How Does Corporate Sustainability Factor in Family Farmers? General Mills and its Priority Crops

By Anne McGarvey

The way consumers think about food is changing across the country, and food companies are racing to keep up. But what does this mean for family farmers?

Americans are paying more attention not only to how their dietary choices affect their health and wellness, but also how they impact the environment and communities in which they are produced. Food manufacturers are shifting their operations — and, in turn, their supply chains — in response to these changing consumer values. While it is important that these companies understand and address the challenges farmers face in adjusting their production methods, the sustainability practices these companies are encouraging could save farmers money on inputs, boost yields, and increase resilience to weather extreme caused by climate change.

General Mills is one such company that is working with their supply chain as part of their corporate sustainability goals.  The company is asking the farmers they source from to adopt practices that address various issues, including climate change, water stewardship, and ecosystem health. These efforts are focused on producers of ten priority crops, three of which — corn, wheat, and sugar beets — are grown in the United States. The company aims to sustainably source all ten of their priority crops by 2020. In the United States, General Mills is making headway toward this goal by assessing certain on-farm sustainability metrics, partnering with organizations to develop innovative sustainable farming methods, and investing in organic farms. When adopted widely, such changes will contribute to curbing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing water use, and improving soil health and water quality

General Mills is enrolling its farmers in Field to Market programs that use the Fieldprint Calculator to quantify and track sustainability metrics for corn, wheat, and sugar beets production. Fieldprint is an online tool that allows farmers to capture data on multiple sustainability indicators, including greenhouse gas emissions, irrigated water use, and soil conservation. The third-party platform then allows farmers to anonymously compare their measurements against other farms throughout the country. For General Mills, Fieldprint can help assess which farms are continuously improving their sustainability practices. For farmers, the tool can help farmers better understand corporate expectations. On a broader scale, this and similar platforms could help all commodity farmers receive credit for their sustainable practices while also noticeably improving soil health and water quality on their farms.