SmartRice Sustainability Claims Verified by SCS Global Services
SmartRice, a rice product grown more sustainably to reduce the use of agricultural resources per harvest, has been verified by SCS Global Services for their sustainability claims related to use of water, greenhouse gas emissions, and land use.
“We’re really proud to see the verification of our SmartRice product with results meeting and exceeding our claims,” said Tim Williamson, RiceTec Marketing Director. “This is a big step in providing a more sustainable food source to feed the world’s growing demand.”
VERIFICATION:
The verification approach included determination of baseline for rice growing practices in the Mid-South and their quantified impact on water, greenhouse gas emissions and land use in relation to the SmartRice claims, as well as retroactive verification of Whitaker farm validations for their 2020 SmartRice crop through record review and interviews.
CLAIMS:
On the claim that 5,900 gallons of water is saved, based on a standard household size of 2.59 members, or at least 50% less water is used to grow SmartRice, SCS Global Services found that 51% less water was used per acre compared to conventional rice production in the Mid-South. Additionally, SCS also found that the water saved for a household eating average quantities of rice amounted to 930,724 gallons.
SmartRice claims to create 50% less carbon emissions or at least 50% less greenhouse gas emissions. SCS’s findings were actually 76% less carbon dioxide equivalents are emitted from SmartRice than from conventional rice production in the Mid-South. SCS found that SmartRice yielded 22.5% more rice than conventional rice production in the Mid-South, which could potentially feed 22.5% more people.
About SCS Global Services
SCS has been a leader in standards of sustainability and third-party certification since 1984, working with natural resources, environment, food and agriculture, consumption, and climate sectors. In partnership with businesses, government agencies, and NGOs, the company strives to advance sustainable development goals through independent assessment, the application of exact science, and innovative solutions.
About SmartRice
RiceTec, a global rice seed company, in partnership with U.S. rice farm Whitaker Grain, brought SmartRice to market earlier this year on Amazon and Shopify. Rice is the most consumed grain around the world and the third highest in worldwide production. SmartRice is an innovative system with more than six years of research that produces more rice using less land, water, and other resources.
“Today’s consumers are hungry for sustainability. They’re demanding more environmental common sense out of everything they buy – including the food they put on their tables and the food they feed their pets,” said Williamson. “That’s precisely what SmartRice delivers and we’re excited that our claims have been proven true.”
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