5 highlights from our wheat sustainability program

Wheat is a key ingredient in making many of our delicious snacks-including Goldfish and Lance crackers, and Pepperidge Farm breads!

That's why we launched our wheat sustainability program six years ago. We're helping farmers adopt sustainable agricultural practices because we know it's good for our planet and good for our business.

Here are five key milestones from the program:

1. Launched our first project in the Chesapeake Bay area

What we did: In 2018, our first project focused on nutrient management in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

Why it matters: This region is home to three of our bakeries (Denver, PA, Hanover, PA and Downingtown, PA), and due to its geography, watershed conservation is a key priority.

Go deeper: Our partner, The Mill, an agricultural retailer which offers everything from seed to conservation advice and tools, connected wheat farmers with new tools to better manage their fertilizer use. Our wheat data partner, Truterra, then helped us gather information about their fields so that we could track progress on factors like nutrient stewardship and soil erosion.

"Traditionally, all acres in a field have received the same rate of fertilizer, even though we know some parts of the field need more than others to produce a high-yielding crop. By providing data-driven recommendations to farmers, we can reduce their fertilizer use and maximize their return on investment, while helping protect the communities we live in."

Tim Hushon, Decision Ag Solutions Director for The Mill

2. Expanded our sustainability program into Ohio

What we did: We broadened the reach of our program in our second year by adding wheat farms in Ohio.

Why it matters: This was an important addition since the state is home to two of our bakeries, including our bakery in Willard, the Goldfish Capital of the World, and Ashland. This expansion also helped us make progress against our goal of sourcing 50% (by volume) of wheat from suppliers engaged in an approved sustainable agriculture program by fiscal year 2025.

3. Established a new partnership and expanded the program to Richmond, Utah

What we did: In 2020, we partnered with one of our flour suppliers, Ardent Mills, to collect data on wheat growing practices.

Go deeper: In 2023, we also announced a $160 million investment in the Richmond site to expand production of Goldfish crackers to meet increased consumer demand. As part of this project, Utah Flour Milling, LLC will build an on-site flour mill connected to our bakery.

Why it matters: The Richmond site investment will not only increase supply reliability and allow us to make more Goldfish but will reduce our site's greenhouse gas emissions by eliminating over 2,200 trucks per year transporting flour from mill to bakery.

4. Piloted our first regenerative wheat project in Kansas

What we did: In the 2021-2022 growing season, we partnered with another supplier, ADM, to enroll 3,000 acres in Kansas into our first regenerative wheat pilot.

Why it matters: Regenerative agriculture improves soil health and aims to help mitigate the effects of climate change. The pilot provides technical assistance, agronomy support, and financial incentives to increase the adoption of regenerative practices like cover cropping and reducing tillage.

Here's a snapshot from our first year:

5. Launched our fourth partnership in North Carolina

What we did: Our most recent milestone is a new project to support the implementation of regenerative farming practices in North Carolina with Bartlett, a Savage Company, which supplies flour to our snacks plant in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Why it matters: Together, we're working to provide information and technical assistance to local North Carolina farmers so that they can implement new farming practices.

We're proud of what we've accomplished over the last five years, and excited about what's to come. We remain committed to establishing farmer partnerships so that our consumers can sustainably snack for years to come.

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