The United Soybean Board has launched a pilot sustainability program complete with the Sustainably Grown U.S. Soy logo that identifies products that contain U.S. soy grown according to its protocols.
From Jan. 19 through March 19, the board will team with Soylent and DuPont Nutrition & Biosciences on a pilot program to market their products and ingredients as made with Sustainably Grown U.S. Soy.
The new mark denotes agricultural practices, such as no-till and cover crops, that deliver sustainable outcomes in biodiversity, soil carbon, water management and overall soil conservation.
Customers can be assured that products carrying the mark contain soy ingredients that:
• Were grown in the United States.
• Are compliant with all U.S. environmental regulations.
• Protect highly erodible soils and wetlands.
• Were grown on family farms with responsible labor practices.
“It’s an honor to be one of the first companies to receive the Sustainably Grown U.S. Soy mark. For years, we have created market-leading products rooted in science and sustainability, so it was important to us to be a part of this pilot,” Demir Vangelov, CEO of Soylent, said in a news release.
According to USB’s 27th annual Food Industry Insights survey, when a product is associated with the Sustainably Grown U.S. Soy mark, nearly 70% of consumers familiar with sustainable farming said they would be more likely to purchase the product. The results show a strong correlation between the mark and consumer sales. The mark also assures customers that soy used in ingredients was grown in the United States on family farms with responsible labor practices and compliant with all U.S. environmental regulations.
After the pilot program, USB anticipates making the mark available to other interested companies. Requests to use the Sustainably Grown U.S. Soy mark will be accepted through a USB managed portal. To participate, the customer will provide an overview of its supply chain, which will be reviewed by a third-party auditor.
The percentage of soy used by end-product will be measured and applied against supply standards on a mass balance basis.
The Sustainably Grown U.S. Soy mark is based on a national system of sustainability and conservation laws and regulations and farmer participation in the U.S. Farm Bill.
To learn more about the Sustainably Grown U.S. Soy mark, or interested in applying to use the mark on your own ingredients and products, visit www.sustainableussoymark.com.