Avena Foods Limited, specialty miller of gluten-free pulse and Purity Protocol oat ingredients in Western Canada, announced that it has joined Field to Market Canada, a multi-stakeholder initiative working to define, measure and advance the sustainability of food, feed, fiber and fuel production.

As a new Field to Market Canada member, Avena has enrolled their first project in Field to Market’s Continuous Improvement Accelerator to advance pulse sustainability. The project will measure, analyze and drive improvements to the sustainability of pulse crops in Southern Saskatchewan in five key areas: land-use efficiency, soil conservation, greenhouse gas emissions, energy use and soil carbon. The initiative makes Avena the first company within Field to Market Canada’s membership to register a Continuous Improvement Project focused on advancing pulse sustainability.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with Field to Market in gathering and analyzing data from our growers to assess and improve on our sustainability and regenerative practices,” said Margaret Hughes, Avena vice president, sales and marketing. “While many farmers understand the sustainability benefits of growing pulses and oats in their crop rotation, this partnership offers us  the opportunity to ensure these benefits are more widely understood by documenting and demonstrating improved sustainability outcomes that benefit farmers and the environment alike.”

As an active member in Field to Market Canada, Avena will work together with grower organizations, agribusinesses, conservation groups, public sector partners and leading companies to help to catalyze opportunities across the agricultural value chain for continuous improvements in environmental outcomes.

Field to Market Canada, a country partner of Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, engages in broad communication and collaboration with stakeholders to ensure a coordinated, outcomes-based approach to sustainable agriculture that is grounded in science. By providing useful measurement tools and resources, Field to Market Canada helps growers and the value chain track and promote continuous improvement at the field and landscape levels.

“We are pleased to welcome Avena to our growing membership and look forward to collaborating with them to support producers to identify opportunities for continuous improvement and to drive sustainable outcomes for commodity crop production,” said Harvey Bradford, president of Field to Market Canada. “Avena plays a key role in bringing high quality, safe, sustainable, and nutritious oat and pulse ingredients to customers globally, and they will be a valuable partner for the supply chain as we work to advance sustainability at the farm level across Canada.”