The USSA draws its strength from its member organizations. By sharing their knowledge, they help each other combine stewardship and conservation of the land and water with the production of enough food, building materials, natural fabrics and biofuel to serve the needs of the population of the U.S. and beyond. Applying techniques and innovation across different sectors results in more sustainable practices for our members, practices that can serve as an example worldwide.
Support: We support our members with research, resources and networking opportunities and give them a platform through which to share their insight and opinions and to promote best practice. As an alliance we are stronger together, giving greater voice to the stewards of our land and water.
Innovate: Our members are constantly working to find ever more sustainable methods, better ways to use water and land and better ways to conserve natural habitats and the species that populate them. It is in everyone’s interest to share this innovation and the USSA is perfectly placed to make that happen.
Inform: We tell the world the truth about the working practices of our farming, forestry and fishing industries to empower consumers to make right decisions for themselves and for the planet. And we consult with legislative bodies to help them make the right decisions when it comes to making polices on sustainability and trade.
Promote: By showing the world what our members do, we make the case for buying American products worldwide. Not only do we communicate with consumers, we talk to governments to ensure they know the lengths we go to produce sustainably and to publicize the rigour of U.S. environmental and animal care legislation.
The population of the world has just passed 8 billion and the United Nations expects it grow to almost 10 billion by 2050. All these people need to be fed, clothed and sheltered, sustainably.
This is a tall order, but not an impossible one. By cutting waste, increasing efficiency and always innovating, humankind can thrive while living in harmony with the natural world and its wildlife. By careful stewardship, not only can we prevent further damage, but we can also begin to repair what has already been inflicted.
Our members’ work on carbon capture, forest management, rewilding, grassland and wetland conservation and animal care is truly pioneering and we will continue to publicize this and share our methods and philosophy.
The USSA is always working towards a more sustainable future and through the strength of our membership and the power of our alliance, our care for the environment and commitment to innovation provide an example for the world.
Thanks to pragmatic legislation and intelligent use of technology, our members are using less water, working to clean and reuse it and prevent run-off and flooding with improved soil management and natural filtering.
Our members’ soil management practices include regenerative farming methods such as no-till farming, conservation tillage, crop rotation, rotational grazing and cover cropping—all sustainable ways of maintaining the best possible quality of soil.
Our farmers and fishermen also work hard to reduce carbon emissions through initiatives such as climate-smart, regenerative farming, biofuel manufacture and use, and methane capture.
Our members minimize environmental impacts through initiatives such as reducing the need for manmade fertilizers, applying sustainable fisheries management practices to ensure fish stocks remain healthy, and working to avoid polluting the sea and damaging it with trawling.
Farming is central to the American way of life. More than two million farms cover 900 million acres (364 million hectares) over every U.S. state – more than a third of the entire landmass*. Our members work to produce corn, soy, wheat, fruit, vegetables, nuts, cotton, livestock and more while caring for the land that nourishes and clothes us.
As a net exporter of food, U.S. farming efficiency and sustainability is not only an example to the rest of the world, but also a provider. Our members know that for our land to continue to sustain us it must be treated with care and respect. Our network is an invaluable aid to that.
Our forests are the very lifeblood of the U.S. Their trees and other flora create oxygen, sequester and store carbon, and support the huge range of plants and animals that thrive in our country. More than one third of the U.S. – 800 million acres (323 million hectares) – is forested. This has grown by around 100 million acres (40.4 million hectares) since the establishment of the U.S. Forest Service in 1905 and there are now 154 national forests.*
The sustainable management of our forests provides us with paper and packaging materials, lumber for building, renewable energy materials and high value wood for flooring and furniture. Together we work to safeguard the biodiversity, health and productivity of U.S. forests for now and forever.
With more than 12,000 miles of coastline, the U.S. has the second largest exclusive economic fishing zone in the world*. Our members have worked together to create some of most responsibly managed fisheries and sustainable seafood in the world.
There are 10 legally enforced national standards of sustainability that U.S fisheries must meet. In Alaska, responsible for approximately 60% of all seafood harvested in the U.S., sustainability has been part of the state constitution since 1959. By close monitoring and responsible stewardship in both the sea and inland waters, the U.S. fishing industry is continually improving its practices and sharing innovation the world over.
Our members are often focused on best practice management of our lands, forest and water, but the USSA also represents organizations that supply finished product direct to customers around the world.
Find out about the Food Export Association of the Northeast and Midwest and the Organic Trade Association – and how their produce can support your sustainability goals.
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