In recent years, performance metrics and digital technologies have gained substantial support to advance on-farm sustainability. The combined use of metrics and digital technologies represents a potentially important shift in agricultural sustainability governance, which has largely been dominated by the use of standards and certification. Focusing on the U.S. context, this paper examines the operationalization of the emerging metrics and data (M&D) approach to sustainability governance in food and agriculture. Specifically, we analyze the factors undergirding the growing usage of an M&D approach to sustainability, the structure, and practices of such an approach as well as the roles and implications for key actors in agrifood systems. Our analysis indicates that although an M&D approach to an agricultural sustainability transition potentially addresses some of the critiques and limitations associated with the use of standards and certification and has the growing support of a range of stakeholders, it also faces numerous challenges. These include a lack of incentives and insufficient value for growers, concerns over data ownership and access, and barriers to the translation of data into changes in grower management and practices.

中文翻译：

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数据驱动的可持续性：粮食和农业中的指标、数字技术和治理*

近年来，绩效指标和数字技术在推进农场可持续性方面获得了大力支持。指标和数字技术的结合使用代表了农业可持续性治理的潜在重要转变，该治理主要由标准和认证的使用主导。本文以美国为背景，探讨了新兴指标和数据 (M&D) 方法在粮食和农业可持续性治理中的实施情况。具体来说，我们分析了越来越多地使用 M&D 方法来实现可持续性的因素、这种方法的结构和实践，以及农业食品系统中关键参与者的作用和影响。我们的分析表明，虽然并购 农业可持续性转型的方法可能解决与使用标准和认证相关的一些批评和限制，并得到一系列利益相关者的日益增长的支持，它也面临着许多挑战。其中包括缺乏激励措施和对种植者的价值不足、对数据所有权和访问的担忧，以及将数据转化为种植者管理和实践变化的障碍。