General Mills and ALUS invest in regenerative ag in Canada

Partnership investment to aid farmers in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

By Andrew Joseph, Farms.com; Image by Markus Spiske from Pixabay

On July 27, 2022, General Mills and ALUS announced a multi-year partnership to support farmers in Manitoba and Saskatchewan to accelerate regenerative agriculture. The two provinces also happen to be key areas where General Mills sources oats for its brands, like Cheerios, and Nature Valley.

The US$2.3 million investment enables ALUS to grow its community-led programming with a focus on soil health through its new Growing Roots pilot program, offering both technical and financial assistance to farmers. The partnership aims to remove barriers to entry and maximize benefits for local producers, communities, and the environment.

ALUS is a national charitable organization that provides expertise, resources, and direct financial support to 35 communities across 6 provinces where more than 1,400 farmers and ranchers establish and steward nature-based solutions on their land.

“We were drawn to ALUS’ grassroots approach with farmers at the center,” explained Mary Jane Melendez, the Chief Sustainability and Global Impact Officer with General Mills. “Now, interested farmers in these communities can gain a greater understanding of regenerative agriculture and how best to apply those principles to their farm’s unique environmental, social and financial context, along with the power of peer knowledge-sharing and community support.”

ALUS supports General Mills’ commitments to advance regenerative agriculture on 1-million acres of farmland by 2030 to reduce absolute greenhouse gas emissions by 30 percent, and to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.

The monies from General Mills will be used to increase farmer mentorship, and to fund in-field projects that follow regenerative agriculture techniques. The funding will also allow for further enhanced data collection, scientific research, and the sharing of information with its stakeholders.

“ALUS has been interested in developing a comprehensive on-field program focused on soil health for years and we’re delighted that General Mills, a leader in this area, has become our foundational partner,” stated Bryan Gilvesy, the ALUS Chief Executive Officer. “We believe the creation of this program is a catalyst for engagement from other corporate, government, and philanthropic partners interested in ALUS programming and its outcomes and impact across Canada.”

Each organization encourages farmers, companies, and others who may be interested in growing the regenerative agriculture farmer-led movement in Manitoba and Saskatchewan to visit www.ALUS.ca or contact Nicole Baldwin at nbaldwin@alus.ca to learn more.