ANAHEIM, Calif., March 8, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Cascadian
Farm, a pioneer in the organic food movement, and parent company
General Mills, announced a five-year $125,000 contribution to Grain Millers to support
soil health research on oat farms in the Upper Midwest. Research
findings and best practices will be shared at field day events to
help advance environmental and economical outcomes for farmers.
"We continue to make investments to advance the organic movement
and strengthen our supply chain," said Carla Vernón, president of
the Annie's operating unit. "We hope this project allows us to
generate data to show that implementing regenerative agriculture
practices results in improved outcomes -- including economic
resiliency and long-term benefits for farmers."
As part of this program, Grain Millers will identify farmers who
have successfully built soil, as well as farmers who are just
beginning that journey. The aim is to learn from farmers who have
successfully built soil, understand their motivations and
management practices as well as understand what prevents other
farmers from making the same commitment. Ultimately, the intent is
to cultivate best practices with economic and social impacts to
share amongst all farmers in the supply chain and partner to
accelerate their path to soil health.
"We've been a strong advocate within the organic movement for
decades," said Steve Eilertson,
President of Grain Millers. "We see oats as a critical part of
returning the health to our nation's soils and we're thrilled to
support this program."
The pilot program includes organic oat farms in the Upper
Midwest. The research team will work with farmers to help
demonstrate the impact of regenerative agricultural systems in
organic oats farming including cover crops, no-till, and crop
rotation practices.
General Mills recently built a regenerative agriculture
scorecard to support projects of this type, and is encouraging
brands to build pilots that show the potential of regenerative
agriculture to contribute to a resilient planet.
"Together with Grain Millers, we plan to pilot a practical
approach to implementing our regenerative agriculture framework,
the impact of implementing the framework and how to reasonably
scale it," said Jerry Lynch, Chief
Sustainability Officer at General Mills. "Our goal is to gain a
better understanding of the economic and environmental impacts of
healthy soil and identify hurdles that a proactive plan can address
for farmers."
A Pioneer in Organic
Cascadian Farm joined General Mills in 2000 as the company's
first organic brand. Cascadian Farm has a history of leading the
company's corporate sustainability efforts and now is going beyond
organic to further the brand's commitment to soil health by
supporting farming practices that have a positive impact. Healthy
soil is crucial not only for food production but for clean and
abundant water supplies and a stable climate.
General Mills is showcasing the company's natural and organic
brands, including Cascadian Farm, at Natural Products Expo West
March 9-11 in Booth 527.
A Leader in Soil Health Advancement
Soil health is a growing focus for General Mills sustainability
efforts. General Mills has contributed more than $3 million to partners advancing soil health on
U.S. agricultural lands, such as The Nature Conservancy, the Soil
Health Institute, the Soil Health Partnership and the National
Wheat Foundation. This includes research and education outreach on
soil health practices that will benefit 125,000 farmers in the
Great Plain States.
For more information on Cascadian Farm and General Mills
ambitious commitment to organic acreage and soil health, visit the
company's 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, Cascadian Farm, Epic, 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.
About Grain Millers
Grain Millers has been providing healthy, high-quality food
ingredients since its inception more than 30 years ago. The company
is committed to working with partners across the food chain on
programs that encourage responsible farming and consumption habits.
Visit www.grainmillers.com to learn more.
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SOURCE Cascadian Farm