When it comes to creating a more sustainable agri-food system, change is not a one person or one company job, instead it requires stakeholders coming together in a single vision with a keen focus on farmers’ needs. This is what consumer packaged goods (CPG) company PepsiCo is showing through its sustainability strategy, PepsiCo Positive (pep+).
This year, PepsiCo hit a regen ag milestone, reporting in its annual sustainability report that the company supported 4.7 million acres of regenerative farmland, against its goal of 10 million acres by 2030, as AgNavigator reported.
The CPG giant accomplished this milestone in part by working through groups like the Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI), a non-profit that provides financial support for farmers to adopt sustainably farming practices across the Midwest – not just Iowa.
On June 18, PFI hosted a field day at Open Gate Acres Farm in Chariton, Iowa, a 40-acre farm owned by and operated by husband and wife Ben and Hannah Offenburger. Ben Offenburger and PepsiCo and PFI representatives spoke with AgNavigator as part of this year’s Climate Smart broadcast series, produced in partnership with FoodNavigator (available on-demand here).
PepsiCo has found success in these partnerships by focusing on de-risking the adoption of sustainable farming practices and providing relatable and actionable insights for farmers, Caitlin Colegrove, sustainable agriculture lead for North America, told AgNavigator. A financial component is also crucial as shifting farming practices may impact yields short-term, she added.
“Where we’ve really found success is when we invest in programs that have three components to it, or a three-legged stool approach, where we’re combining financial incentives to de-risk practice change [and] practice adoption; ... really strong, unbiased, trusted technical assistance; and an element of peer-to-peer learning and networking,” Colegrove elaborated.
Open Gate Acres Farm is involved in a number of PFI projects, including its cover cropping program and reduced nitrogen trials, Ben Offenburger said. Through the reduced nitrogen trial, Ben Offenburger tested randomized strips on its field with a reduced rate of nitrogen (two-thirds of its normal amount), realizing a cost-saving benefit with a negligible impact to yields.
“Typical nitrogen rate for us is around 150 pounds applied with anhydrous, and in the reduced part it was 100 pounds, so only two thirds what our normal rate is. ... Saving the 50 pounds of nitrogen, there was a cost savings of about $22 an acre,” he elaborated.
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AgNavigator is dedicated to telling local farm stories to a global audience through its Voice of the Farmer series, a periodic multi-media series, featuring interviews, farm visits, and videos showcasing the hardwork and innovative spirit of today’s farmer. To read the first in the series, click here to learn about a specialty crop grower in Mount Carroll, Illinois.
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