McDonald’s Canada and McCain Foods Limited are partnering on the Future of Potato Farming Fund which will see $1 million invested in education, demonstration, and cost-sharing grants to support potato growers in their adoption of regenerative practices and technology, an Aug. 10 news release said.
“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,” Gemma Pryor, senior director of the Canada Impact Team at McDonald’s Canada, said in the release.
The fund will be open to more than 130 Canadian growers, who represent more than 76,000 acres of potato farmland. It’ll consist of two rounds of grants for growers to implement established regulatory practices to build soil health and resilience starting in August, the release said. Growers will be able to apply for cost-sharing from a list of priority regenerative practices and technologies, such as cover crop seed, flower strip seed, lower intensity tillage equipment, decision support systems, organic soil amendments, and more.
Funding decisions will be made jointly by an expert selection committee comprised of representatives from McDonald’s Canada, McCain Foods, The Soil Health Institute, and a representative from a national potato farming association. The release noted McDonald’s Canada and McCain Foods will work with the Soil Health Institute to measure progress throughout the program.
“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,” Jeremy Carter, director of agriculture for Western Canada with McCain Foods, said in the release. “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.”
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