Nestlé, Cargill and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) are working together to scale the adoption of conservation practices that help fight climate change.
The partnership will see the companies support vital habitats for native wildlife while sustaining a “robust” beef supply chain, with Nestlé and Cargill investing a combined $15 million. This commitment will leverage up to $15 million in federal funds, leading to the activation of up to $30 million in grant funding over the next five years.
Private landowners and local conservation organisations will work together to support voluntary land management practices and improve water management, to help generate carbon benefits across more than 15 states, including areas in Midwest and South-eastern US.
The first set of NFWF-awarded grants are expected to be announced in April, with farmers and ranchers receiving technical and financial support to implement regenerative practices on their lands.
According to Cargill, the partnership will see thousands of cattle producers across the US implement voluntary practices to help benefit hundreds of species, from migrating songbirds to elk to freshwater mussels.
The NFWF stated that investing in regenerative practices on 1.7 million acres over the next five years can sequester up to an estimated 845,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent.
Jeffrey Fitzpatrick, programme lead for Cargill’s ‘BeefUp Sustainability’ initiative, said: “Leveraging the long history with our partners, this partnership has uncovered a sweet spot for us in supporting local farmers and ranchers, and their communities, all the while increasing supply chain sustainability, decreasing impact on the planet and showcasing beef as a force for good”.
Emily Johannes, director of diverse and sustainable sourcing at Nestlé USA, commented: “This partnership is activating the work needed in our supply chains to help create a regenerative, healthy food system. Working together as an industry leverages expertise and helps achieve the scale that is critical to accelerating the shift to regenerative farming. Taking action on regenerative agriculture means supporting farmers and ranchers to implement on-farm practices that help replenish the land, absorb carbon and enhance the health of our environment.”
Jeff Trandahl, executive director and CEO of NFWF, added: “This partnership with two of the world’s largest food companies will have a nationally significant grassland impact while also benefitting ranching families at the local level”.
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