Last week, PepsiCo and Walmart announced a 7-year collaboration to pursue $120 million worth of investments focused on supporting U.S. and Canadian farmers in their pursuit to improve soil health and water quality.
By establishing and scaling financial, agronomic, and social programs, it aims to enable and accelerate the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices on more than 2 million acres of farmland and deliver approximately 4 million metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions and removals by 2030 – roughly equivalent to the amount of electricity needed to power 778,300 homes for one year, the release said.
“From my perspective, embracing regenerative agriculture is essential,” Jeff Huffman, owner and operator of the Maxwell, Neb.-based Island Farms LLC, said in the release. “It’s good for farmers, not only because it’s beneficial to the environment and our food quality, but also for the profitability of our businesses. If you use less fertilizer and you grow a bigger crop, or if you use less water and can still grow the same size of crop, it strengthens your farm in a way that benefits the bottom line and our environment for generations to come.”
PepsiCo’s and Walmart’s businesses are dependent on farmers to grow ingredients that are used to make the products consumers enjoy every day. With a supply chain for the two companies that stretches across North America and involves a large volume of critical crops – including potatoes, oats, corn, wheat, soybeans, and rice – sustainability will look different from commodity to commodity, region to region, and even farm to farm, the companies say.
According to the release, the collaboration between PepsiCo and Walmart offers a voluntary, flexible approach to regenerative agriculture that gives farmers a seat at the table, recognizes the diversity of agriculture, and that one size does not fit all.
“Successful sustainability starts and ends with trust. At PepsiCo, we work very hard to earn the trust of the farmer so they understand that we are investing in their legacy, and they can hand their farm down to the next generation,” said Jim Andrew, Chief Sustainability Officer, PepsiCo. “Farmers know their business better than anyone else, and what we hear from them is that for regenerative agriculture to make business sense, three things need to happen. They need economic support, social and cultural support, and agronomic support. This strategic collaboration with Walmart will advance our shared goal to have farmers’ backs as they transform farming in a way that benefits the planet and people.”
PepsiCo and Walmart have a shared focus on supporting farming communities while improving soil and water health, as well as lowering carbon emissions, the release said.
“At Walmart, our sustainability strategy is built to make the everyday choice the sustainable choice for our customers,” said Jane Ewing, Senior Vice President for sustainability at Walmart. “This collaboration with PepsiCo is a great example of how we are prioritizing the expansion of regenerative agricultural practices among farmers across North America so that we can continue to make quality products affordable and accessible for customers. This collaboration aims to help elevate farmer livelihoods, engage them on how to more sustainably manage soil health, increase yields and create a model that others can mimic across other product categories, including encouraging additional investments in regenerative agriculture by other brands.”
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