PepsiCo and Cargill have announced a strategic partnership aimed at advancing regenerative agricultural practices across 240,000 acres in Iowa from 2025 through 2030. The collaboration will focus on the companies’ shared corn supply chain in the state, where Cargill sources from local farmers to produce ingredients used in several of PepsiCo’s products.
The initiative, in partnership with Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI), seeks to support farmers in adopting regenerative methods to improve soil health, enhance resilience to climate impacts, and boost long-term productivity. Iowa is the largest corn-producing state in the US, accounting for over 15% of the national supply in 2024.
Participating farmers will receive agronomic guidance, technical resources, and incentive payments aimed at reducing the financial risks associated with transitioning to new practices. PFI will oversee the programme’s implementation, including farmer enrolment, measurement, reporting, and verification of outcomes.
“By working with farmers to understand what’s best for their farms and partnering across the supply chain we can accelerate the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices that can result in healthier soil, reduced emissions, and improved crop yields and livelihoods for farmers,” said Jim Andrew, PepsiCo’s Chief Sustainability Officer. “This collaboration among PepsiCo, Cargill, and Practical Farmers of Iowa creates shared value and long-term sustainability that we believe will strengthen our business today and in the future.”
Pilar Cruz, Chief Sustainability Officer at Cargill, added: “This partnership is about delivering practical, measurable results – starting on the farm, where the food system begins. By coming together across the value chain, we can help create the conditions for regenerative agriculture to take root and grow. The collaboration offers a model for how we can drive meaningful impact at scale.”
The project contributes to the companies’ broader sustainability goals. PepsiCo aims to drive the adoption of regenerative, restorative, or protective practices across 10 million acres globally by 2030. Cargill has committed to advancing regenerative agriculture on 10 million acres of North American farmland by the same year.
This joint effort builds on previous collaborations between PepsiCo, Cargill and PFI, expanding the scale and ambition of regenerative initiatives in one of America’s key agricultural regions.
