Fresh Picks & Sustainability Tips: May 2026
We’ve been having a lot of the same conversations lately. What are we hearing across the industry? Things are not getting simpler.
Expectations, requirements, and priorities continue to shift, and signals are mixed.
At the federal level, ongoing discussions around environmental policy and oversight create uncertainty about how sustainability and regenerative practices will be supported over time.
At the same time, states like California are moving forward with more defined requirements. Packaging laws are now requiring companies to track, report, and take financial responsibility for the packaging they put into the market.
The challenge isn’t effort. It’s clarity.
What actually matters when it comes to sustainability? Where should teams focus? How do you move forward without overbuilding or wasting time?
We know these are hard times for growers and produce companies. Margins are tight, capacity is limited, and not every sustainability investment comes with a simple short-term ROI. More often, the business case is about staying prepared, avoiding larger costs later, maintaining market access, and keeping pace with where customer and compliance expectations are headed.
What’s Changing: Sustainability is no longer about sharing practices, but backing them up with data, documentation, and systems that hold up over time. That can feel like a lot.
What to Focus On: Instead of adding to the noise, the focus should be simple. Focus on making sustainability and compliance practical, manageable, and aligned with how your operation actually runs.That’s what we’re focused on at Measure to Improve!
In this issue of Fresh Picks & Sustainability Tips, we’re focusing on where sustainability is becoming more defined and where teams are starting to take action.
None of the work below is about doing more for the sake of it. It’s about putting the right pieces in place so you’re prepared, aligned, and able to respond with confidence as expectations continue to evolve.
Warmest Regards,
Nikki Cossio - Founder & CEO - Measure to Improve
California Walnut LCA (Life Cycle Assesment)
Work is underway to build credible, industry-level data that reflects how California walnuts are actually produced moving beyond individual claims toward something the full supply chain can stand behind.
This is where things are heading: aggregated, defensible data that buyers and markets can rely on. Not one-off claims.
California Soil Health Field Days
MTI’s Sustainability Program Manager, Gabe Worthington, recently attended California Soil Health Field Days to see what’s actually working in the field.
From diverse cover crop mixes that have reduced pesticide applications to sheep grazing integration that quadruples nutrient cycling, the takeaway is clear: these practices are not theoretical. They’re being implemented today, and the operations building integrated soil health systems today aren't just farming more sustainably, they're building a durable competitive advantage.
EPR (Extended Producer Responsibility)
EPR is no longer something to monitor, it’s something to respond to.
As highlighted in recent coverage featuring Corinne Carney in The Packer, packaging is now directly tied to cost, reporting, and compliance. For produce companies, this introduces new operational and financial exposure that needs to be understood now not later.
Featured: New Podcast on USDA AMP
Kyle Cosgrove and Nikki Cossio recently joined Vonnie Estes on Fresh Takes on Tech to talk about the USDA Advancing Markets for Producers (AMP) Program.
At the center of the conversation is a challenge we’re seeing across the industry: a gap between what growers are doing on the farm and what the market actually recognizes and values.
AMP is designed to help close that gap by:
Creating a structured way to test and implement practices
Capturing meaningful, field-level data
Reducing grower risk
Translating on-farm work into something the supply chain can understand and support
If you’re trying to connect sustainability efforts to real market outcomes, this is a practical place to start.
Staying Close to What’s Next
We continue to stay engaged with groups like the Sustainable Packaging Coalition and show up at key industry events, both in the room and in the field, to understand where things are actually heading.
We take what we see, hear, and learn and translate it into clear, practical direction for our clients so decisions are based on what’s coming next, not what’s already outdated.
Where You’ll Find Measure to Improve:
Vineyard Team Tailgate: Holistic Soil Health May 8, 2026
IFPA & OSF Host: A Showcase of orchard Innovation May 21, 2026
2026 Salinas Biological Summit June 23-24, 2026
Organic Produce Summit July 13-16, 2026
If you’ll be at any of these events, reach out we would love to connect.
Your Partner In Produce Sustainability
Though reporting has just wrapped, sustainability is year-round and Measure to Improve (MTI) is your trusted partner for navigating sustainability in the fresh produce industry.
Our team brings deep industry knowledge, practical strategies, and hands-on experience to help businesses stay competitive in an evolving landscape. From strategy and implementation to reporting and compliance, now is the time to start planning for 2026.
