements of their supply chains.

Check out USW’s sustainability resources at uswheat.org/sustainability.