PepsiCo and Cargill have announced plans to expand sustainable farming practices on 240,000 acres of Iowa cropland by 2030.
The brands will partner with Practical Farmers of Iowa, which will give technical and financial support to farmers as they implement practices like cover crops, reduced tillage and steps to reduce nitrogen application on their operations.
According to a press release from PepsiCo, the effort will center on the “shared corn supply chain” in Iowa, from which Cargill produces ingredients for PepsiCo products. PepsiCo, in addition to soda brands, owns products like Lay’s, Doritos, Cheetos and more.
“Together, the companies aim to deepen supply chain resilience, support positive outcomes for farming communities by helping them implement regenerative practices, and unlock new opportunities for advancing sustainable agriculture at scale,” the release said.
Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture show about 13.1 million acres across Iowa were planted with corn, for all purposes, in 2024.
The release said the collaboration with Practical Farmers of Iowa is “key” to scaling regenerative agriculture practices, and Jim Andrew, PepsiCo’s chief sustainability officer, said the effort creates “shared value and long-term sustainability.”
“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,” Andrew said in the release.
PepsiCo’s goal is to “drive adoption” of these practices on 10 million acres globally by 2030, and according to the release, Cargill aims to do the same on 10 million North American acres over the next five years.
Cargill’s Chief Sustainability Officer Pilar Cruz said it will drive “measurable results” where the food chain starts, at the farm.
“By coming together across the value chain, we can help create the conditions for regenerative agriculture to take root and grow,” Cruz said in a statement. “The collaboration offers a model for how we can drive meaningful impact at scale.”
The partners aim to improve soil health, resiliency to the impacts of a changing climate and farm productivity while also integrating farmers into “sustainably-focused” supply chains.
PepsiCo declined to share the financial investment the project represents.
Written by reporter Cami Koons of the Iowa Capital Dispatch. Republished with permission.
