Cargill & General Mills: Can Wheat be More Sustainable?
Wheat crops contribute to a large amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the agriculture sector according to the Yield Enhancement Network.
Initiatives have been implemented around the world with the aim to reduce the amount of wheat flour emissions.
Jean-Manuel LĂ©vĂȘque, President of Industrial Bakers Association (AIBI), says: âAs a sector we want to take our responsibility for helping our wheat farmers transition to sustainable agriculture.
“This is essential to meeting our sustainability goals and to safeguarding the resilience of the European industrial bakery value chain in the face of climate change.”
What is sustainable Wheat Europe?
The Sustainable Wheat Initiative Europe says it aims to create a shared vision between the bakery industry, flour millers and farmers with the core focus of reducing carbon emissions.
The organisation curated a manifesto signed by various CEOs of European bakeries, millers, suppliers and stakeholders detailing the importance of sustainability in the sector.
Those that sign the manifesto commit to reducing wheat and flour emissions by 30% by 2030, with the end goal of creating sufficient volumes and high quality sustainable wheat flour.
The initiative collaborates with the AIBI, the European federation of large bakeries, to create strong commitments and develop a shared vision of regenerative agriculture.
Jean says: âA shared vision is needed between bakeries, flour mills and the agricultural sector, as well as the involvement of our downstream distribution channels, to move forward in a more efficient and coordinated way in a framework of mutual trust.
âThatâs why the CEOs of the leading European industrial bakery companies joined forces in the Sustainable Wheat Initiative Europe.
âOur goal is to facilitate and accelerate the transition to low-carbon wheat flourâ
How the initiative is impacting European companies
LantmÀnnen Unibake is one company that signed the manifesto agreeing to reduce emissions.
It reports that farming contributes to around 60% of flour's environmental footprint, with carbon emissions occurring during the planting, irrigation, harvest, milling and chipping stages of operation.
The company says that 62% of its overall emissions derive from its supply chain activities, with flour being the largest raw material contributor at 23%.
It says it must reduce its supply chain emissions regarding flour, mainly by focusing on its fertilisation of soil, in order to reach the company's net zero targets.
Carsten Thomsen, President of LantmĂ€nnen Unibake, says: âAt LantmĂ€nnen Unibake, weâve gained valuable experience through our Nordic Climate & Nature program, supported by 10 years of grain data and verified carbon footprint reductions of up to 45%.
âWe know that sustainability starts in the field â with smarter cultivation methods, precision farming, fossil-free fertilisers and fuels, and other field-level innovations.
âBut this is not a journey we can take alone. The real impact will come when customers, suppliers, and even competitors move in the same direction.â
How companies are reducing emissions
It has become an international goal for companies within wheat production to reduce emissions and strengthen the industry as a whole.
Lots of companies have integrated the reduction of wheat emissions into sustainability strategies.
âââââââThe company has set out a climate transition action plan with the aim to reduce GHG emissions from row crops by 39%.
It says that wheat is one of its priority ingredients, with a focus on regenerative agriculture the company aims to minimise disturbance, maximise diversity and improve soil health.
General Mills says that improving nutrient management, using renewable fertiliser, reducing tillage, covering crops and contributing to no deforestation can help reduce the GHG emissions of its grains like wheat.
Jeffrey L. Harmening, Chairman and CEO at General Mills, says: âAs a food company, General Mills depends on the health and well-being of our planet, and we are investing in landscapes and ecosystems to build resilience for nature, climate and communities.â
The American based company has locations around the world pioneering a programme across all its sites called Seafurther, with the aim to reduce its carbon footprint of seafood.
One of the key ways to reduce the sea footprint is through reducing the emissions of feed production.
The company says it focuses on regenerative agriculture, working with 86 farmers in the UK among various other projects involved in its Seafurther programme.
It reports that it was able to cover more than 15,700 hectares of wheat and rapeseed, reducing emissions by 10,200 tonnes of COâ.
