Madison, WI – December 13, 2010 – Leonardo Academy announced that the National Sustainable Agriculture Standards Committee meeting has been scheduled to be held April 13 and 14, 2011 at the Gap, Inc. headquarters in San Francisco, California. The donation of the meeting space was generously offered by Standards Committee member of the Users category, Kindley Walsh-Lawlor, Vice President of Social and Environmental Responsibility for Gap, Inc. Leonardo Academy thanks Gap, Inc. and committee member Walsh-Lawlor for this generous contribution to the National Sustainable Agriculture Standard Development Process.

Opportunities to Participate in the Process at All Levels
If you are interested in sustainable agriculture, Leonardo Academy invites you to participate in this process. There are opportunities for participation on all the subcommittees, as well as openings on the National Sustainable Agriculture Standards Committee in the Producer, User, and General Interest categories.  They include individuals or representatives of entities that produce, process or use agricultural goods, such as farmers, product handlers, processors, distributors, manufacturers, food service companies, retailers and restaurants, as well as labor groups, consumer groups, agricultural development NGOs, academia, and other interested parties that are interested in engaging in a national dialogue on sustainable agriculture. Leonardo Academy welcomes applications to participate on both the subcommittees and the Standards Committee on an ongoing basis.

About the Sustainable Agriculture Standard and the Standards Committee
The 58-member Standards Committee is working to develop a national standard for sustainable agriculture under the rules of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). The Standards Committee consists of a skilled, diverse membership representing a broad range of perspectives from across all areas of agriculture, including commodity and specialty crop producers; agricultural product processors and distributors; food retailers; environmental, labor, and development organizations; NGOs; trade associations; government representatives; academics; regulators and certifiers.

Supporting the Standards Committee are six subcommittees that have been working since July 2009 to develop the structure of the standard; draft economic, environmental, and social criteria for possible inclusion in the standard; develop communications materials for process stakeholders; and collect resources to include in the Sustainable Agriculture Standard Reference Library. For more information on the subcommittee work, visit: https://sites.google.com/site/sustainableagstandards/subcommittees.

How to Apply for Standards Committee Membership
To receive an application for membership on the Standards Committee or to participate as an observer in the process, contact Jennifer Trucks at Leonardo Academy, P.O. Box 5425, Madison, WI 53705; telephone - 608.280.0255, fax - 608.255.7202 or visit: http://www.leonardoacademy.org/programs/standards/agstandard/participate.html

About Leonardo Academy
Leonardo Academy is the ANSI-accredited standards development organization and Secretariat that is managing the development of the Sustainable Agriculture standard development process.

Mission Statement
Leonardo Academy is a charitable 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing sustainability by leveraging innovative tools and information to motivate the competitive market. By utilizing an interdisciplinary approach to sustainability strategies, education and implementation, we strive to make sustainability practical for everyone.

We develop integrative sustainability solutions designed to enhance the environmental stewardship, social responsibility and economic prosperity of organizations, corporations and individuals. We see a world filled with sustainable opportunities that can transform the way we live today and ensure the prosperity of future generations. Leonardo Academy, dedicated to advancing sustainability, is providing facilitation and process support for the Sustainable Agriculture Standard development initiative.

Join Our Work
Individuals, organizations and companies are invited to join in Leonardo Academy’s work on advancing sustainability. One important way to join in our work is by making a charitable donation to support these efforts. Online donations can be made at: www.leonardoacademy.org.

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Contact Information
Jennifer Trucks
Sustainability Standards Development Manager
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608-280-0255