Who should be in charge of sustainability?

I see it all the time: a request for sustainability data comes in and gets routed straight to Marketing or Food Safety. It makes sense — Marketing knows how to tell your story, and Food Safety knows how to track compliance. But sustainability requires a broader lens and collaboration across the entire organization.

To be credible and effective, sustainability needs the right data and the right people working together across departments. It can’t succeed in a silo.

In my latest article, I share why sustainability needs to be a team effort, where to start if you’re not sure how to build that structure, and how a simple Green Team can turn good intentions into real progress.

Read the full article here and see how you can strengthen your sustainability efforts from the inside out.

Warmest Regards,

Nikki Cossio - Founder & CEO - Measure to Improve

Discovering Biochar: A Hands-On Introduction at Niner Wine Estates

At Measure to Improve, we’re always exploring practical, science-backed solutions that help our clients strengthen their sustainability programs. Biochar has been coming up more often, especially in conversations around soil health, waste reduction, and carbon sequestration. But it’s a topic that still feels unfamiliar or abstract to many.

That’s why we were excited to attend the Biochar Field Day at Niner Wine Estates. This event moved the conversation from concept to application, and provided a hands-on, accessible introduction to how biochar is produced, used, and evaluated.

The takeaway was clear: biochar can be a valuable tool. When integrated strategically, it can support soil health, reduce water use, and repurpose agricultural byproducts into something of lasting value.

Read The Article

Brassicas, Broccoli Stems, and Bots: What I Saw at the Seminis Field Day

On May 21st, I attended the Brassica Leafy Field Day hosted by Seminis at their San Juan Bautista Research Station. It was a full day of field tours, ag tech demonstrations, and conversations about what the future of leafy greens and brassicas might look like, from genetics to harvest automation.

Seminis is doing more than breeding broccoli - they’re rethinking how it’s grown, harvested, and even eaten. One highlight was a taller broccoli variety designed for mechanical harvest, aimed at increasing harvest efficiency.

We also got a front-row look at an automated broccoli harvester, developed by a U.S.–Netherlands engineering team. The harvester uses advanced vision and machine learning to detect and cut market-ready broccoli heads, assess for defects, and determine harvest readiness in real time. It moves faster than a typical hand crew, representing a significant leap forward in labor efficiency. While still early in commercial deployment, the technology is already being piloted by select growers with plans to expand.

Read The Article

Ready to Take the Next Step Toward Sustainability?

At Measure to Improve, we understand the unique challenges and opportunities facing the fresh produce industry — and we’re here to help you turn sustainability commitments into meaningful results.

Whether you’re looking to build a clear sustainability strategy, respond to buyer requirements with confidence, achieve certification, adopt regenerative practices, or reduce waste across your operations, our proven programs and expert team will guide you every step of the way.

Explore our Core Programs and discover how we can help you advance your sustainability goals:

Sustainability Strategy Planning — Build your roadmap for sustainable success.
Buyer Survey Support & Compliance — Turn requirements into results.
Sustainability Certification — Navigate certification with ease.
Regenerative Agriculture Services — Invest in your farm’s resilience and profitability.
Zero Waste Program — Keep waste out of the landfill and demonstrate leadership.

Let’s work together to create a more sustainable future for fresh produce.

Our Sustainability Solutions