Nestlé Purina Petcare Europe Continues to Advance Partnerships to Scale Regenerative Agriculture

• Nestlé Purina Petcare Europe has been supporting schemes that encourage farmers to adopt regenerative agriculture practices for over four years, with more than 450 farmers on board to date
• The company has committed to source 20% of its key ingredients from farmers adopting regenerative agricultural practices by 2025, with a target of 50% by 2030
• Purina's regenerative agriculture efforts are part of the company's commitment to continue delivering high-quality nutrition whilst aiming to reduce its climate impact
• Regenerative agriculture aims to contribute to restore soil health and fertility whilst helping to protect water resources, biodiversity and farmers livelihoods

December 12th: Nestlé Purina PetCare Europe is continuing to bolster its regenerative agriculture partnerships and programmes across the region, taking the company another step closer to achieving its commitment to source 20% of key ingredients from farmers adopting regenerative agricultural practices by 2025, with a target of 50% by 2030. Over 450 farmers have joined schemes supported by Purina Europe since 2020.

These initiatives aim to support farmers in adopting regenerative agriculture practices such as diversified crop rotation, cover crops, and reduced tillage. These practices help restore soil fertility, protect water quality, reduce soil erosion, sequestrate carbon, enhance biodiversity, and contribute to the wellbeing of farming communities. Additionally, regenerative agriculture projects should help the business to be more resilient in its sourcing of ingredients.

In 2021, Purina France became the first pet food company in France to participate in the "Sols Vivants" programme, in partnership with the Earthworm Foundation. This initiative raises awareness, provides training, and supports farmers in implementing regenerative agriculture practices. To date, 250 farmers producing cereals for Purina have joined this initiative.

Purina has also been supporting the improvement, productivity and resilience of landscapes within LENs for a number of years across several markets. LENS is a system launched with 3Keel, allowing businesses with a shared interest in environmental protection to come together to protect our planet through nature-based solutions. The solutions are designed to deliver core ecosystem functions, including carbon sequestration, or biodiversity outcomes.

In the UK, Purina Europe along with Nestlé UK, Nestlé Cereal Partners UK and Anglian Water, have invested in LENs programmes since 2022. Practices on the ground have focused on improving soil health, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving water quality and water resilience. In 2024, more than 110 farmers have been involved in these UK-based programmes. 

Purina Italy, Hungary, and Poland are also supporting LENs programmes and, as part of this work, are aiming to make a greater impact by proactively connecting businesses, society, and local communities to help preserve and regenerate rural areas. As an example of this, Purina Italy is working in collaboration with other funders such as Consorzio Prosecco DOC and strategic partners like Leone Alato.  57 farmers from the Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia regions have participated in this collaborative network, which was launched in 2022. Elsewhere, Purina Hungary continues to scale up its focus on regenerative methods in the Western Transdanubian region, preserving natural assets and improving ecosystem services. In 2024, 22 farmers joined LENS in Hungary. Purina Poland has also recently joined the LENs community, showcasing their commitment to regenerative agriculture by onboarding 24 farmers during 2024.

Cécile Doinel, Head of Regenerative Agriculture for Purina Europe said: “At Purina Europe, we acknowledge the importance of doing what we can to support farmers to transition towards regenerative agriculture. Through our initiatives, we aim to mitigate our impact on the environment, and build more resilience to our sourcing, with the ultimate objective of helping to create a more regenerative food system.

“We have seen that working with key partners and a collaborative approach within the food industry is key to the success of the programme. Also, the sponsorship of farmers who act as a model for others is essential to the adoption of regenerative practices amongst the agricultural community.”

Isabel Ross, Principal Consultant at LENs, said: "It's great to see Purina boosting its regenerative agriculture partnerships across Europe. The regenerative agriculture practices enabled by LENs help to promote soil health, increase soil carbon, boost biodiversity, mitigate flood risk and create habitats for pollinators – all positive outcomes that help businesses to source ingredients in the long term. The commitment of funders such as Purina is essential to the collaboration at the heart of LENs’s success."

As Purina Europe continues on this journey, the company looks forward to expanding its partnerships and engaging more funders to create a common transition towards a regenerative food system that fosters sustainability and nurtures the well-being of people, pets and the planet.

Find out more about Purina Europe’s regenerative agriculture projects and further sustainability initiatives, including the Ocean Restoration Programme, visit: https://www.purina.eu/our-impact/sustainability 

ENDS

About Nestlé Purina PetCare Europe
Nestlé Purina PetCare Europe believes that when people and pets bond, life becomes richer. This is why it is committed in creating richer lives for pets and the people who love them through high-quality nutrition and care. For over 130 years, Purina has been one of the pioneers in unlocking the power of nutrition, providing great tasting products made to the highest standards of quality and safety.

Purina’s commitments go beyond the advancement of pet nutrition, providing support along the entire pet parenthood journey to further strengthen the pet-human bond. In 2022, Purina announced its second set of Commitments (2023 – 2030 ) to support adoption and responsible pet ownership, help the wellbeing of people in vulnerable situations and support the regeneration of soil and ocean ecosystems. 

The Purina portfolio includes many of the best-known and best-loved pet foods including Felix®, Purina ONE®, Gourmet® and Pro Plan®.   

Purina’s passion for pets and the people who love them drives its commitment to become Europe’s most trusted pet care company, making a positive impact on the health of pets, people and the planet.  

A premiere global manufacturer of pet products, Nestlé Purina PetCare is part of Swiss-based Nestlé S.A., a global leader in nutrition, health and wellness.  

For more information, visit the Purina website: https://www.purina.eu/ 
 

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  ¹ The project in Italy is further supported by specialised consultants such as 3Keel and Preferred by Nature, with the support of Cereal Docks and Serena & Manente, along with several partner organizations including Veneto Agricoltura, CSQA, WBA (World Biodiversity Association) Project, and xFarm.