Cargill Launches Sustainability Program in Europe

To ensure a long-term sustainable crop supply for food starch, Cargill has committed to source waxy corn 100% sustainably from European farmers. The “Waxy Corn Promise” supports farmers to continuously improve their practices and reduce their impact on the environment in corn growing areas.

“The Waxy Corn Promise was developed with the support of our agricultural crop suppliers and an agronomy consultancy, to ensure that we make real sustainability impact” explains Dawn Emerson, Cargill sustainability manager. “It is tailored specifically to the waxy corn crop and the growing regions, recognizing the good work that farmers do already and providing improvement actions to help them become more sustainable year-on-year”.

Continuous improvement is a key component of the program. Action plans are implemented and reviewed each year, at each farm, in close collaboration with Cargill’s supplier partners. The sustainability actions are deliberately targeted at the most relevant topics for waxy corn and the growing areas: protection of biodiversity, soil and water quality preservation and water use optimization.

“Waxy corn is a specific type of corn used to produce starches serving as ingredients in many food products and the Waxy Corn Promise provides credible claims, helping our customers achieve their sustainability targets. It also provides assurance and certainty to consumers who are increasingly seeking products containing sustainably sourced ingredients” said Judd Hoffman, director texturizers & specialties, Cargill Europe.