The Agriculture for Nutrition Programme (AFN) has been gathering a list to track the progress and impacts of various agrifood companies’ increasing commitments to transition towards sustainable and regenerative agriculture practices. Here’s what you need to know about their increasing commitments.
- Companies are recognizing the value of regenerative agriculture. (more…)
- Large corporations are collaborating with their farming partners to work on increasing their regenerative agricultural methods. (more…)
- Different agrifood corporations pledged their regenerative agricultural commitments. (more…)
Background Information: What is Regenerative Agriculture?
Full Report: As regenerative agriculture takes root, let’s hold corporates accountable
More Companies Are Recognizing the Value of Regenerative Agriculture
The number of corporations wanting to implement regenerative agriculture in their supply chains is increasing. Here is why:
- Companies realize that regenerative agricultural practices can improve the quality of their croplands and provide more land for farming by reducing the chances of soil erosion and drying out. Farmers could also increase their crop yields and produce higher-quality products through regenerative agriculture.
- Due to agriculture’s increasing use of synthetic fertilizers and pesticides that destroy soil quality, many companies have started transitioning their operations to regenerative farming. This includes adopting no-till methods and cover cropping, which provides soil and seed protection while improving the soil quality.
Corporations and Farming Partners’ Collaborative Efforts Towards Regenerative Agriculture
Large corporations are collaborating with their farming partners to work on increasing their regenerative agricultural methods. Here are a few examples:
- Nestle company announced a $1.29 billion investment to support regenerative agriculture. It aims to help around 500,000 farmers and 150,000 suppliers transition to sustainable farming. The goal of this initiative is to reach a 50% emission reduction by 2030 and become net zero by 2050.
- Through their RegenConnect platform, which connects farmers with carbon credit marketplaces, Cargill aims to help farmers generate a new source of income while encouraging them to adopt regenerative agriculture methods.
- In the UK, the Heineken company is working with Future Food Solutions and Muntons to study the use of sustainable farming techniques for barley crops on 7,000 acres of farmland. The goal is to reduce their carbon emissions by 33% by 2030.
Agrifood Corporations’ Pledge To Support Regenerative Agriculture Efforts
Different agrifood corporations pledged their regenerative agricultural commitments. Here is a list of some corporations that announced their pledge, the majority of which are focused on soil health.
- Anheuser-Busch is supporting various agriculture organizations which promote different regenerative agriculture approaches.
- In 2022, Ardent Mills will enroll 250,000 acres of wheat in the company’s regenerative agriculture program. Through this program, the company will develop new methods for growing its crops sustainably.
- Cargill announced to transform 10 million acres of cropland into regenerative agriculture by 2030.
- Diageo has pledged a regenerative agricultural effort that focuses on reducing the Guinness barley production’s carbon emission
- Fresh Del Monte has pledged that all of its farms will be subjected to regenerative agriculture practices and soil health management.
- General Mills announced its plan to utilize its 1 million acres of farmland for regenerative agriculture.
- Hormel and Applegate Farms introduced the “Do Good Dog,” a hotdog product that is made with beef raised in 260,000 U.S. grasslands converted to regenerative pastures.
- Land O’ Lakes has pledged its transition to regenerative agriculture through the Truterra program.
- Pepsi has announced the switch of its 7 million acres of land for regenerative agricultural methods by 2030.
- Pernod Ricard announced that it would be launching different regenerative agriculture pilot programs aimed at increasing the number of farmers who switch to regenerative agriculture by 2025.
- Smithfield Foods pledged that 75% of their grain from the U.S. must be sourced from farms with efficient fertilizers and soil health methods.
Sources:
“As regenerative agriculture takes root, let’s hold corporates accountable” AFN, March 17, 2022