Manufacturers PepsiCo and Unilever are coming together with other brands to launch a new program designed to promote sustainability in farming.
According to Food Engineering Magazine, the food and beverage conglomerates have joined forces on the Supporting Trusted Engagement and Partnership (STEP) up for Agriculture, which the outlet describes as "a pre-competitive initiative designed to strengthen the capacity and sustainability of farmer-facing support organizations across North America."
The program is designed to focus on eco-friendly practices that nurture soil health, reduce agriculture-related emissions, support water quality, promote biodiversity, and enhance the well-being and livelihoods of farmers. STEP up for Agriculture aims to implement its practices across 10 million acres by 2030.
As heat-trapping pollution continues to drive rising global temperatures and extreme weather, from floods to droughts, sustainable and regenerative farming practices are becoming more important. Ensuring that soil health can sustain long-term agricultural use, that crop selection accounts for heavy rains and extended dry periods, and that farming infrastructure promotes resilience can help support stable food systems and economies worldwide.
STEP Up for Ag plans to collaborate with and strengthen local organizations by providing tools, training, and resources to promote renewable and sustainable practices.
"Regenerative agriculture is a big part of how we're building a stronger, more resilient supply chain and food system -- and Unilever is committed to rolling out regenerative agriculture principles across 1 million hectares globally by 2030," said Kristina Friedman, head of sustainability for Unilever North America, per Food Engineering.
"STEP up for Ag can help us move faster and smarter, empowering farmer-led groups with the tools they need and opening doors to more great suppliers to grow our business."
With plans to launch a farmer-led co-op in Spain and expand its efforts to more countries in the coming months, the program's growth could promise some significant agricultural and environmental benefits. It could also help to improve the environmental reputation of some of the billion-dollar brands involved.
STEP up for Ag isn't the first eco-conscious effort for initiative members PepsiCo or Unilever -- with the first having supported projects such as global clean water programs and the second getting involved in systemic efforts to meaningfully recycle product packaging. Meanwhile, both have also been criticized for contributing to the plastics crisis, which can bring its own environmental concerns and negative impacts on farming.
Between extreme heat, droughts, flooding, and contamination, farmers are clear that they can use all the help they can get in sustaining the food supply and their livelihoods as they look far into the future.
"When we decided to do this regenerative agriculture thing, we wanted to be playing the long game," Chris Beaudry, a fourth-generation farmer in Canada who is working with the STEP up for Ag program, told Food Engineering Magazine. "Something that will benefit our soil, that will benefit me if I am farming in my 50s and 60s or my kids if they are farming after me."