CANADA— General Mills is investing $2.3 million as part of a multi-year partnership with ALUS to support farmers and accelerate regenerative agriculture in Manitoba and Saskatchewan— key regions where General Mills sources oats for some of its flagship brands.
ALUS is a Canadian national charitable organization that provides expertise, resources, and direct financial support to farmers and ranchers to establish and steward nature-based solutions on their land.
The investment is also set to allow ALUS to grow its community-led programming with a focus on soil health through its new Growing Roots pilot program. According to General Mills, the goal is to remove barriers to entry and maximize benefits for local communities and the environment.
“We were drawn to ALUS’ grassroots approach with farmers at the center,” said Mary Jane Melendez, chief sustainability and global impact officer, General Mills.
“Now, interested farmers in these communities can gain a greater understanding of regenerative agriculture and how best to apply those principles to their farm’s unique environmental, social and financial context, along with the power of peer knowledge-sharing and community support.”
On the path to net zero
ALUS supports General Mills’ commitments to advance regenerative agriculture on one million acres of farmland by 2030, reduce absolute greenhouse gas emissions – 60% of which are from agriculture – across its value chain (scopes 1, 2 and 3) by 30% by 2030, and ultimately achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
The investment will increase farmer mentorship support, and fund in-field projects that follow regenerative agriculture practices. Funding also provides enhanced data collection, scientific research, and the sharing of this critical information with key stakeholders.
“ALUS has been interested in developing a comprehensive on-field program focused on soil health for years and we’re delighted that General Mills, a leader in this area, has become our foundational partner,” said Bryan Gilvesy, CEO, ALUS.
“We believe the creation of this program is a catalyst for engagement from other corporate, government and philanthropic partners interested in ALUS programming and its outcomes and impact across Canada.”
General Mills is guided by its Accelerate strategy to drive shareholder value by boldly building its brands, relentlessly innovating, unleashing its scale and standing for good. Its portfolio of beloved brands includes household names such as Cheerios, Nature Valley, Blue Buffalo, Häagen-Dazs, Pillsbury and more.
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