California: Campbell’s supports sustainable tomato-growing practices

In a press release published in early October, Campbell Soup Company (Campbell’s) announced that it was awarded USD 3.4 million in funding through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) to support California processing tomatoes.

 Under the project, Campbell’s will partner with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), American Farmland Trust and several Resource Conservation Districts to increase the adoption of sustainable agriculture systems and practices by tomato growers in California. The project’s goal is to reduce agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, while building soil health, supporting water stewardship, and strengthening the profitability and resilience of tomato farms.
“Campbell’s and California tomato growers have a long history of partnering on sustainability,” said Stewart Lindsay, Campbell’s Chief Sustainability Officer. “As farmers face increasing challenges from climate change, it is important that we support further adoption of climate-smart agriculture practices that improve soil health and enhance resilience. We are grateful for the USDA’s support and look forward to working with our partners and growers on this important project.”

The project partners have deep experience collaborating with California tomato growers to advance conservation agriculture. They will work with NRCS to provide new funding and technical assistance to growers, reducing the costs and other barriers to adopting new soil health, nutrient management and irrigation management practices.
 
“This funding allows us to provide financial resources and technical support for farmers to adopt these practices quickly and conserve our precious natural resources, increase their climate resilience, and support their farms’ business viability,” said Tom Stein, California Regional Director at American Farmland Trust. “We salute the involvement of food companies that understand the importance of keeping these food ingredients sustainable and available for the future.”

Campbell’s has long encouraged the use of sustainable agriculture practices, particularly among tomato growers with whom the company has maintained close and lasting relationships over many decades. Over the years, the company has supported growers to employ practices that have helped to reduce fertilizer, water use and emissions. More recently, Campbell’s launched efforts to encourage the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices, including establishing a grant fund to help address constraints to piloting and scaling up soil health practices.

The full list of this year’s RCPP awards, including Campbell’s tomato project, can be found on the NRCS website.

Some complementary data
For further details about Regional Conservation Partnership Program, click here.
View the map of 2024 projects by clicking here.

Sources: campbellsoupcompany.com, finance.yahoo.com, cts.businesswire.com, nrcs.usda.gov