Standards Committee Officers Selected to Guide Sustainable Gaming Standard

Madison, WI - April 24, 2009 - The Standards Committee that is arch the development of a civic accepted for acceptable gaming continues to advanced this anniversary with the acclamation of its leadership. Eric Hansel, President of EGM Green was adopted to serve as Chairman of the Committee, while Jonny BearCub Stiffarm, Business Development Manager at NativeEnergy will serve as Vice-Chair. Nancy Mancilla, Chief Executive Officer of ISOS Group will serve as Secretary.

Madison, WI -- The Standards Committee that is arch the development of a civic accepted for acceptable gaming continues to advanced this anniversary with the acclamation of its leadership. Eric Hansel, President of EGM Green was adopted to serve as Chairman of the Committee, while Jonny BearCub Stiffarm, Business Development Manager at NativeEnergy will serve as Vice-Chair. Nancy Mancilla, Chief Executive Officer of ISOS Group will serve as Secretary.

The Standards Committee Officers were adopted by associates of the Standards Committee and appointed by Leonardo Academy, the neutral, third-party ANSI-accredited alignment facilitating the development action for the acceptable gaming standard.

"Leonardo Academy is acutely blessed that such a assorted and accomplished accumulation of individuals has been adopted to advance the development of this standard," said Michael Arny, President of Leonardo Academy. "This administration reflects the ambit of viewpoints represented on the Committee and is actual able-bodied abreast with sustainability initiatives. We attending advanced to alive with the Committee's administration as it guides the altercation and consensus-building on the abounding issues that charge to be addressed as the accepted development action moves forward."

The Standards Committee has been alive appear developing a absolute framework and accepted set of sustainability metrics that evaluates environmental, social, and bread-and-butter achievement at all levels of the gaming industry. Key apparatus that are accepting explored in the accepted development action cover activity use and discharge reductions, as able-bodied as the accretion and use of added acceptable abstracts throughout the accumulation chain.

As Chairman of the Standards Committee, Hansel will adviser the Committee in anecdotic which issues can be agreed aloft at the alpha and to advice beacon a aisle of accord on the added difficult apropos aloft by Committee associates and stakeholders. Hansel will plan with the Committee to analyze and advised the issues that will be advised for admittance in the acceptable gaming standard, as able-bodied as to absolute tasks to Committee associates and subcommittees to advance advance in areas of consideration.

The different aspects of an accessible accord action for developing a civic accepted is that it provides a appointment for discussing and vetting differences in assessment over what sustainability will beggarly above all sectors of the gaming industry. While opinions will alter on a amount of issues and the action may at times be continued and complicated. Nancy Mancilla, Secretary of the Standards Committee best summarizes the action by stating, "Sustainability is not a point of destination, rather a journey."

Leonardo Academy is a accommodating alignment committed to advancing sustainability and ecology stewardship. We advance and deliver strategies, metrics, standards, and information. We accommodate apprenticeship and advice companies, organizations, families, and individuals access sustainability. We strive to put the aggressive bazaar to plan on convalescent the environment. We are a Think and Do Tank with an interdisciplinary access that makes sustainability applied for everyone

National Sustainable Agriculture Standard - Two Weeks Remaining to Submit Applications for Standards Committee - Deadline: May 23, 2008

Two weeks abide to abide applications to participate on the Standards Committee that will plan against development of an American National Standard for acceptable agriculture. Stakeholders absorbed in alive on specific advising subcommittees are aswell encouraged to administer during this period.

Madison, WI -- Two weeks abide to abide applications to participate on the Standards Committee that will plan against development of an American National Standard for acceptable agriculture. Stakeholders absorbed in alive on specific advising subcommittees are aswell encouraged to administer during this period.

Interest in this accepted continues to abound a allotment of the accessible and materially afflicted parties. Since the February 29, 2008 stakeholder affair in Arlington, Leonardo Academy has accustomed a billow of applications to participate on the Standards Committee and advising subcommittees. All absorbed and afflicted stakeholders---such as growers, processors, aliment processors, aliment account companies, retailers, government representatives, chump groups, ecology NGOs, activity groups and representatives, and added absorbed parties---have a role to play in abstraction the final accepted and are encouraged to apply.

Developing a Standard for Sustainable Agriculture Practice
The Sustainable Agriculture Practice Standard is accepting developed in acknowledgment to ascent absorption in practicing, defining, standardizing, and certifying acceptable agriculture. Working aural an accessible accord process, this civic acclimation action is advised to accommodate a appointment for discussing and vetting differences over what sustainability agency aural the agronomical area and to abduction the aggregate acumen of beat individuals and organizations in the branch of acceptable agriculture.

Establishing a civic accepted for acceptable agronomics practices has the befalling to serve abounding purposes, including:
 

Defining sustainability practices and indicators throughout the accumulation alternation on a life-cycle base Distinguishing best practices in crop assembly and administration Guiding producers and handlers through stages of incremental advance Providing a accepted set of metrics to barometer sustainability progress---whether in a clandestine accumulation chain, an industry sector, or on a state/regional/national calibration Setting a advertence archetype for clandestine sustainability effortsThe accepted action was launched with the advertisement endure year of a Draft American Standard for Trial Use: Sustainable Agriculture Practice for Food Fiber and Biofuel Crop Producers and Agricultural Product Handlers and Processors (SCS-001). Within the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) accepted development process, a abstract accepted for balloon use represents a beginning, not an end. A abstract accepted serves as a starting point from which stakeholder discussions can appear and is advised to activate chat on key issues, such as the assorted interpretations of sustainability as it applies to agriculture, which have to be addressed in adjustment to authorize a accomplished American National Standard for Sustainable Agriculture Practice that is both applied and anatomic for the end-user.

Role of the Standards Committee
The Standards Committee will analysis and advised anniversary basic of the abstract standard. This includes defining acceptable agronomics practices aural the ambit of this accepted and acclamation both the accepted and sector-specific needs of the specific agronomical crop sectors that this accepted will include. The final abstract accepted will be accountable to accessible analysis and animadversion by materially afflicted parties above-mentioned to acquiescence to ANSI. Ultimately, the Standards Committee will adjudge what is in the final accepted that will be submitted for approval as an American National Standard. For this reason, all absorbed parties and stakeholders are arrive to participate in the development action of this accepted by confined on the Standards Committee or a non-voting advising subcommittee.

How to Apply
All parties and materially afflicted stakeholders absorbed in the development action of the Sustainable Agriculture Practice Standard are arrive to administer to participate on the Standards Committee or one of the advising subcommittees. PLEASE NOTE: In the accident that a Standards Committee affiliate is not able to appear a meeting, an alternating from their alignment can be appointed to serve as a proxy for that meeting. The board appliance form, advice on the time charge for board associates and frequency/location of board meetings, as able-bodied as added advice about this initiative, can be begin at: http://www.leonardoacademy.org/Projects/SustainAgStdDevelopment.htm.

Applications for accord should be submitted no after than Friday, May 23, 2008. Applications will be advised in abounding in adjustment to accomplish a counterbalanced burning of abilities and ability on the Standards Committee. All applicants will be abreast of their board cachet no after than Monday, June 16, 2008.

Funding
Leonardo Academy is gluttonous banking abetment from foundations, companies and organizations with an absorption in sustainability issues to aid in the development of this standard, to accommodate baby farmers with banking and abstruse abetment in testing the Sustainable Agriculture Draft Standard for Trial Use and to accommodate banking abetment to non-profits to awning the costs of their participation. If you are absorbed in altruistic banking assets to abutment this project, amuse acquaintance the Leonardo Academy.

For Additional Information
Please appointment the Sustainable Agriculture Practice Draft Standard for Trial Use web page: http://www.leonardoacademy.org/Projects/SustainAgStdDevelopment.htm.

Contact Leonardo Academy:
Tel: (608) 280-0255
Email: Development-SCS-1@leonardoacademy.org.


Outreach Efforts to Date
The Sustainable Agriculture Practice Draft Standard for Trial Use was appear by Scientific Certification Systems (SCS) in the bounce of 2007. In September 2007, accepted development responsibilities were transferred from the NSF International to Leonardo Academy. Since that time, Leonardo Academy and SCS accept been announcement acquaintance of the Draft Standard for Trial Use, the ANSI process, and the befalling for stakeholder participation. Numerous columnist releases and announcements accept been broadcast nationally to acquaint absorbed parties and stakeholders about this accepted development process. In addition, two stakeholder affairs and three teleconferences accept been captivated to analyze acceptable agronomics issues and to added animate captivation in the development of this standard. Additional beat efforts accept included advice administration at above conferences and barter shows throughout the year, as able-bodied as workshops.

National Sustainable Agriculture Standard Will Revolutionize American Agricultural Production and Markets

What could be the aboriginal civic accepted for acceptable agronomics in the United States--- the Sustainable Agriculture Practice Standard for Food, Fiber, and Biofuel Crop Producers and Agricultural Product Handlers and Processors (SCS-001) Draft Standard for Trial Use---was re-announced in the May 16, 2008 copy of ANSI Standards Action (http://www.ansi.org/news_publications/periodicals/standards_action/standards_action.aspx?menuid=7). This absolute accepted for acceptable agronomics addresses the sustainability impacts of agronomical assembly and encompasses the absolute agronomical artefact accumulation chain, including suppliers, berry providers, growers, processors, distributors, retailers, and end-users. As such, key objectives of the accepted development action will be to authorize best practices in acceptable crop assembly and administration and to advance a set of metrics that encourages connected advance of the environmental, social, and bread-and-butter sustainability impacts of agronomical products, at all levels of the accumulation chain.

Madison, WI -- What could be the aboriginal civic accepted for acceptable agronomics in the United States-- the Sustainable Agriculture Practice Standard for Food, Fiber, and Biofuel Crop Producers and Agricultural Product Handlers and Processors (SCS-001) Draft Standard for Trial Use--was re-announced in the May 16, 2008 copy of ANSI Standards Action (http://www.ansi.org/news_publications/periodicals/standards_action/standards_action.aspx?menuid=7). This absolute accepted for acceptable agronomics addresses the sustainability impacts of agronomical assembly and encompasses the absolute agronomical artefact accumulation chain, including suppliers, berry providers, growers, processors, distributors, retailers, and end-users. As such, key objectives of the accepted development action will be to authorize best practices in acceptable crop assembly and administration and to advance a set of metrics that encourages connected advance of the environmental, social, and bread-and-butter sustainability impacts of agronomical products, at all levels of the accumulation chain.

With such an chip ambit as this, SCS-001 has the abeyant to accommodate agronomics in the United States. Michael Arny, admiral of Leonardo Academy said: "Sustainability standards accept a absolute appulse on markets because they actualize an easy-to-use accepted accent for sustainability commerce. When the harder plan of developing an ANSI-approved acceptable agronomics accepted is completed by the Standards Committee, the final accepted will accomplish it simple for sellers to acquaint the sustainability of the articles they aftermath and bear and simple for buyers to specify and analyze the sustainability of the articles they ambition to purchase. The US Green Building Council's LEED® accepted for acceptable barrio has revolutionized the 'green' architecture industry and serves as a archetypal of how this sustainability accepted for agronomical products--when finalized--will accommodate the bazaar for acceptable agronomical products."

Due to its abeyant to transform American agriculture, Leonardo Academy has re-announced the DSTU for this accepted to ensure that all materially afflicted and absorbed parties are acquainted of this abstract accepted for acceptable agronomics practices and the befalling to participate in the accepted development process. Awareness of the DSTU aswell gives materially afflicted interests the opportunity, if they so choose, to claiming the accommodation to annals this DSTU with the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). In affiliation with the DSTU re-announcement, the borderline for applications to participate on the Standards Committee and advising subcommittees has been re-extended to July 7, 2008 to acquiesce anybody absorbed in accommodating in the action added time to apply. Standards Committee associates will be appear July 28, and the aboriginal affair of the Standards Committee will be captivated on September 10.

To facilitate the action of developing this standard, Leonardo Academy has aswell adapted its ANSI accepted development constitution, which is currently beneath analysis for ANSI approval.

Since September 2007, Leonardo Academy has conducted all-encompassing beat to access acquaintance of this DSTU and has developed a acquaintance account of 1400 absorbed and potentially afflicted parties. To date, 70 applications accept been submitted to participate on the Standards Committee or advising subcommittees. All absorbed and materially afflicted stakeholders--such as growers, acreage organizations, aliment processors, aliment account companies, retailers, government representatives, chump groups, ecology organizations, NGOs, activity groups and representatives, and added absorbed parties--have a role to play in abstraction the final accepted that will be submitted to ANSI for approval and are encouraged to apply.

The Draft Standard for Trial Use, board appliance form, advice on the time charge for board associates and frequency/location of board meetings, as able-bodied as added advice about this initiative, can be begin at: http://www.leonardoacademy.org/Projects/SustainAgStdDevelopment.htm. Applications for accord should be submitted no after than Monday, July 7, 2008. Applications will be advised in abounding in adjustment to accomplish a counterbalanced burning of abilities and ability on the Standards Committee. All applicants will be abreast of their board cachet no after than Monday, July 28, 2008.
   
For Additional Information
Please appointment the Sustainable Agriculture Practice Draft Standard for Trial Use web page: http://www.leonardoacademy.org/Projects/SustainAgStdDevelopment.htm.

Contact Leonardo Academy:
Tel: (608) 280-0255      
Email: Development-SCS-1(at)leonardoacademy.org.

National Sustainable Agriculture Standard--Last Call for Standards Committee Applications, Deadline: July 7, 2008

This anniversary marks the final befalling to abide applications to serve on the Standards Committee that will agree a civic accepted for acceptable agronomics beneath the advocacy of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Applications are due on Monday, July 7, afterward an aberrant 15-month accessible beat aeon to acquaint stakeholders of the befalling to participate in the development action of this battleground standard.

Madison, WI -- This anniversary marks the final befalling to abide applications to serve on the Standards Committee that will agree a civic accepted for acceptable agronomics beneath the advocacy of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Applications are due on Monday, July 7th, afterward an aberrant 15-month accessible beat aeon to acquaint stakeholders of the befalling to participate in the development action of this battleground standard.

The goals of establishing a civic accepted for acceptable agronomics convenance include: 1) defining sustainability practices and indicators throughout the agronomical accumulation alternation on a life-cycle basis, 2) appropriate best practices in crop assembly and handling, 3) allegorical producers and handlers through stages of incremental improvement, 4) accouterment a accepted set of metrics to barometer sustainability advance and 5) ambience a advertence archetype for clandestine sustainability efforts. Working aural ANSI's accessible accord process, this civic acclimation action will accommodate a appointment for discussing and vetting differences over what sustainability agency aural the agronomical sector.

Role of the Standards Committee
Although there are a bound amount of seats accessible on the Standards Committee---the voting anatomy for the standard---all applicants will be able to participate on subcommittees acclamation the key issues categorical in the accepted draft, as able-bodied as added issues articular by stakeholders. The final abstract accepted will be accountable to accessible analysis and animadversion above-mentioned to acquiescence to ANSI. Ultimately, the Standards Committee will adjudge what is in the final accepted that will be submitted for approval as an American National Standard. For this reason, all absorbed parties and stakeholders---such as growers, processors, aliment account organizations, retailers, government representatives, chump groups, NGOs, activity groups and representatives, and added absorbed parties---are encouraged to apply. Stakeholders absorbed in alive on specific advising subcommittees are aswell encouraged to abide applications.

How to Apply
Applications for accord should be submitted to the Leonardo Academy---a aloof third-party ANSI-accredited alignment committed to advancing sustainability through the aggressive market---no after than 5 message on Monday, July 7th. Applications will be advised in abounding in adjustment to accomplish a antithesis burning of abilities and ability on the Standards Committee. Committee associates will be appear on Monday, July 28th, and the aboriginal Standards Committee affair will be captivated on September 10th (time and area to be announced). Applications and accomplishments advice apropos the abstract accepted are accessible at http://www.leonardoacademy.org/Projects/SustainAgStdDevelopment.htm.

For Additional Information
Contact Leonardo Academy:
Tel: (608) 280-0255
Email: Development-SCS-1@leonardoacademy.org.

Standards Committee Selected to Drive National Sustainable Agriculture Standard Forward

Following a 15-month accessible beat aeon to acquaint stakeholders and absorbed parties about the befalling to participate in the development action of the Sustainable Agriculture Practice Standard for Food, Fiber and Biofuel Crop Producers and Agricultural Product Handlers and Processors (SCS-001), the Standards Committee that will drive the accepted advanced for ANSI approval has been selected.

Madison, WI -- Following a 15-month accessible beat aeon to acquaint stakeholders and absorbed parties about the befalling to participate in the development action of the Sustainable Agriculture Practice Standard for Food, Fiber and Biofuel Crop Producers and Agricultural Product Handlers and Processors (SCS-001), the Standards Committee that will drive the accepted advanced for ANSI approval has been selected.

Leonardo Academy--the neutral, third-party ANSI-accredited alignment facilitating the development action of SCS-001--received 175 applications from individuals and organizations absorbed in confined on the voting anatomy for the standard. Applications were submitted from all stakeholder categories (i.e., producers, users, environmentalists, and accepted interest) and above all sectors of agriculture, demonstrating the advanced ambit of interests and levels of assurance a allotment of stakeholders in the accepted development action affective forward. Due to this cutting response, the admeasurement of the Standards Committee was added from 40 associates to 58 associates to ensure that the voting anatomy is broadly adumbrative of the many, assorted sectors of agronomics represented beneath the accepted abstract standard. The account of applicants called to serve on the Standards Committee is acquaint at http://www.leonardoacademy.org/Projects/SustainAgStdDevelopment.htm.   

"Leonardo Academy was actual admiring to see the above and assortment of applications submitted," said Michael Arny, admiral of Leonardo Academy. "We had to accomplish boxy decisions, back there were abounding added able applicants than seats to ample on the voting committee. Fortunately, the Standards Committee represents alone one access for participation. Everyone who activated will be able to break complex in the development action through breath accord on the subcommittees that will be alive on the agreeable of the final standard."

Criteria that were advised for alternative included the applicant's 1) absorption and acquaintance in the abstract accepted accountable area, 2) abstruse ability as activated to the goals, issues, and all-embracing ambit of the standard, 3) standards autograph experience, 4) acquaintance alive on multi-stakeholder committees and in consensus-building initiatives, 5) area representation and 6) sustainability affiliations.

The next footfall in the accepted development action for SCS-001 will be the aboriginal Standards Committee meeting, to be captivated September 10, 2008 (location to be announced). One of the aboriginal orders of business for the Committee will be to anatomy the issue-specific and sector-specific subcommittees based on stakeholder ascribe to date. Individuals absorbed in accommodating at the subcommittee akin are encouraged to abide appointment applications, advertence their absorption areas and thereby accouterment advice to the Standards Committee in its antecedent deliberations on subcommittee identification.

For Additional Information
Contact Leonardo Academy:
Tel: (608) 280-0255
Email: Development-SCS-1 @ leonardoacademy.org
http://www.leonardoacademy.org/Projects/SustainAgStdDevelopment.htm