Walmart, PepsiCo Collaborate on Regenerative Agriculture Programs

As part of a seven-year collaboration, Walmart and PepsiCo will work together to pursue $120 million worth of investments to support U.S. and Canadian farmers as they work to improve soil health and water quality. The companies’ main initiative is to accelerate the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices.

The establishment and scaling of financial, agronomic and social programs will help bring regenerative agriculture practices to more than 2 million acres of farmland in North America. The work will also deliver approximately 4 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emission reductions and removals by 2030.

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“At Walmart, our sustainability strategy is built to make the everyday choice the sustainable choice for our customers,” said Jane Ewing, SVP for sustainability at Walmart. “This collaboration with PepsiCo is a great example of how we are prioritizing the expansion of regenerative agricultural practices among farmers across North America so that we can continue to make quality products affordable and accessible for customers.”

Continued Ewing: “This collaboration aims to help elevate farmer livelihoods, engage them on how to more sustainably manage soil health, increase yields and create a model that others can mimic across other product categories, including encouraging additional investments in regenerative agriculture by other brands.”

According to the companies, the collaboration offers a voluntary, flexible approach to the regenerative agriculture practice that will give farmers a seat at the table while also recognizing the diversity of agriculture and that one size does not fit all.

“Successful sustainability starts and ends with trust. At PepsiCo, we work very hard to earn the trust of the farmer so they understand that we are investing in their legacy, and they can hand their farm down to the next generation,” said Jim Andrew, chief sustainability officer at PepsiCo. “Farmers know their business better than anyone else, and what we hear from them is that for regenerative agriculture to make business sense, three things need to happen. They need economic support, social and cultural support, and agronomic support. This strategic collaboration with Walmart will advance our shared goal to have farmers’ backs as they transform farming in a way that benefits the planet and people.”

The work is a step forward for PepsiCo as it works to reach its ambitious pep+ (PepsiCo Positive) goals, which include driving the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices across 7 million acres by 2030 and reducing absolute greenhouse gas emissions by more than 40% across its entire value chain by 2030. Likewise, Walmart aims to restore or more sustainably manage 50 million acres of land and 1 million square miles of ocean by 2030 through its work with the Walmart Foundation.

Bentonville, Ark.-based Walmart operates more than 10,500 stores and numerous e-commerce websites in 20 countries. Walmart U.S. is No. 1 on Progressive Grocer’s 2023 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America. PG also named it one of its Retailers of the Century.