McCain doubles the scope of its regenerative agriculture program
McCain aims to double the size of its regenerative agriculture program this year. According to the Canadian global leader in frozen potato-based products, the program launched last year has exceeded expectations.
Last year, 34 growers in the Netherlands, collectively managing over 800 hectares of potatoes, completed the first phase of the program. McCain rewards regenerative agriculture indicators such as resilient soils, crop diversity, minimization of soil tillage, reduction of pesticide toxicity, and increasing organic carbon content.
Expanding the program in the coming years
In addition to financial support, McCain’s program focuses on developing and sharing knowledge. McCain gathered and analyzed data from participants, their agricultural practices, and their farmland. According to McCain, a striking preliminary result is that participants are particularly interested in ground cover as one of the regenerative agriculture indicators. On average, participants had more than 240 days of ground cover.
In the 2023 Global Sustainability Report, released last month, McCain mentioned that the company is accelerating the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices through its direct relationships with farmers. This is a network of 3,500 partners around the world. McCain wants to provide technical and educational assistance and developing innovative financing solutions to offset costs associated with making changes in farming practices and adopting new technologies.
150.000 hectares of potatoes
McCain commits to implementing regenerative agriculture practices on 100% of McCain’s potato acreage worldwide (almost 150,000 hectares) by 2030. The company has major production, retail and corporate operations around the world, employs approximately 22,000 people, operates 51 production facilities on six continents, partners with 3,500 farmers and generates annual sales in excess of $ 14 billion CAD.
