Leading Harvest Soil Metrics Focus Group

Soil Metrics Focus Group

Join us for the Leading Harvest Soil Metrics Focus Group and help shape the development of the Leading Harvest Metrics Module. This effort aims to identify and test outcome-based metrics that are both practical for use within a management systems standard like Leading Harvest’s and harmonize reporting across the agricultural supply chain.

Dr. Jessica Chiartas will open this session with insights on the science and importance of existing soil metrics. Following her presentation, participants will engage in a facilitated discussion with two main goals:

  1. Building consensus around four pilot soil metrics that are practical to measure, inform management decisions, and hold value for downstream companies in each sub-pilot category.
  1. Exploring how reporting on these metrics can both demonstrate progress and create value for Leading Harvest Members.

Read Dr. Chiartas’s biography here

Date and Time:

North America: November 3rd, 5:00pm EST

Australia: November 4th, 8:00am AEST

Location: Virtual

The meeting link will be shared after registration.

Value for Participants:

  • Inform and help select metrics: Inform the selection of metrics that are practical and provide actionable information for your management system.
  • Increased insight into opportunities for improvement: Gain a deeper understanding of opportunities for continuous improvement through quantitative metrics.
  • Brand differentiation: Use results to craft authentic stories that resonate with stakeholders.
  • Increased farmer engagement: Build stronger relationships with your tenant farmers and suppliers by supporting their operation and helping implement systems to measure and improve key metrics.

        Expectations:

        Pilot metrics will be chosen in five focus groups: one for soil, water, biodiversity, climate, and social. Participating program users will be required to attend two focus group sessions–a session of their choosing along in addition to the social session. Focus Group participants will also be required to participate in the associated pilots. 

        Focus Groups: 

        1. Review any pre-read materials that are provided.
        2. Investigate metrics that their company may already be collecting related to the subject area.
        3. Attend and actively participate in a 2-hour focus group session.
        4. Pilot the selected metrics providing available historical data, insight into the feasibility of collecting metrics, and feedback to Leading Harvest.

              Pilots:  

              1. Define the farms/acres that are enrolled under your management into the Leading Harvest Certification Program that will be participating in the pilot.
              2. Engage your farm management team to align expectations and assign ownership of pilot tasks.
              3. Collect, review, and submit available data from 2024 and 2025.
              4. Provide feedback to Leading Harvest on the selected metrics in each category, the data collection process and meaningfulness of metrics collected.

                    Agenda:

                    1. Introductions and brief project overview
                    2. Subject matter expert presentation
                    3. Workshop and Discussion
                    4. Establish consensus on pilot metrics

                          Registration:

                          Two representatives from each Leading Harvest Member Company and one farmer are welcome and encouraged to join each Focus Group. Each tenant farmer that participates will be compensated $500 USD for their expertise, time, and participation. 

                          Please complete the form below to participate in the Soil and Social Focus Groups and Pilots.


                          Questions?

                          Contact Laura Robey at lrobey@leadingharvest.org.