Spudman July/August 2023 - 5

Growing a
sustainable
future
McCain works with farmers, sharing their story through Regenerative ag
Potato growers face many challenges each
year such as rising input costs, regulatory
uncertainty and climate change. As a global
leader in prepared food products, McCain
takes the opportunity to tackle these
challenges, innovate farming and create a
positive change for people, growers and the
planet - all through Regenerative ag.
As defined by McCain, Regenerative
agriculture is " an ecosystem-based approach
to farming that aims to improve farmer
resilience, yield and quality by improving
soil health, enhancing biodiversity and
reducing the impact of synthetic inputs. "
Daniel Metheringham, Vice President of
Agriculture and Sustainability at McCain,
has a passion for the potato industry.
" For me, sustainability is about assured
supply and how we can change practices
and behaviors to ensure a consistent
supply, " Metheringham said. " The
framework that McCain has rolled out
is all about soil health and allowing the
soil to bounce back as a result of extreme
weather conditions. We're working with
in partnership with our McCain farmers
to understand the local challenges facing
growers and the crop, to get the right tools
in their hands to best manage their farms. "
McCain's commitments to Regenerative
agriculture:
1. The onboarding level of
regenerative agricultural practices
will reach 100% of McCain potato
acres by 2030.
knowledge to growers.
2. Reaching 'Beginner level' for
regenerative agricultural practices
across 50% of McCain potato
acres by 2030.
3. Operating three Farms of the
Future by 2025, dedicated to
developing regenerative agriculture
practices and transferring this
4. Developing research partnerships
and leveraging collective action to
advance Regenerative agriculture.
McCain has built the Regenerative
Agriculture Framework as a guide for
growers, tracking their progression.
According to McCain, the Framework
provides the measurement criteria for the
achievement of (Regenerative) goals across
various levels including Onboarding, Beginner,
Master and Expert based upon data.
While this is considered a global
framework, McCain works closely with their
farmers - discovering what works best for
their farms that make the most economical
and agronomical sense for their region.
Working side-by-side with farmers for
generations, McCain supports participants
of the program through status mapping
and regional action plans, training, research
and development, data collection and
measurement and financial partnerships.
The Farms of the Future project is the
backbone of this effort. Now into the third
growing season at Farm of the Future
Canada - located in McCain's hometown of
Florenceville, NB - McCain has learned that
it can maintain crop quality while reducing
agro-chemical inputs, and has seen positive
results from implementing practices such as
fall bedding and controlled traffic farming
to reduce tillage and improve soil health.
Supporting the Farms of the Future are
McCain's Innovation Hub farms, launched
in partnership with local farmers to trial
priority regenerative agricultural practices.
McCain has established these learning hubs
in Washington, Idaho and Manitoba this
year, with more to come in future years.
What McCain has learned so far at the
Farm of the Future and at its innovation
hubs has reinforced its confidence in
Regenerative agriculture as a pathway to
mitigate climate change.
McCain also recognizes that changing
farming practices does come with a cost to
farmers. A partnership with McDonald's
Canada offers Canadian potato farmers
cost-sharing grants for implementing
regenerative practices and technology.
A program through Farm Credit
Canada has also been made available
to McCain's Canadian potato farmers.
This Regenerative Agriculture Incentive
Program offers interest rate rebates to
farmers who have at least reached the
onboarding stage of the Regenerative
Agricultural Framework. According to
Metheringham, the framework allows
McCain to recognize the great work
farmers are already carrying out on their
farms but also ensures we are actively
building plans to advance against the
framework - ultimately creating a
successful pathway for growers and better
soil health for generations to come.
" I really like the relationships
that (McCain) builds with farmers, "
Metheringham said. " We're working in
partnership with growers and ensuring we
are telling a positive story on all thing's
potato. McCain is wanting to understand
the regional challenges to then offer tools
to the grower guiding them to success so
we can own that story together. "
To learn more about McCain visit www.mccain.com/sustainability/smart-sustainable-farming.
ADVERTISEMENT | © 2023 McCain Foods Limited
http://www.mccain.com/sustainability/smart-sustainable-farming
Spudman July/August 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Spudman July/August 2023
