McCain Foods commits to sustainable agriculture, says 100% of its potato acreage will be regenerative by 2030

McCain Foods Ltd. is committing to improving its climate footprint, saying all of its French fries will be made with potatoes from a farm using more sustainable agricultural practices by the end of the decade.

The company says 100 per cent of its potato acreage — representing 149,733 hectares worldwide — will be grown using regenerative agriculture by 2030.

McCain says the farming technique promotes biodiversity, more plant cover on fields, minimizes soil disturbances and maximizes crop diversity in order to increase water efficiency, protect against erosion, capture more carbon and create greater resilience to droughts and floods.

McCain CEO Max Koeune says the pandemic has put a spotlight on the precarious nature of the global food system, but that climate change remains the largest challenge.

He says the whole food system is at risk of suffering “irreparable damage” if the food industry doesn’t transform the way food is grown.

McCain, the world’s largest manufacturer of frozen potato products, made the commitment in its global sustainability report released on June 7.