What is Product Stewardship?

Product Stewardship.

Ask a hundred people in agriculture what it means, and you'll get 10 different answers - and 90 people who probably don't know what it means.

Does it matter, though?

What matters more is the outcome. For agricultural input products I'd argue that outcome of product stewardship is sustained success - a product or portfolio of products that:

1. Can be freely sold within the bounds of regulations and community expectations.

2. Poses no significant risk to people or the environment.

3. Works as intended, in fact works so well that farmers use them because they want to, not because they feel they have to.
   And, when the time comes:

4. Can be withdrawn in an orderly manner if a superior replacement emerges.

This all sounds straightforward, but getting there it involves a lot of work. Complex considerations have to be addressed well before a product is first sold.

Strong engagement is needed - with farmers, service providers, retailers and others along the value chain – so the product is used in a way that maximises benefit and avoids harm.

The nature of this work does vary depending on the type of product, how it will be used and what the expectations for the product are. Even a simple biological product with a relatively benign safety profile has to reach the farm in good condition, be understood and used correctly, and have its packaging dealt with responsibly.

Risk assessment tools, addressing the use situation of the product, can help identify what’s needed for success, and form the starting point for a stewardship program tailored to a specific product or class of products. I’ll explore some of these tools in future posts.

In summary: Stewardship is easier to understand and implement once you’re clear on the goal - the sustained success of a product.