Big food brands are falling short on their regenerative agriculture promises
A new report finds that many of the world’s largest food companies are missing the mark on regenerative agriculture, offering little more than buzzwords while continuing to support unsustainable farming practices.
Shannon Kelleher reports for The New Lede.
In short:
- Most major food companies received a “D” grade for failing to adequately support farming that improves soil health, reduces pollution, and cuts chemical use.
- While some companies like PepsiCo and Lamb Weston lead the pack with clearer goals and data collection, most offer vague programs without requiring meaningful action from their suppliers.
- The report warns that loosely defined “regenerative” programs risk becoming greenwashing unless companies enforce clear standards and stop relying on harmful practices like excessive pesticide use.
Key quote:
“Engaging in a full range of regenerative practices is essential to improving soil health, biodiversity, farm resilience, and other outcomes. Companies requiring two or fewer practices as part of their regenerative programs … may fail to regenerate healthy soils and be at risk for greenwashing claims.”
— report from the nonprofit group, As You Sow
Why this matters:
Industrial farming practices directly affect human health through pesticide exposure, polluted water, and degraded food quality. This report makes it clear that major food giants are not doing nearly enough to help farmers shift to practices that build soil, cut pollution, and reduce pesticide dependence. As long as “regenerative” remains a vague feel-good term without real standards, it risks becoming yet another greenwashing label slapped on business as usual.
Read more: As regenerative agriculture gains momentum, report warns of “greenwashing”
