Walmart, General Mills, global agriculture company ADM announced a new strategic collaboration to accelerate regenerative agriculture by helping farmers in the U.S. Midwest adopt practices to improve soil health, water quality and carbon sequestration.

Under the new collaboration, targeting 40,000 Midwest wheat acres, the companies said that the program will focus on key growing regions where General Mills sources wheat from ADM for products sold through Walmart and Sam’s Club, with the goal of strengthening supply chain resilience and supporting farming communities.

Regenerative agriculture practices are aimed at addressing the environmental impact of farming and agriculture, and include techniques to improve and restore ecosystems, build soil health and fertility, reduce emissions, enhance watershed management, increase biodiversity, and improve farmers’ livelihoods.

The announcement follows the launch of a collaboration between Walmart and General Mills in 2023, to advance the adoption of regenerative agriculture across 600,000 acres in the U.S. by 2030. The companies said that programs are currently underway across more than 560,000 wheat acres, with ADM – which manages nearly 5 million regenerative acres globally – joining the effort to accelerate progress in Illinois, Indiana and Missouri.

Mikel Hancock, Senior Director, Strategic Initiatives, Sustainability at Walmart, said:

“What makes this relationship and this project so unique is that we have taken a true shared value approach to it. The key component is to be able to continue to make improvements while meeting the needs of farmers and driving economic resiliency within those farms for long-term supply resilience to deliver on what works for our customers and members.”

Facilitated on the ground by ADM, the program will provide farmers with technical assistance and financial incentives to adopt and incorporate practices like no-till and cover crops.

Katherine Pickus, Chief Sustainability Officer at ADM, said:

“The success of regenerative agriculture depends on the entire value chain. Together with General Mills and Walmart, we’re bridging the gap for farmers to increasingly adopt and expand regenerative practices.”