Agricultural Equipment Sustainability Standard Project Announced

The American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers (ASABE) announces the approval by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) of a new project to develop an international standard covering sustainability principals for tractors and machinery for agricultural and forestry, as well as for powered lawn and garden equipment and irrigation equipment.

ISO 17989-1, Tractors and machinery for agriculture and forestry — Sustainability — Principles, will provide guidelines for integrating environmental sustainability principles, practices, and considerations into the design of agricultural and forestry machinery. It will also establish a basis for the development of machine-specific standards related to environmental sustainability.

An initial draft has been accepted, and a meeting of project volunteers will be scheduled soon to enhance, update, clarify, and resolve the early comments and suggestions brought forth during the initial balloting for the project. The project will be carried out by a newly formed ISO working group on sustainability, ISO/TC23 Working Group 2, which is being convened by a German delegation. Michael Senneff, Product Safety Help, LLC (USA), will lead the project. Another ISO technical committee, ISO/TC 207, Environmental Management, will provide additional input and guidance.

ASABE is the accredited administrator for the US technical advisory group to the ISO committee on Tractors and Machinery for Agriculture and Forestry (TC23), and seven of its subcommittees. Committee membership is open and typically comprises of individuals with an academic or commercial interest in the subject matter. Participation in standards development benefits commerce as well as the public by ensuring issues such as consumer safety and evolving technology are addressed in a thorough and timely manner and by reducing trade barriers that can occur in the absence of standardization.

For information on this new standard project or other ASABE activities in International Standards, contact Ted Tees at ASABE, 269.932.7005, ted@asabe.org.