PepsiCo Foods North America has officially announced the launch of its Planting Pathways Initiative, which is designed to put-together an industry-leading and transformative course for expanding agricultural opportunities. To understand the significance of such a development, we must take into account how, according to a recent USDA Census of Agriculture data, farmers under the age of 35 make up just 9% of the U.S. farming industry. Fortunately enough, the initiative in question will try and change that by helping young people, as well as people from various backgrounds access real opportunities to enter the agriculture sector. More on the same is going to reveal that the Planting Pathways Initiative will begin with pilot programs designed to conceive sustainable, systemic industry change. Complimenting the same would be a set of partnerships with nonprofit leaders in the agriculture industry that will let the beneficiaries conceive a more measurable brand of progress towards achieving equitable access across the agricultural supply chain. With the initial bits and bobs duly covered, we now must talk about the entire effort from a more granular-level standpoint. This standpoint will reveal, for instance, program’s multi-year partnership with Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI), something which aims to provide opportunities for underrepresented and beginning farmers. In essence, PepsiCo Foods North America will work alongside PFI to deliver at the disposal of farmers strong and sustainable business plans, coaching and capital, robust networks, and several unique training opportunities.
“I was born on a farm and am proud to work for PepsiCo, a company rooted in agriculture. I have immense respect for growers and producers that form the backbone of our country. PepsiCo has a business stake and responsibility to help grow a resilient and impactful supply chain from the seeds in the field to the products on the shelf to the many people at home enjoying our products,” said Margaret Henry, Vice President, Sustainable & Regenerative Agriculture at PepsiCo. “Providing access to food and building leaders for tomorrow are at the heart of our business at PepsiCo.
Another major detail forming the basis of this initiative is its partnership with Farm Foundation which will focus on creating career opportunities inside the PepsiCo Foods North America supply chain ecosystem and the agriculture industry at large. A more specific lowdown will reveal how the organizations involved are going to basically create a two-year cohort program to enable college students in the context of availing career development support across the agricultural sector, including conference attendance, mentorships, scholarships provided by The PepsiCo Foundation and more. Not just that, the whole effort will also allow select individuals to participate in a two-year paid internship within PepsiCo.
As for what deems Practical Farmers of Iowa and Farm Foundation as ideal partners for such a development, the answer for PFI stems from its 8,000 individuals-big member base which comes together to consistently empower farmers with learning opportunities via farmer-led events, on-farm research, and educational content through our robust network of farmers. The organization has also taken up the responsibility to provide funding and technical assistance for the overarching purpose of helping farmers adopt regenerative farming practices and grow farm businesses.
Moving on to Farm Foundation, it makes a case for itself on the back of a nonpartisan approach, which allows you to enhance several underlying aspects of farming. For instance, the foundation provides mental, physical, financial health solutions to let farmers navigate the stress of farming. Furthermore, it actively explores methods through which we can best leverage new technologies, such as big data, internet connectivity, drones, DNA scans, gene editing and precision agriculture. Hold on, there is more, as another objective in Farm Foundation’s operation talks to collaborating with regulators, producers and consumers for the purpose of creating workable solutions that protect and improve natural resources. Finally, the foundation bolsters the wider agricultural commercial prospects through well-developed trade agreements, improved infrastructure, and much more.
