The initiative includes industry-first pilot programs to build a more sustainable and equitable food system

PLANO, Texas, July 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- PepsiCo Foods North America today announced its Planting Pathways Initiative, charting an industry-leading and transformative course for expanding agricultural opportunities. Recent USDA Census of Agriculture data shows that farmers under the age of 35 make up just 9% of the U.S. farming industry. The initiative aims to provide opportunities for young people and people from various backgrounds to enter the agriculture sector.

The Planting Pathways Initiative will begin with pilot programs that drive sustainable, systemic industry change. Long-term partnerships with nonprofit leaders in the agriculture industry underpin the program, with a shared commitment to making measurable progress toward achieving equitable access across the agricultural supply chain.

"I was born on a farm and am proud to work for PepsiCo, a company rooted in agriculture. I have immense respect for the growers and producers that form the backbone of our country. PepsiCo has a business stake and responsibility to help grow a resilient and impactful supply chain from the seeds in the field to the products on the shelf to the many people at home enjoying our products," said Margaret Henry, Vice President, Sustainable & Regenerative Agriculture at PepsiCo. "Providing access to food and building leaders for tomorrow are at the heart of our business at PepsiCo. I'm proud these partnerships reinforce our commitment to innovation in agriculture."

Partnerships include:

• Multi-year partnership with Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) to provide opportunities for underrepresented and beginning farmers to enter and thrive in the agriculture industry. PepsiCo Foods North America will work with PFI to equip farmers with strong business plans, coaching and capital, robust networks and training opportunities.
• Partnership with the Farm Foundation to create career opportunities within the PepsiCo Foods North America supply chain and the agriculture industry at large. The investment will develop a two-year cohort program, Field to Future, that enables college students to receive career development support in the agricultural sector, including conference attendance, mentorships, scholarships provided by The PepsiCo Foundation and more. It will also allow select individuals to participate in a two-year paid internship within PepsiCo.

The company's investment and focus on these partnerships aim to address widespread global food system challenges by bringing fresh perspectives, innovation, and energy into the agriculture industry. All PepsiCo Foods products are born in the field—starting as potatoes, corn, or oats—and PepsiCo is committed to cultivating a robust agricultural supply chain from the seed to the shelf.

"We are grateful to partner with PepsiCo Foods North America on this initiative to enable underrepresented farmers to start and maintain a thriving farm business," said Sally Worley, Executive Director of Practical Farmers of Iowa. "PepsiCo's Planting Pathways Initiative has the potential to provide opportunities for more people to succeed in farming."

The Field to Future cohort program, in partnership with the Farm Foundation, is a critical component of the Planting Pathways Initiative. "Field to Future will foster future leaders in the food and agriculture industries," said Shari Rogge-Fidler, President and CEO of Farm Foundation. "Pairing PepsiCo Foods' commitment with Farm Foundation's network of food and agriculture experts creates opportunities that will shape these industries for years to come."

In 2021, PepsiCo launched PepsiCo Positive (pep+), the end-to-end transformation of its business to drive positive impact for both the planet and people. Today's announcement directly supports the pep+ Positive Agriculture agenda, which seeks to create a more resilient and inclusive food system by directly supporting farmers, securing a steady supply of key ingredients and improving social outcomes for all people throughout the supply chain.

Learn more about PepsiCo's global agriculture footprint, strategic partnerships and progress toward pep+ goals.

About PepsiCo  

 PepsiCo products are enjoyed by consumers more than one billion times a day in more than 200 countries and territories around the world. PepsiCo generated more than $91 billion in net revenue in 2023, driven by a complementary beverage and convenient foods portfolio that includes Lay's®, Doritos®, Cheetos®, Gatorade®, Pepsi-Cola®, Mountain Dew®, Quaker®, and SodaStream. PepsiCo's product portfolio includes a wide range of enjoyable foods and beverages, including many iconic brands that generate more than $1 billion each in estimated annual retail sales.

Guiding PepsiCo is our vision to Be the Global Leader in Beverages and Convenient Foods by Winning with pep+ (PepsiCo Positive). pep+ is our strategic end-to-end transformation that puts sustainability and human capital at the center of how we will create value and growth by operating within planetary boundaries and inspiring positive change for planet and people. For more information, visit www.pepsico.com, and follow on X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @PepsiCo.

About Farm Foundation

Farm Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization working across the food and ag value chain to build momentum behind meaningful solutions to some of the most important challenges facing farmers and, by extension, our industry as a whole. Our nonpartisan approach means we are uniquely able to address issues with objectivity and inclusivity, bringing together diverse perspectives from influential people and organizations to discuss and develop solutions. We support food and agriculture by meeting challenges with a relentless dedication to ensuring all the right stakeholders are involved and engaged in building something for the greater good—providing an agenda-free zone to achieve a shared vision for a better future for food and ag. We move with speed, purpose and agility to make the greatest impact in the most important areas in the shortest amount of time.

About Practical Farmers of Iowa

Practical Farmers of Iowa is a nonprofit with more than 8,000 members that equips farmers to build resilient farms and communities. We create learning opportunities via farmer-led events, on-farm research and educational content through our robust network of farmers. We also provide funding and technical assistance to help farmers adopt regenerative farming practices and grow farm businesses. Our vision is an Iowa with healthy soil, healthy food, clean air, clean water, resilient farms and vibrant communities. To learn more, visit http://practicalfarmers.org.

SOURCE Frito-Lay North America