PepsiCo and Cargill have announced plans to expand regenerative agriculture practices across some 240,000 acres of farmland in Iowa, in the United States.
The partnership will focus on the shared corn supply chain that the two firms operate in Iowa, where Cargill sources from local farmers to produce ingredients for PepsiCo products.
The initiative will be implemented at a local level by Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI), by providing technical guidance and financial incentives to farmers adopting regenerative agriculture practices.
Working with farmers
“By working with farmers to understand what’s best for their farms and partnering across the supply chain we can accelerate the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices that can result in healthier soil, reduced emissions, and improved crop yields and livelihoods for farmers,” commented Jim Andrew, PepsiCo chief sustainability officer.
“This collaboration among PepsiCo, Cargill, and Practical Farmers of Iowa creates shared value and long-term sustainability that we believe will strengthen our business today and in the future.”
Iowa is the largest producer of corn in the United States, responsible for around 15% of the country’s supply. The regenerative agriculture practices being introduced will aim to improve soil health, reduce emissions, increase crop yields, and make farms more resilient to climate change, PepsiCo said in a statement.
Regenerative agriculture expansion
The soft drinks and snacks giant aims to drive the adoption of regenerative, restorative, or protective practices across 10 million acres globally by 2030, which aligns with Cargill’s goal to advance regenerative agriculture on 10 million acres of North American farmland, also by the end of the decade.
“This partnership is about delivering practical, measurable results – starting on the farm, where the food system begins,” added Pilar Cruz, chief sustainability officer at Cargill.
“By coming together across the value chain, we can help create the conditions for regenerative agriculture to take root and grow. The collaboration offers a model for how we can drive meaningful impact at scale.” Read more here.
