MINNEAPOLIS, Nov. 30, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- General Mills
continues to invest in soil health practices on U.S. agricultural
farmland with its latest contribution of $735,000 to the National Wheat Foundation who
together with the Soil Health Partnership, will advance widespread
adoption and implementation. The funds, equally distributed over
the next three years, will be used to conduct soil health research
on wheat farms and education outreach to more than 125,000 wheat
farmers across the Northern and Southern Plains. This latest
contribution brings General Mills' recent financial commitments to
nearly $3 million for promoting the
expanded adoption of soil health
practices.
"We know that providing farmers with the research and tools to
increase their yields while improving the quality of their soil is
a vital step in ensuring agricultural lands are sustainable for
generations to come," said John
Church, Chief Supply Chain Officer for General Mills. "If we
intend to see widespread adoption of these practices, we have to
demonstrate both environmental and economic benefits over the long
term."
Using the established network of farms enrolled in the Soil
Health Partnership, the National Wheat Foundation will increase
grower participation in the partnership, and share data and
sustainability metrics for wheat production. The outreach will be
conducted over the course of three years, encompassing three
growing seasons.
The Soil Health Partnership (SHP) is a data-driven program
working to quantify the benefits of practices that support soil
health, from an economic as well as environmental standpoint. Those
practices include reduced tillage, growing cover crops in winter,
and advanced nutrient management. Benefits include improved crop
yield, enhanced water quality, increased drought resilience, better
flood resistance, and decreased greenhouse gas emissions.
"Our project started in the corn belt, but soil is a national
resource that we need to protect and enhance everywhere farmers
grow crops," said Nick Goeser,
Director of the Soil Health Partnership. "Soil health is the next
frontier in American agriculture, and we're eager to invite more
wheat farmers in more states to join us, expanding our efforts and
generating results that will help other farmers to see the
benefits."
As part of this agreement, General Mills has partnered with the
SHP and the National Wheat Foundation to provide on-farm mentorship
for the farm operators. SHP farmers, the farmers' agronomists, and
SHP Field Managers will train new and existing farm staff in
advanced nutrient management and tillage methods.
"Wheat growers recognize the importance of being good stewards
of the land because healthy land and soil means better crops," said
National Wheat Foundation Chairman and North Carolina wheat grower Phil McLain. "Through this grant, we will
highlight how wheat farmers integrate good conservation and
sustainability practices into their farms and the benefits to their
operations and the value chain. The Foundation is excited to work
with two like-minded organizations in such a unique project that
can lead to scientifically sound data on farming practices for
growers while ensuring a quality product for consumers."
For more information on General Mills' commitment to soil
health, visit its 2017 Global Responsibility Report and Taste of
General Mills blog.
About General Mills
General Mills is a leading global food company that serves the
world by making food people love. Its brands include
Cheerios, Annie's, Yoplait, Nature
Valley, Fiber One, Häagen-Dazs, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Old El
Paso, Wanchai Ferry,
Yoki and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, General Mills
generated fiscal 2017 consolidated net sales of US $15.6 billion, as well as another US $1.0 billion from its proportionate share of
joint-venture net sales. For more information about General Mills,
visit www.generalmills.com.
About the National Wheat Foundation
The National Wheat
Foundation was established by the industry to serve as the national
center for wheat research, education and outreach. Serving our
mission, the Foundation works to advance the wheat industry through
strategic research, education and outreach collaborations, guided
by core values of grower centeredness, integrity, honesty and
trustworthiness. The Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit
organization incorporated and headquartered in Washington, D.C.,
governed by a nine-member Board of Directors and managed by staff
of the National Association of Wheat Growers, the Foundation's sole
member.
About the Soil Health Partnership
The Soil Health
Partnership is a farmer-led initiative that fosters transformation
in agriculture through improved soil health, benefiting both farmer
profitability and the environment. With more than 100 working farms
enrolled in 12 states the SHP tests, measures and advances
progressive farm management practices that will enhance
sustainability and farm economics for generations to come. SHP
brings together diverse partners to work towards common goals. At
least a ten-year scientific program administered by the National
Corn Growers Association, the SHP's vision is driven by initial and
continuing funding and guidance from NCGA, Monsanto, the Walton
Family Foundation, the Midwest Row Crop Collaborative, General
Mills and USDA, with technical support from The Nature Conservancy
and the Environmental Defense Fund. For more, visit
soilhealthpartnership.org.
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