Tyson Foods and EDF Commit to Accelerating Sustainable Food Practices

The latest initiatives involve expanding the application of agricultural technology to create economic and environmental advantages. Springdale, Ark., Jan. 15, 2019 – Tyson Foods, Inc. (NYSE:TSN) and Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) have recently announced a collaboration to create and implement initiatives that align with Tyson’s sustainability goals and cater to the growing consumer demand for sustainably produced food. The first project of this collaboration is centered around land conservation and aims to test and expand agricultural practices on 500,000 acres of corn that minimize greenhouse gas emissions, enhance water quality, and optimize farmer profitability. This initiative will also assist Tyson in achieving its land conservation goal of collaborating with farmers to enhance environmental practices across two million acres of corn production by 2020. The pilot will utilize cloud-based agricultural technologies from MyFarms and Farmers Business Network (FBN), both of which gather data on agricultural production practices while ensuring data privacy. The data analysis will guide sustainability practices at the field level. Only FBN members who voluntarily join the Land Stewardship program and agree to the terms, conditions, and data-sharing policies will be part of this pilot program. Jenny Ahlen, director of the EDF+Business supply chain program, stated that if the largest U.S. food company can demonstrate the feasibility of farming practices that are beneficial for the planet and profits, it would be a significant breakthrough. The partnership will use scientific analysis to measure the benefits of sustainable farming practices, assist companies like Tyson in assessing the impact of their sustainability initiatives, and promote transparency across the supply chain. MyFarms and FBN will strive to enroll farmers in the initial sustainable agriculture project. FBN will offer this opportunity to its 7,600 members, who cover nearly 30 million acres, and are seeking new methods to continue their commitment to sustainable agriculture. Only the data, agronomic practices, and information of those who opt in and agree to the terms and conditions of the pilot program will be included. Farmers enrolled in MyFarms will also have the chance to test a new scientific method, based on extensive scientific research compiled by EDF, for calculating nitrogen loss. Excessive nitrogen application is a primary concern for water quality, contributes to agricultural GHG emissions, and is a source of lost income for farmers. Justin Whitmore, executive vice president of continuous improvement and chief sustainability officer, Tyson Foods, stated that developing a sustainable food system is crucial for their business and the planet. Collaborating with EDF allows them to combine their expertise in supply chains and sustainable agriculture, and deliver value to growers, businesses, and the environment. The partnership will also include analyzing sustainability data on farmland as part of Tyson’s land stewardship commitment and publicly communicating progress and best practices that emerge from pilot projects. Charles Baron, co-founder of Farmers Business Network, stated that farmers are the most crucial stewards of the land, and it’s essential they have tools and markets to farm sustainably and profitably. FBN is dedicated to finding new opportunities for crop farmers to develop markets for sustainable practices. Chris Fennig, managing director of MyFarms, stated that they believe farmers have both the desire and the opportunity to learn from each other. They also acknowledge the value of their long-term business relationships, so they’ve developed a set of cloud-based tools that enable advisors to better inform their farmer clients about opportunities to improve economic and environmental outcomes at the farm gate.