A new collaboration between PepsiCo and Cargill aims to bolster the resilience in the corn supply chain in Iowa by expanding regenerative ag practices across 240,000 acres of Iowa farmland by 2030. The focus on Iowa is due to the shared dependance of both companies on Iowa farmers, as Cargill sources corn from local farmers to produce the ingredients used in some of PepsiCo’s most iconic products. Tai Ullmann, senior director of global food sustainability strategy at Cargill, said the partnership will help to build a more resilient agricultural system.
Participating farmers will receive tailored agronomic advice, incentive payments to reduce the risk of adopting new practices, and access to technical resources that will assist in the transition to regenerative practices. Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) will lead the implementation of these practices at the local level. Ullmann said this will allow farmers to adopt regenerative practices that fit in with their region, crops, and operational goals.
Ullmann said the aid from PFI will allow farmers to get through the main barriers that often keep them from being able to adopt new regenerative ag practices.
The initiative also supports the ambitious sustainability goals of both companies. PepsiCo recently expanded its goal to drive the global adoption of regenerative, restorative, or protective practices across 10 million acres worldwide by 2030. Cargill’s goal to advance regenerative agriculture on 10 million acres of North American farmland by the same year is very similar. However, Ullmann said the most exciting part of the initiative is the collaboration between PepsiCo, Cargill, and PFI to create this level of change on a large scale.
For more information on Cargill’s sustainability partnerships, visit cargill.com.
