PepsiCo, Unilever and other major retail and food and beverage companies have launched STEP up for Ag (Supporting Trusted Engagement and Partnership (STEP) up for Agriculture), a pre-competitive initiative designed to strengthen the capacity and sustainability of farmer-facing support organizations across North America.
The new organization also is launching its first European pilot with the farmer-led cooperative Garlan that will design its own regenerative agriculture program to offer farmers in Spain, building on earlier engagements in Türkiye.
Through STEP up for Ag, a range of corporate and philanthropic partners will provide funding and strategic support to help farm support organizations:
- Develop robust business and strategic plans to boost profitability and local economies;
- Expand staffing and training to better equip farmers with the tools of the future;
- Establish measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) systems to track sustainable progress against goals;
- Enhance implementation capabilities to support scalability; and
- Access new revenue streams and partnerships to grow support for farmers over time.
PepsiCo, which sources approximately 50 key agricultural crops and ingredients from more than 60 countries, is working toward a goal of driving adoption of regenerative agriculture, restorative or protective practices across 10 million acres by 2030. In January 2024 PepsiCo Foods North America CEO Steven Williams discussed the company’s commitment to sustainability at the NRF Big Show.
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“PepsiCo is rooted in agriculture, and farmers are at the heart of our food systems,” said Jim Andrews, Chief Sustainability Officer at PepsiCo in a statement. “STEP up for Ag is about investing in the organizations that support farmers every day, aiming to ensure they can grow, innovate and lead the transition to more sustainable agriculture. When farmers thrive, we all thrive.”
“Regenerative agriculture is a big part of how we’re building a stronger, more resilient supply chain and food system — and Unilever is committed to rolling out regenerative agriculture principles across 1 million hectares [approximately 2.47 million acres] globally by 2030,” said Kristina Friedman, Head of Sustainability for Unilever North America in a statement. “STEP up for Ag can help us move faster and smarter, empowering farmer-led groups with the tools they need and opening doors to more great suppliers to grow our business.”
PepsiCo already has partnered with other companies to support sustainable agriculture, notably the July 2023 commitment of $120 million by PepsiCo and Walmart. In June 2023 Starbucks announced plans to open a sustainability innovation lab in Costa Rica, and in March 2025 Walmart partnered with Cropin to enhance scalable sourcing solutions, following its June 2024 partnership with Agritask to improve its fresh supply chain.
