The Stewardship Index for Specialty Crops supports growers and their supply chain partners in adopting, and measuring the impact of, sustainable and regenerative agriculture practices.

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For SISC regenerative agriculture is an outcome-based farming approach that protects and improves soil health, biodiversity, climate, and water resources while supporting farming business development. 

 

For SISC, regenerative ag is an important focus within the larger effort of sustainable agriculture.  A regenerative farming approach includes both practices and outcomes. Practices provide clarity to growers for their unique implementation, but regenerative ag practices are not one-size-fits all. Since regenerative outcomes can be achieved with a different set of practices depending on the local context of a growing operation, measuring and tracking outcomes is essential. 

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A full suite of SISC metrics support the measurement of continual improvement in regenerative agriculture.  

 

These SISC metrics include:

1.     Soil Health 

2.     Habitat and Biodiversity

3.     Energy/GHG

4.     Nutrient Man

5.     Soil Emissions

6.     Applied Water

7.     Simple Irrigation Efficacy

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Use of these SISC metrics will enable outcome focused measurements and monitoring of progress over time across environmental impact areas at farm level.

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Examples of Regenerative Outcomes measurable with SISC Metrics:

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Soil Health

What: Improve soil health, Reduce soil erosion and increase soil organic matter 

SISC Soil Health Metrics: Aggregate Stability and Organic Carbon Concentration

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Water 

What: Optimize water use efficiency and improve water quality 

SISC Water Metrics: Applied Water Use and Simple Irrigation Efficiency 

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Biodiversity

What: Increase biodiversity Protect and enhance habitat 

SISC Metric: SISC Habitat and Biodiversity Metric 

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Climate 

What: Reduce greenhouse gas emissions Increase carbon sequestration 

SISC GHG Metrics: Energy Use/GHG and Soil Emissions (V.1 CA only)
 

Nutrient Management  

What: Reduce water pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, and other environmental impacts associated with excessive nutrient use.

SISC Nutrient Use Metrics: Nitrogen Use and Phosphorus Use