The Challenges Facing Sustainable Agriculture
By Kevin O’Donnell
Originally published by Impacting Our Future
Kevin O’Donnell, director of sourcing and operations sustainability at General Mills, discusses the importance of implementing eco-friendly practices throughout the agriculture industry.
Why is it important to involve sustainable practices in agriculture?As a global food company, we are reliant on the output of Mother Nature — through our ingredients that are grown around the world. More than two-thirds of GHG emissions and 99 percent of our water use occur outside of our manufacturing plants, primarily in agriculture. Changes in climate not only affect global food security but also impact General Mills’ ingredients for our products. We can’t do this work alone. Sustainable agriculture is a team sport that requires trusted partnerships with our suppliers and farmers in our supply chain to implement practices that support healthy soil, water quality and flourishing pollinator habitat.
