SALINAS, CA – Measure to Improve (MTI), a sustainability consulting firm and the fresh produce industry’s go-to sustainability experts, is launching a software solution designed to help growers respond to Walmart and similar buyer surveys efficiently and effectively.
One of MTI’s Core Programs and Services is Buyer Survey Support, which supports clients in responding to buyer sustainability information requests accurately, completely, and confidently. With years of experience working with clients on these requests, MTI has seen how challenging, time-consuming, and confusing collecting and reporting this information can be for growers. Collecting this information often requires chasing down data from multiple sources and locations and manipulating the data to address specific survey questions and topics within a limited amount of time.
“The produce industry faces unique obstacles related to seasonality, multiple cropping systems, and complex production systems that make it more difficult to respond to surveys designed for a broad range of agricultural suppliers,” says Nikki Cossio, CEO and Founder of Measure to Improve. “After years of collaborating with our clients throughout the fresh produce supply chain, the critical need for an all-encompassing software solution to address these challenges became apparent.”
To address these challenges, in 2022, MTI began looking for an ideal partner(s) capable of developing a software solution tailored to these needs. MTI initiated discussions with various companies, carefully evaluated their offerings to ensure alignment with its vision, and, through this process, found a strong alignment with CropTrak and iDecisionSciences (IDS). Both companies are committed to serving the industry’s needs with a user-friendly tool that simplifies data collection and aggregation and enhances the value of this information as a management and decision-making resource. CropTrak is known for its easy-to-use, grower-friendly data solutions, and IDS has a solid reputation for data analysis, aggregation, and transformation along produce supply chains. Combined with MTI’s extensive expertise in sustainability, this collaboration forms an excellent team to refine and bring this new tool to the industry.
“Several of our major customers have used CropTrak form-based software to collect survey metrics for sustainability initiatives in recent years,” says Landon Morris, Vice President of Marketing for CropTrak. “The leading perspectives from MTI and IDS together allowed us to develop a standalone application built specifically to address this growing market need,”
The MTI, IDS and CropTrak collaboration has accelerated CropTrak’s commercialization timeline for a survey-focused application to support growers, suppliers, and retailers. The solution will automate and streamline various manual steps involved in data gathering, input, aggregation, analysis, and interpretation. It will also facilitate real-time data collection for growers, enabling them not only to be prepared for survey requests but also to utilize the gathered information for informed management decisions. Among the software’s benefits will be the capability for aggregators to engage in peer-to-peer comparisons, fostering positive change, collaboration, and sharing best practices within the industry.
“We are excited to partner with MTI and CropTrak on a supply chain solution that supports growers,” expressed Diane Wetherington, CEO of iDecisionSciences. “Our joint efforts will enable the seamless exchange of sustainability insights across the entire supply chain and help ensure that consumers are well-informed about the ongoing sustainability initiatives to produce their food. As with food safety, sustainability is an ongoing journey that we all acknowledge as crucial for safeguarding the availability of healthy food in both the present and the future.”
Measure to Improve is currently conducting a limited software release to a select group of existing clients. The tool is scheduled for public release in 2024.
About CropTrak:
Established in 2009, CropTrak’s guiding mission is to enhance the integrity of the food supply chain. Its digital operating system connects some of the world’s largest food and agriculture companies with their suppliers and growers to collect, manage, process and report data and metrics on crop production, supplier contracts, financial settlements, and sustainability initiatives, powering business-critical processes across tens of millions of acres around the world.
About IDS:
For more than 13 years, iDecisionSciences (IDS) has provided high-quality, science-based and technology consulting, as well as software and data solutions for the food supply chain. IDS helps food businesses large and small build science and technology driven supply chain programs focused on safety, security, and availability.
About Measure to Improve:
Founded in 2014, Measure to Improve’s mission is to help produce companies measure, improve, and credibly promote their sustainability efforts. Our clients include produce growers, packers, shippers, and industry associations across the United States. Our staff has a proven track record of helping companies identify and implement strategies to increase efficiency and reduce impacts. By supporting clients in setting ambitious, but attainable, sustainability goals, MTI encourages progress that can be validated and marketed. MTI’s projects address a variety of sustainability challenges, including water and energy efficiency, greenhouse gas emission reporting, waste reduction, sustainable packaging, regenerative ag practices, social accountability and sustainability certifications.
