Kellogg’s has launched a five-year programme with Soil Capital – an organisation helping farmers reduce their negative impact on the environment – to support UK wheat farmers in adopting regenerative agricultural practices across the cereal maker’s entire UK wheat supply.
The programme will work with 25 wheat farmers covering almost 4,000 hectares of farmland, providing growers with agronomic guidance, financial incentives, and digital tools designed to track progress across areas including soil health, water, and biodiversity.
Kellogg’s sources more than 20,000 tonnes of UK wheat each year for its cereal range, including Special K, with the new initiative intended to strengthen the resilience of its agricultural supply chain while contributing to its climate-related objectives.
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The company has worked with UK wheat growers for more than a decade, but it said the latest investment represents a significant expansion of its approach to supporting more sustainable farming practices.
Farmers participating in the programme will be able to combine field data, soil measurements and satellite monitoring to track selected indicators over time. Early results from the 2025 harvest indicate that direct drilling – a practice associated with improved soil health and farm resilience – increased by 13.84% across participating farms, while its use specifically across wheat-growing areas rose by 56%.
The programme is also intended to demonstrate how financial incentives can help farmers manage the commercial challenges involved in changing agricultural practices.
One participating grower said the support had enabled him to reduce fertiliser use in favour of organic poultry manure, while another reported improvements in soil structure and water infiltration.
Dean O’Brien, UK general manager at Kellogg’s, said supporting growers was particularly important as farmers face unpredictable weather and pressure on productivity.
Agriculture accounts for around two-thirds of Kellogg’s Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions, making changes across its agricultural supply chain an important part of its wider climate strategy.
Chuck de Liedekerke, CEO & co-founder of Soil Capital, said the organisation’s role was to provide farmers with “agronomic insight, reliable measurement and the right incentives” to make the transition practical and worthwhile.
The partnership will support 100% of Kellogg’s UK wheat on a mass-balance basis.
Waitrose and regen farming
Earlier this week, UK supermarket chain Waitrose threw further weight behind the regenerative farming movement and announced its own-brand fresh milk packaging will now feature a ‘Championing Regenerative Farming’ logo.
The retailer said its move highlights “the proactive, nature-friendly practices taking place across our dairy farmers’ farms”, which aim to minimise soil disturbance and plant cover crops to protect soil, lock in carbon, and reduce water run-off. Waitrose farms also intend to introduce plant diversity with multi-species pasture and agroforestry as well as creating natural shelters and rich habitats by expanding hedgerows.
The updated packaging will be appearing on Waitrose products from this month.
[image credit: Green Retail World]
