Page 63 - Farm and Food Policy Strategies for 2040 Series

Alliance (SFPA). Leading four of the largest U.S. food companies, their leaders noted that SFPA
“was founded on the principle that food companies can and should be doing more to lead
and drive positive action for the people who buy and enjoy the foods and beverages we
make, the people who supply them, and the planet on which we all rely.”

They added that in their commitment to lead by example, their four companies have already
“independently proven a willingness to advocate for the long-term interests of the people who
farm and supply our raw materials, and people who make and consume our products.”

SFPA’s plans show that the four companies want to encourage farmers and ranchers to transition
to more sustainable practices through a combination of financial incentives and regulatory push
through the Farm Bill. Specifically, SFPA intends to “work to advance policies that are impactful
for the environment, while accounting for the specific business imperatives of supply chains,
including farmers, ranchers, and other producers.”

Diving into farm-level issues in ways that could extend food company involvement across the
entire food chain, the SFPA plans include:

• “Urging U.S. policymakers to ensure that the Farm Bill and other farm policies reflect the
pressing need to increase the scale of actions to address water quality and water
conservation issues, focus on improving soil health, and expand the deployment of
renewable energy, particularly wind and solar. The Farm Bill should leverage all
available tools, including research and public-private partnerships such as the Regional
Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), to make smart investments in conservation
and sustainability.”

• “Exploring the economics of sustainability, including financial incentives to reduce
emissions and transition to low-carbon alternatives, with a particular focus on ways to
create value for farmers, ranchers, and others who are implementing leading edge
practices to cut greenhouse gas emissions.”

• “Advocating on behalf of smart, comprehensive energy and environmental policies at the
state, national, and international levels, including the Paris Climate Agreement, the Clean
Power Plan, or other commitments that result in change necessary to reduce greenhouse
gas emissions in line with what evidence-based science says is necessary.”

Committed to making the supply chain sustainable & transparent

The SFPA’s four founding members make it clear where they stand on controversial issues and
how far they are willing to go to transform the food supply chain to prepare for 2040. Reaching
into every part of the supply chain, from farmers’ fields and feedlots to consumer-facing product
labels, here are four revealing statements from the companies’ reams of research and reports:

Unilever: “Part of our Vision is to grow our business whilst decoupling our
environmental impact from our growth. We consider the reduction of our greenhouse gas
(GHG), water and waste impacts across our value chain, from sourcing our raw materials
to within our own manufacturing and operations and consumer use. We also aim to
source our agricultural raw materials sustainably.”
Nestlé: “In addition to our own employees, we work with hundreds of partners,
thousands of suppliers and millions of farmers around the world. Our collective aim is to
help develop thriving and resilient communities as part of a secure, long-term supply

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