Partnership to Boost Regenerative Agriculture Practices in Poland for Sustainable Wheat and Rapeseed Production

In a significant move towards sustainable agriculture, ADM, PepsiCo, and Mars Inc. have announced a partnership that will bolster regenerative farming practices in western Poland. This initiative targets 24 farmers across 5,454 hectares, aiming to enhance the production of wheat and rapeseed through holistic agricultural methods.

Specifically, Mars will focus on regenerative wheat cultivation for its pet care brands, including Whiskas and Pedigree, spanning 3,359 hectares. Meanwhile, PepsiCo will advance sustainable rapeseed farming across 2,160 hectares for its popular snack brands, such as Lay's and Doritos.

Rather than pursuing isolated sustainability efforts, the collaboration will employ a comprehensive farm-wide approach. This strategy is designed to strengthen soil health, improve water management, and foster long-term agricultural resilience.

By integrating regenerative practices into rotational agriculture, the initiative will systematically alternate crops—cereals, legumes, and cover crop blends—on the same land seasonally. Such a method not only replenishes nutrients but also disrupts pest and disease cycles, thereby enhancing soil structure.

ADM will play a pivotal role as an implementation partner, providing crucial financial and technical resources to support farmers transitioning to these regenerative practices. As part of its commitment to food security and a sustainable food system, ADM recently published its third annual report on its global initiatives in agriculture.

Katherine Pickus, Chief Sustainability Officer at ADM, expressed pride in supporting farmers through this partnership, emphasizing its importance for the resilience of the agricultural supply chain. This collaboration seeks to leverage insights and data from the project to foster broader adoption of regenerative practices throughout the Polish agricultural landscape.

Farmers involved in the program will receive hands-on training and expert guidance, equipping them with the latest agricultural techniques. These practices not only enhance soil structure and water retention but also reduce dependency on synthetic inputs, enabling farms to better withstand climate-related challenges. To incentivize participation, farmers will also receive financial rewards based on the sustainable practices they implement, such as conservation tillage and cover cropping.

Poland serves as a vital benchmark for regenerative agriculture, showcasing an in-depth initiative in a region where sustainable practices are at various stages of maturity. The partnership plans to utilize detailed data collection and rigorous impact measurement through the Cool Farm Tool (CFT), a sustainability calculator designed to help farmers assess and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. This effort is expected to yield valuable insights that could inform future expansions of regenerative agriculture initiatives in other markets.