Pladis has set an ambition for 50% of its wheat requirement to be grown using regenerative agriculture practices by the end of 2027.
In the first year of its UK wheat-sourcing programme, ‘Back to Farm’, the biscuit giant has sourced over 30,000 tonnes of grain grown using regenerative practices – enough to cover its annual wheat requirement for McVitie’s Digestives.
Currently, around 50 farmers participate in the scheme, receiving financial incentives to cultivate wheat varieties that meet Pladis’s quality and performance standards using regenerative and sustainable methods.
The programme operates a flexible, tiered recognition system that’s designed to acknowledge existing sustainable practices and encourage further progress at farm level.
The farming methods, selected in partnership with Frontier Agriculture, focus on soil health, biodiversity and water management.
Each farming practice is assigned a points value, reflecting its impact and alignment with Pladis’s sustainability goals. Farmers can progress through the tiers, with increased incentives rewarding greater commitment and innovation.
“This is year one, and over 4,000 hectares have already been farmed using regenerative practices,” said Jennifer Parise, Pladis UK & Ireland director of procurement & sustainability.
“Over time, we aim to increase yields from regenerative farms and improve the resilience of our wheat to climate change, with plans to expand into other crops in the future.”
“We know farmers are interested in regenerative farming, but transitioning requires support, especially as subsidies decline.
“By expanding Back to Farm, we hope to build stronger partnerships with growers, helping them address challenges and making food production more sustainable.”
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