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Missouri program verifies farm sustainability

At the Missouri State Fair Thursday, the Missouri Department of Agriculture unveiled its Agricultural Stewardship Assurance Program (ASAP).  The verification program spotlights farms and producers who are environmental stewards providing safe and dependable food using science based technology, said Richard Fordyce, director of the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

“Across all segments of agriculture we know there are producers who, by and large, are doing things the right way,” Fordyce told Brownfield Ag News, following the announcement on the opening day of the Missouri State Fair in Sedalia.  “We want to champion them and highlight the good things that Missouri producers are doing.”

Through the ASAP, producers can be verified in grassland, livestock, forestry, cropland, farmstead and energy.  With that verification, they gain access to domestic and international markets that they might not have previously.

Farmers and ranchers want to let consumers know more about where their food comes from, said Fordyce.

“We hear a lot about consumer acceptance,” said Fordyce.  “I’m not sure it’s consumer acceptance more than it’s consumer understanding, because consumers accept what we do if they knew more about what we do.”

Information and sign-up for the program are available in the Agriculture Building during the run of the Missouri State Fair, but also at the internet page developed specifically for the program.

“Producers or folks who are interested can go to the new website www.ASAP.farm.  Not COM,” stressed Fordyce, “FARM.”

AUDIO: Richard Fordyce (3 min. MP3)