General Mills Encourages Farmers To Share Their Story

Dec 14, 2017

In 2013, General Mills committed to sustainably sourcing 100 per cent of their top ten raw material categories by 2020.

That from Sustainability Engagement Manager with General Mills, Jay Watson, who gave a presentation at the Farm Forum Event last week in Calgary, AB.

Watson says for crops such as oats for their Cheerios, they use a continuous improvement definition for sustainability.

"We work with producers in region to take their data, translate that farm level practice data into sustainable outcomes and metrics, and those farmers then have an opportunity to look at their operations through the lens of natural resource efficiency."

Watson says he left producers in the audience with a message to continue to do what you do best.

"That's to innovate, and experiment, and to push the envelope. We are going to have a lot more mouths to feed in the future, we're going to need to be more productive, and we need to make sure we're looking at not just profitability, but also other aspects, like social and environmental concerns, because more and more stakeholders are wondering about that."

He encourages producers to find more ways to share what they are doing on their operation.

"Easier said than done, but we have great stories to share. Every time I'm out meeting with producers, I'm blown away by the commitment, the stewardship, the care and compassion that goes into producing food. That needs to be shared more broadly."

Source : Steinbachonline

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.