MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--As part of General Mills’ commitment to advance regenerative agriculture, the company today shared several new initiatives across its brands and through consumer-facing efforts that aim to protect the planet and support farmers. Strategic partnerships with American Farmland Trust and Rodale Institute will accelerate regenerative agriculture techniques across key regions in California and the Northern Great Plains.
“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 products, among others,” said Jon Nudi, Group President, North America Retail at General Mills. “We’re focused on regenerating our planet and protecting the food supply for future generations. By partnering with organizations like Rodale Institute and American Farmland Trust, General Mills and its brands further our commitment to regenerative farming and standing for good.”
The programs and partnerships being launched include:
American Farmland Trust: In honor of LÄRABAR’s 20-year anniversary, the brand is partnering with American Farmland Trust’s Women for the Land program to deliver grants to women-owned or operated farms in California’s San Joaquin Valley to support further adoption of regenerative agriculture techniques. General Mills 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.
The one-year $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. 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.
“The Women for the Land program is proud to partner with LÄRABAR on our inaugural program,” said Gabrielle Roesch-McNally, American Farmland Trust’s Women for the Land Director. “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.”
Rodale Institute: General Mills has established a multi-year partnership with Rodale Institute to advance the company’s 2030 regenerative agriculture goal while supporting American farmers. The partnership provides organic farmers in General Mills’ supply chain with practical, on-the-ground technical assistance from Rodale Institute’s organic consultants.
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.
“We commend General Mills for its leadership in advancing regenerative organic agriculture,” said Jeff Tkach, chief impact officer at Rodale Institute. “This collaboration signals their commitment to regenerate farming landscapes and champion American organic farmers, while meeting growing consumer demand for organic food.”
Grow for Good: During Earth Month, 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 $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 $5 to the project of their choice. Participating partners involved in the giving campaign include American Farmland Trust, Rodale Institute, and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. For more information on General Mills’ Grow for Good campaign, visit GeneralMills.com/growforgood. To download the Fetch rewards app, visit Fetch.com.
Together, these partnerships and initiatives will further advance General Mills toward one million acres of regenerative agriculture farmland by 2030.
GENERAL MILLS
General Mills makes food the world loves. The company 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, Old El Paso, Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, Yoplait, Annie’s, Wanchai Ferry, Yoki and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, General Mills generated fiscal 2022 net sales of U.S. $19.0 billion. In addition, the company’s share of non-consolidated joint venture net sales totaled U.S. $1.1 billion.
G STANDS FOR GOOD
General Mills stands for good – for the people we serve, the brands you love and the planet we depend on. For more than 150 years, General Mills has believed doing good and good business go hand-in-hand. The company is putting people first by improving food security and advancing a culture of inclusion, equity and belonging, and by creating positive planetary outcomes through actions beyond its walls. Learn more at GeneralMills/gstandsforgood.
RODALE INSTITUTE:
Rodale Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to growing the regenerative organic agriculture movement through rigorous research, farmer training, and education. The Institute’s groundbreaking science and direct farmer support programs serve as a catalyst for change in farming and food production worldwide. Over its 75-year history, Rodale Institute has proven that organic farming is not only viable but essential to humanity’s survival.
AMERICAN FARMLAND TRUST:
American Farmland Trust is the only national organization that 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. AFT launched the conservation agriculture movement and continues to raise public awareness through our No Farms, No Food message. Since our founding in 1980, AFT has helped permanently protect over 7 million acres of agricultural lands, advanced environmentally-sound farming practices on a half million additional acres and supported thousands of farm families.
