McDonald's Canada and McCain Foods Limited have announced a new partnership to create the Future of Potato Farming Fund by investing $1M in education, demonstration, and cost-sharing grants to support potato farmer adoption of regenerative practices and technology. The new Fund's goals are building soil health and farm resilience as Canadian potato farmers face the escalating impacts of climate change on yield and crop quality.
"McDonald's World Famous Fries™ come from 100 per cent Canadian potatoes, and each one starts with healthy soil and Canada's dedicated potato growers," said Gemma Pryor, Senior Director, Canada Impact Team, McDonald's Canada. "McDonald's Canada and McCain Foods have a long-standing relationship with potato growers across Canada and are working together to help advance agricultural practices and support the next generation of Canadian farmers."
Canadian farmers are already seeing the impacts of a changing climate through sudden storms, drought, unseasonable moisture, early frosts, cool springs, blazing heat waves, and more. This overwhelmingly impacts financial sustainability on the farm, while threatening food security and crop quality in Canada. The McDonald's McCain Future of Potato Farming Fund aims to safeguard Canada's farming industry through supporting farmer adoption of regenerative practices that improve soil health and build critical resilience on the farm.
"Climate change continues to impact the crop and our potato growing communities. To address this, McCain has pledged to implement regenerative agricultural practices across 100 per cent of its potato acreage by 2030," said Jeremy Carter, Director Agriculture, Western Canada, McCain Foods. "Through our shared vision with McDonald's Canada, we are focused on supporting our growers in accelerating the transition to the key principles of regenerative agriculture like maintaining living cover, reducing tillage intensity, diversifying rotations, reducing the intensity of chemical applications, and enhancing biodiversity. Education, demonstrations, and direct grower funding of practice adoption through this Fund may lead to achieving healthier Canadian soils while creating delicious, planet-friendly food."
In June, McCain Foods released their global Regenerative Agriculture Framework that sets clear definitions and measurements for a regenerative potato acre. Developed in collaboration with a range of stakeholders and used globally, this voluntary framework will support growers as they onboard to regenerative agriculture.
For more information: mccain.com