General Mills incentivizes regenerative agriculture to secure organic supply chain

05 Apr 2023 --- General Mills is launching new initiatives to support regenerative agriculture across key regions in California and the Northern Great Plains. The strategy will help secure supply for its organic brands and advance the goal of “one million acres of regenerative agriculture farmland by 2030.”

New strategic partnerships with American Farmland Trust and Rodale Institute will focus on areas such as technical assistance and education, women farmer empowerment and soil health. 

“As a global food company rooted in agriculture, we’re dependent on natural resources, like organic wheat for our Annie’s macaroni and cheese and almonds for our Lärabar [energy bar] products, among others,” says Jon Nudi, group president for North America Retail at General Mills.

General Mills currently sources 100% of its almonds from California, a state facing extreme water stress. By advancing regenerative agriculture, Lärabar aims to improve both soil health and water outcomes in this key sourcing area.

No sign of slowing for organic
Innova Market Insights observed that “organic” was the third largest health claim globally in new products launched in 2021 – behind “no additives/preservatives” and “gluten-free.” In Europe, organic was the top clean label claim on new launches in that year. 

The market researcher further notes that the definition of organic is taking on newer meanings since its inception. Whereas it originally came to mean “absence of pesticides and regulated farming practices,” it has since evolved to mean “GMO and antibiotic free.” 

In organic’s new course of evolution, Innova Market Insights anticipates regenerative agriculture, human/animal welfare and supply chain transparency to play a bigger role in its definition. 

General Mills’ collaboration with American Farmland Trust’s Women for the Land program will use grants to support regenerative practices on women-owned farms.Supporting women farmers 
In honor of Lärabar’s 20-year anniversary, the brand is partnering with American Farmland Trust (AFT) in its Women for the Land program. AFT takes a holistic approach to agriculture, focusing on the land itself, the agricultural practices used on that land, and the farmers and ranchers who do the work.

The initiative will deliver grants to women-owned or operated farms in California’s San Joaquin Valley to support further adoption of regenerative agriculture techniques. 

The one-year US$80,000 commitment will fund educational programming and on-farm technical assistance through diverse peer-to-peer outreach and educational approaches.

This will enable American Farmland Trust to continue providing equitable access to programming and support of historically underserved farming communities, improving the economic viability and climate resilience of local women-run and women-owned farms. 

“Through grants and technical assistance, this program will specifically help reach small-scale women farmers who do not always have the same opportunities to access traditional conservation incentive dollars, which can help fill critical gaps in the regenerative agriculture adoption system,” says Gabrielle Roesch-McNally, American Farmland Trust’s Women for the Land director. 

The move to advance opportunities is not a first for General Mills. Last year, the company invested US$15 million to advance racial equity for women of color. 

Organic here to stay
General Mills has also established a multi-year partnership with Rodale Institute, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to growing the regenerative organic agriculture movement through rigorous research, farmer training and education. 

The partnership provides organic farmers in General Mills’ supply chain with practical, on-the-ground technical assistance from Rodale Institute’s organic consultants.

Consumers are invited to get involved with General Mills’ initiatives through a digital collaboration with Fetch.Through the partnership, General Mills will implement monitoring practices to track improvements in soil health on participating farms and develop a forum for farmer-to-farmer mentorship focused on Northern Great Plains and California – key regions where General Mills sources organic wheat, oat and tomatoes for brands like Annie’s, Cascadian Farm and Muir Glen.

Jeff Tkach, chief impact officer at Rodale Institute, comments: “This collaboration signals General Mills’ commitment to regenerate farming landscapes and champion American organic farmers while meeting growing consumer demand for organic food.”

Involving the consumer 
General Mills is also launching various consumer-facing initiatives to involve end users. 

Select Lärabar packaging will feature a QR code that shoppers can scan to access an immersive website experience to explore the ins and outs of regenerative almond farming and learn more about the partnership.

During Earth Month (April), consumers can learn about and support the regenerative agriculture farmer-led movement while using their Fetch rewards app to shop all General Mills brands, including Annie’s, Cascadian Farm, Cheerios, Lärabar, Nature Valley, Oui, EPIC Provisions and more.

Shoppers who buy a minimum of US$35 of General Mills products throughout the month of April can scan their receipts through the Fetch rewards app to earn up to 3,500 Fetch Points and pick one of four regenerative agriculture projects. General Mills will donate US$5 to the project of their choice.

Aiding businesses on their path to sustainable farming, the Sustainable Herbs Program has updated its toolkit to support a long-term supply of botanicals.

The toolkit offers a map to help companies at different stages of their sustainability journey. It brings together resources and case studies from other sectors of various industries to inform, inspire and guide a company’s progress. 

The Sustainable Herbs Program has previously stated that more progress needs to be made in regenerative agriculture in a campaign to raise awareness. 

By Missy Green