The project started in 2003 when Arvalis-L'Institut du Végétal proposed that Green Giant develop a quality and sustainability charter for sweet corn production. All producers of Green Giant sweet corn have been certified under this charter since 2004.
The charter requires producers to achieve the following:
- to know the field, including its history in terms of culture, soil composition and inputs;
- to adapt agricultural practices according to the specific characteristics of the soil;
- to fertilize in accordance with established rules for quantity and usage;
- to make irrigation decisions based on soil water content and/or water balance;
- to maintain biodiversity around waterways and protect crops rationally by making a risk assessment and following a specific protection plan ;
- to observe and record 44 points of data related to the production area for at least 5 years (irrigation treatments applied, crops done, etc. ); and
- to conduct a self-assessment every 3 years to validate compliance and progress against the requirements set forth in the charter.
Self-assessments are collected by Arvalis-L’Institut du Végétal and are used to track results and help propose changes in agricultural practices. A panel of the enrolled sweet corn growers also are audited annually by a third party.
A logo was established in 2010 to acknowledge and promote the excellent work of sweet corn growers who operate under the princples of the charter.
Since the charter’s implementation, most producers of sweet corn have seen the following results:
- a significant decrease in their use of water, fertilizers and herbicides/insecticides
- an improvement in their crop quantities
- an increase in the quality of sweet corn
- a significant economic benefit
The implementation of the charter has proven to be a win-win for farmers and the environment.
