NEWS
IN THE NEWS
September 25, 2023
Fresh Produce Industry's Go-To Sustainability Experts Hires Director of Agronomy
SALINAS, CA – Measure to Improve (MTI), a leading sustainability-consulting firm for the fresh produce industry, is excited to announce that Kyle Cosgrove will be joining the team as the Director of Agronomy. With a wealth of experience in agronomy, commitment to sustainable practices, and passion for supporting growers, Kyle will play a pivotal role in advancing MTI's on-farm services and support.
At MTI, Kyle will be the subject matter expert for farming practices, prioritizing healthy soils and regenerative agriculture within the fresh produce industry. This role is particularly significant as Kyle will lead MTI's participation in A Vibrant Future, a collaborative effort involving the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA) and other industry leaders funded through a USDA Climate Smart Commodities grant. A Vibrant Future aims to develop a comprehensive system to trace climate-smart outcomes and create demand and a marketplace for climate-smart produce.
September 6, 2023
Grower-shipper Duda Farm Fresh Foods has doubled down on sustainability efforts within their fresh produce business, starting with packaging.
In 2019, Duda named sustainable packaging as a company priority and teamed up with Measure to Improve LLC to identify quantifiable goals and metrics to improve its packaging footprint, according to a company white paper.
The first question to answer: How do you quantify packaging sustainability?
May 22, 2023
Measure to Improve rolls out 5 new sustainability services
Following its annual strategic planning meeting in January 2023, which featured industry leaders, government officials and retail influencers, Measure to Improve LLC identified several initiatives for 2023.
To date, MTI has achieved B Corporation certification, completed an industrywide pilot program is introducing a portfolio of services developed to enable companies to achieve sustainability goals, according to a news release.
MTI said its five core programs and services include a full suite of solutions that address sustainability needs unique to growers, shippers, and processors in the fresh produce industry.
May 10, 2023
New report reveals environmental, financial benefits of sustainability
In what its organizers are calling “a unique example of high-level industry and government collaboration, with worker-led success,” Equitable Food Initiative and Measure to Improve have released a case study based on the results of their recently completed two-year “Produce and Reduce” pilot program.
Implemented on three California farms and funded by the California Workforce Development Board, the program yielded promising environmental and financial results, which EFI and MTI hope provide an example that will be replicated throughout the industry.
As part of the program, MTI, a Salinas, Calif.-based sustainability consultant in the fresh produce industry, worked closely with EFI, a Washington, D.C.-based workforce development and certification organization, along with the three farming operations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by implementing new waste reduction efforts.
March 15, 2023
EFI ‘Produce & Reduce’ measures success after
two-year pilot
WASHINGTON – Equitable Food Initiative BB #:385632 and Measure to Improve, announced the successful completion of the two-year Produce & Reduce pilot program which was implemented on three farming operations and funded by the California Workforce Development Board (CWDB). The group reported reductions of CO2 emissions during the pilot equivalent of 1 million miles driven by an average gasoline-powered vehicle and hopes this provides an example to be learned from and replicated throughout the industry.
January 26, 2023
In Their Words: Measure to Improve’s Nikki Cossio
Nikki Cossio is founder and CEO of Measure to Improve (MTI), a sustainability consulting firm that works with produce companies and related industry associations throughout the US. She joined OPN for a conversation about MTI’s services, how she helps clients avoid greenwashing, her excitement about the USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program, and more.
January 3, 2023
Equitable Food Initiative Expands Operations in 2022, Setting Stage for Change and Growth in the New Year
In 2022, Equitable Food Initiative, the workforce development and certification organization that partners with growers, farmworkers, retailers and consumer groups, marked a year of growth, new partnerships and promising tools to transform the produce industry and improve the lives of farmworkers. The past year brought increased recognition of EFI’s rigorous certification program, combined with preparation to support new initiatives and growth.
November 8-9, 2022
IFPA and Partners Receive $15M from USDA for Advancing Climate-Smart Pilot Projects
This is an event announcement with descriptions of speakers for the Cultiv8
Conference. The announcement includes a description of Nikki and the topic she spoke about at the event—creating synergy between people, planet, and profit.
November 8, 2022
Tracking Agtech Podcast
This podcast episode discusses sustainability in agricultural technology with Nikki
and Lou from the MTI team.
October, 2022
Costco:
Minimizing Waste
Costco understands our potential impact on the global waste stream and greenhouse gas emissions caused by waste generated within our global operations. Our goal is to continually decrease the amount of our waste going to landfills, with a goal to divert 80%.
September 14, 2022
IFPA and Partners Receive $15M from USDA for Advancing Climate-Smart Pilot Projects
WASHINGTON D.C. and NEWARK, DE – International Fresh Produce Association has announced that the pilot program project they submitted with a group of partners has been selected by the USDA to receive funding. The pilot project, titled “A Vibrant Future”, will incentivize growers of specialty crops to adopt climate-smart production in order to establish a consumer-driven, climate-smart market for fruits and vegetables grown using climate-smart practices. The approximate funding ceiling for the project is $15 million.
August 23, 2022
THESIS LIVE
Thesis 2022 Meet Your Trained Service Providers
Event announcement for a webinar that introduced THESIS 2022 trained
service providers ad provided information about THESIS methodology, design, scoring, and best practices. MTI’s Sustainability Program Manager, Louis DeMaso, was a part of this webinar.
July 5, 2022
Measure to Improve Appoints Jennifer Norfolk as Vice President of Operations and Morganne Sigismonti as Program Associate; Nikki Cossio Comments
SALINAS, CA - Expanding its team and collective expertise, Measure to Improve (MTI) has added Jennifer Norfolk to its team as Vice President of Operations and Morganne Sigismonti as Program Associate. Together, the pair will increase the organization’s capabilities regarding sustainability solutions.
May 27, 2022
AndNowUKnow
Sustaining the Bottom Line
We are in a race against time.
Tired of watching our industry react rather than lead in the climate crisis, Nikki Cossio and her team at Measure to Improve, LLC (MTI) have mapped out a strategy to put produce back in the driver’s seat.
December 2, 2021
Recap and Highlights of the 2021 Organic Grower Summit: Tonya Antle, Matt Seeley, Michael Valpredo, Dave Puglia, Nikki Cossio, Ray Connelly, Denise Junqueiro, and Aaron Fox Comment
MONTEREY, CA - Organic, simply, is good business. With current organic produce dollars topping $9.1 billion, according to Category Partners, there is very little argument against organic being the produce opportunity of the future as well. Here at this week’s Organic Grower Summit (OGS), the Organic Produce Network (OPN), in partnership with Western Growers, galvanized the industry to step onto the front lines where, yes, risk is always at play, but the reward is so much greater.
November 17, 2021
Oppy Announces First-Ever Specialty Berry Pack in the Happy Berry™ Label; Jason Fung, Greg France, and Donna France Comment
SANTA MARIA, CA - This is an exciting week for Oppy, as the fresh produce purveyor was not only recognized as one of Canada’s Top 100 Employers but has also announced that it will launch its first-ever specialty berry pack in the Happy Berry™ label. Come mid-December, the hydroponic tabletop strawberries, a concept developed by New Wave Berry, will be debuted after being rooted on elevated tables under the Ocean Spray® license during the first week of October.
November 11, 2021
Duda Farm Fresh Foods' Nichole Towell Highlights Sustainability Efforts
SALINAS, CA - I have a deep respect for the companies who go above and beyond to ensure they are supporting the Earth in their endeavors to supply the world with fresh produce. Duda Farm Fresh Foods is one of the trailblazers in this space, as the grower’s commitment to sustainability is evident in the building blocks the company stands upon.
November 1, 2021
New name and Board of Directors announced for organization that combines PMA and United Fresh
PMA and United Fresh leaders provided a series of updates for the new association named International Fresh Produce Association. Co-CEOs Cathy Burns and Tom Stenzel were joined by executive committee members to share details.
“I’m excited to lead and collaborate with this board,” said Bruce Taylor, chair of the new organization and CEO of Taylor Farms.
November 1, 2021
Nichole Towell and Nikki Cossio
Building a Culture of Sustainability.
In the grand scheme of things, the focus of sustainability is to reduce our environmental footprint on the world. While we, as consumers, can help with minor tasks such as recycling, at-home composting or trading home items for more reusable ones, the true difference makers are large companies. When it comes to agriculture, most of the practices used are not very earth-friendly.
October 28, 2021
Officers from the new association formed by PMA and United Fresh name new industry leadership
Newark, DE. and Washington D.C. - PMA and United Fresh leaders provided a series of updates for the new association named International Fresh Produce Association. Co-CEOs of the new association, Cathy Burns and Tom Stenzel, were joined by Executive Committee members to share details including the Board of Directors. Selecting and recruiting the Board of Directors was one of the first responsibilities of the newly announced Executive Committee.
August 10, 2021
EFI Receives Two-Year Grant From California Workforce Development Board
Equitable Food Initiative, the workforce development and certification organization that partners with growers, farmworkers, retailers and consumer groups, announced a two-year grant from the California Workforce Development Board awarded in conjunction with Measure to Improve, LLC.
June 14, 2021
Measuring carbon footprint becoming more common for produce companies
2007 was the first year that the expression “carbon footprint” was mentioned in the pages of The Packer.
At the time, industry and consumer voices in the United Kingdom were debating whether the use of food miles as the top consideration in food purchases was fair to African vegetable exporters.
Today, a growing number of produce companies are paying attention to their carbon footprint.
March 11, 2021
Building Blocks for a Social Responsibility Program
If a produce company was to build a social responsibility program, what should it consist of? The Packer asked 41 produce industry leaders this question in a recent survey: “What are the essential elements of a responsible social responsibility program?”
February 26, 2021
Social Responsibility Revolves Around People
Social responsibility is all about helping people do better, most industry leaders agree.
And it is also more than that.
January 21, 2021
The Top 10 Social Media Follows for Produce Industry Professionals
If you’re looking to stay current with food and retail trends and consume great content from fellow industry members, LinkedIn is the place to be. Here are a few of the people you can follow for great information and perspective in 2021.
November 9, 2020
The Packer Introduces Lettuce Learn More Podcast
The education sessions from The Packer’s recent Sustainable Produce Summit and this week’s West Coast Produce Expo are coming soon to the new Lettuce Learn More Podcast.
November 3, 2020
True Advisors Work Toward a Zero Waste Future
In 2017, Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), the global certification body for leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), began administering complementary rating systems to address key sustainability measures in the green building industry, The Total Resource Use and Efficiency (TRUE) rating system, a zero waste certification program, was among them.
October 30, 2020
Duncan Family Farms® Launches New Water Efficiency Initiative
Duncan Family Farms® is doing its best to commit to water efficiency and has taken on the help of Measure to Improve to solve this sustainability issue.
August 27, 2020
California Giant Berry Farms Announce the
World's First Sustainably Grown Certified Strawberries
In partnership with Measure to Improve, Satsuma Farms become the first strawberry grower in the world to achieve the Sustainably Grown certification from sCS Global Services.
August 24, 2020
Measure to Improve Guides True Certification Process
Measure to Improve, Salinas, Calif., has helped six facilities achieve Total Resource Use Efficiency (TRUE) Zero Waste Gold Certification.
August 12, 2020
Congratulations California Giant Berry Farms for
this achievement!
MTI was proud to be a partner and support the success of the program. This was accomplished through teamwork, dedication, and commitment to sustainability. True Zero Waste Certification.
July 27, 2020
California Giant Goes Gold With Zero Waste Certification
WATSONVILLE, CA – California Giant Berry Farms is proud to announce that its corporate headquarters has been awarded Gold under the TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) Zero Waste certification program.
The Gold certification recognizes California Giant’s achievement of diverting 91.24% of its office waste away from landfills and other waste outlets over the past twelve months.
October 14, 2019
California Central Coast Sustainability Exchange to Host Supply Chain Sustainability Panel Before
PMA Fresh Summit
VENTURA, CA - The countdown to PMA Fresh Summit has begun, signifying another hot ticket event just around the corner. Whether you are a buyer, retailer, or foodservice operator in our industry, if you want to succeed in this year's exclusive 2019 California Central Coast Sustainability Exchange (CCCSE) on October 15 and 16.
September 04, 2019
Nikki Rodoni, Hank Giclas, Alison Edwards, and
Kelli McCune Discuss Sustainability In Action Event
MONTEREY, CA - Mark your calendars for "Sustainability in Action" a meeting taking place on Thursday, September 26, in Salinas, California, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the CSUMB City Center. It's an invaluable experience for agricultural producers and processors that would like to get started in building out their sustainability programs or streamline those that already exist.
September 04, 2019
California Giant Berry Farms Introduces
Sustainability Initiative
WATSONVILLE, CA - Consumers aren't the only ones looking to be more environmentally friendly, with companies like California Giant Berry Farms making major sustainability strides. This year, the berry company is introducing a new sustainability initiative to not only be more conscientious of the environment, but also to increase efficiencies and profitability, reduce costs, and engage employees.
May 22, 2019
Measure to Improve's Nikki Rodoni Recognized as a Clean Air Leader
SALINAS, CA - Congratulations are in order for sustainability activist and produce industry pro Nikki Rodoni, CEO of Measuer to Improve (MTI) who just received a Leadership Award of Distinction at the Clean Air Awards from the Monterey Bay Air Resource District.
May 13, 2019
Measuring sustainability is key to progress, panel says
PALM DESERT, CA - Produce companies who ignore measuring sustainability do so at their increasing peril, panelists said at The Packer's West Coast Produce Expo.
In a May 10 session moderated by Produce Retailer Editor Ashley Nickle, produce industry leaders talked about how they define sustainability, make it a priority and measure their efforts.
January 10, 2019
Measure to Improve's Founder and CEO Nikki Rodoni Discusses Sustainability
SALINAS, CA - As an industry, how do we define sustainability? And how do we define it in such a way that garners a response strong enough or inspires companies to enact change? These are the questions that Measure to Improve’s Founder and CEO, Nikki Rodoni, strives to answer.
“More simply, sustainability has three pillars: people, planet, and profit. You must include all three to really define something as truly sustainable,” Nikki explains.
January 7, 2019
California Giant Berry Farms Introduces Sustainability Initiative
With ever-changing industry trends, food forecasting and technology advancements, there is a topic that is also trending as the new year rolls on sustainability.
The conversation of sustainability began at California Giant Berry Farms years ago when they met with Nikki Rodoni, chief executive officer of Measure to Improve...
December 19, 2018
The Produce Moms Podcast
"Sustainability is meeting the needs of the future without compromising future generations."
This week on the Produce Moms podcast, we are learning more about sustainability from Nikki Rodoni, the Founder and CEO of Measure to Improve. Measure to Improve exists to help producers and processors measure, improve and credibly promote thier sustainability efforts. They provide analysis, resources, and training, among many other services.
November 15, 2018
In Their Words — Nikki Rodoni
Nikki Rodoni founded Measure to Improve (MTI) in 2014, with the goal of becoming a full-service sustainability consulting company committed to helping growers/shippers and processors collect, validate, and communicate their sustainability initiatives and credibly respond to environmentally and socially conscious consumers inquiring about where, what and how their food is produced.
MTI has worked with its clients on a variety of sustainability programs, including water management, energy, and waste reduction programs, and responding to buyer surveys.
June 21, 2018
Monterey County Producers Lead Sustainability Efforts in Zero Waste
Measure to Improve Clients Awarded the Highest Level of Zero Waste Certification
SALINAS, CA. – Measure to Improve, LLC. (MTI), agriculture industry sustainability consultants, has guided two leading Monterey County producers in developing their zero waste programs. These programs have now achieved the highest levels of TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) certification through Green Business Certification, Inc. (GBCI). Pursuing zero waste goals helped these companies do more than simply reduce the amount of waste that goes to the local landfill: Taylor Farms and Ippolito International have both discovered financial savings by becoming more resource efficient, a win-win for the community and these companies.
May 8, 2018
"Measure to Improve" Succeeds
New Salinas Chamber member "Measure to Improve" assisted their client Ippolity International in earning two TRUE Gold Zero Wast Certifications for it's Value Added Facility and Packing Shed; a first for Monterey County.
April 4, 2018
Ippolito International Earns Two TRUE Golds Certifications for its Merrill Street and Blackie Road Facilities
SALINAS, CA - Ippolito International has announced that it is the first grower/shipper in Monterey County to have been awarded a Gold certification under TRUE (Total Resource Use and Efficiency) certification system for its Value-Added Facility and Brussels Sprouts Packing Facility. TRUE, administered by Green Business Certification Inc. (GBCI), aims to help facilities define, pursue, and achieve zero waste goals while becoming more resource efficient.
February 26, 2018
Measure to Improve Partners with Ten Greener Fields Together and PRO*ACT to Reduce Waste to Landfills, Dan Canales Comments
MONTEREY, CA – Agriculture industry consultant Measure to Improve is teaming up with Greener Fields Together (GFT) to launch a new sustainability program to reduce waste across the supply chain. Ten of PRO*ACT’s top suppliers have already signed the Waste Reduction Pledge to help reduce waste sent to landfills from their facilities.
November 14, 2017
THINK BEYOND PLASTIC™ ANNOUNCES EXECUTIVE ADVISORS
MONTEREY, CA and BRUSSELS, EU– Think Beyond Plastic™, the global leader in advancing solutions to plastic pollution through innovation and entrepreneurship, announced today that it has formed an Advisory Board to steer the work of the Sam Farr Innovation Center, which will accelerate commercialization of research and innovation with focus on plastic pollution.
November 14, 2017
Measure to Improve's Nikki Rodoni Joins Think Beyond Plastic™ Advisory Board
MONTEREY, CA - Industry sustainability advocate and Measure to Improve CEO Nikki Rodoni has joined the Advisory Board of an influential global leader in advancing solutions to plastic pollution this week. Rodoni will now be part of the newly established Board for Think Beyond Plastic™, joining the likes of Mann Packing’s Gina Nucci, Driscoll’s Scott Komar, and other top sustainability influencers in the produce industry and beyond.
September 20, 2017
Salinas Land Company and California Orchard Company Celebrating 100-years of Business in Salinas Valley
GREENFIELD, CA – King City-based California Orchard Company and The Salinas Land Company are celebrating their 100-year anniversary. The two companies are celebrating the auspicious occasion with their Salinas Land Co. and California Orchard Company Centennial Celebration held September 22, 2017 from 11:00AM to 4:00PM at the the Los Ositos Vineyards.
January 9, 2017
Measure to Improve, LLC Announces New CORE Sustainability Services
SALINAS, CA - Measure to Improve, LLC, the produce industry’s “go-to” sustainability consulting experts, today released its new core services to help customers achieve a better ROI from their sustainability efforts, mitigate potential risks, and respond favorably to sustainability requests from retailers and distributors
November 17, 2016
Measure to Improve Earns Zero Waste Accreditation
Measure to Improve, LLC Nikki Rodoni and Wyatt Maysey Earn Certified Zero Waste Business Associate accreditation from the U.S. Zero Waste Business Council.
June 7, 2016
Monterey County Sustainability Working Group Meeting Concludes, Focuses on Food Waste
The Monterey County Sustainable Working Group's recent meeting featuring author and expert Dana Gunders, attracted a large and diverse group to learn about and discuss the challenge of reducing food waste.