Smithfield Foods joins Farm Powered Strategic Alliance
Smithfield Foods, the world’s largest pork processor, has joined the Farm Powered Strategic Alliance (FPSA), an initiative to improve food waste recycling and energy production.
The FPSA, founded in 2020 by Vanguard Renewables, Unilever, Starbucks, and the Dairy Farmers of America, aims to avoid or eliminate food waste first and repurpose what cannot be eliminated into renewable energy via anaerobic digestion.
Smithfield’s inclusion in the Alliance will further support progress towards sustainability initiatives already underway across its operations, including commitments to reduce waste sent to landfill, increase renewable energy sourcing and creation, and become carbon negative in its US operations by 2030.
“Smithfield sets an example for other companies to take a hard look at their business practices to see how they can do even better for the planet,” said John Hanselman, founder and chief strategy officer at Vanguard Renewables.
“Smithfield has significant sustainability efforts across its value chain and recognises the FPSA’s value in offering additional pathways to reach them.”
Smithfield Foods’ chief sustainability officer, Stewart Leeth, commented: “Our aggressive sustainability goals and programmes are the foundation of how we carry out our commitment to producing ‘Good Food. Responsibly’ with respect to our people, animals, communities and planet.
“We’re excited to join the FPSA and accelerate our progress toward our leading goals, including our pledge to achieve a 75% reduction in waste and certify 75% of our US facilities zero waste-to-landfill by 2025.”
Members of the FPSA have the opportunity to recycle unavoidable food and beverage waste on farms, where it is combined with farm manure in a Farm Powered anaerobic digester to generate RNG. The process also produces a low-carbon fertiliser that farms can use to support regenerative agriculture practices, as well as providing US farmers with a diversified income stream.
“The world cannot wait for governments to do the right thing,” said Hanselman,” private industry must take initiative, and we are thrilled to welcome Smithfield to the Alliance.”
The FPSA, founded in 2020 by Vanguard Renewables, Unilever, Starbucks, and the Dairy Farmers of America, aims to avoid or eliminate food waste first and repurpose what cannot be eliminated into renewable energy via anaerobic digestion.
Smithfield’s inclusion in the Alliance will further support progress towards sustainability initiatives already underway across its operations, including commitments to reduce waste sent to landfill, increase renewable energy sourcing and creation, and become carbon negative in its US operations by 2030.
“Smithfield sets an example for other companies to take a hard look at their business practices to see how they can do even better for the planet,” said John Hanselman, founder and chief strategy officer at Vanguard Renewables.
“Smithfield has significant sustainability efforts across its value chain and recognises the FPSA’s value in offering additional pathways to reach them.”
Smithfield Foods’ chief sustainability officer, Stewart Leeth, commented: “Our aggressive sustainability goals and programmes are the foundation of how we carry out our commitment to producing ‘Good Food. Responsibly’ with respect to our people, animals, communities and planet.
“We’re excited to join the FPSA and accelerate our progress toward our leading goals, including our pledge to achieve a 75% reduction in waste and certify 75% of our US facilities zero waste-to-landfill by 2025.”
Members of the FPSA have the opportunity to recycle unavoidable food and beverage waste on farms, where it is combined with farm manure in a Farm Powered anaerobic digester to generate RNG. The process also produces a low-carbon fertiliser that farms can use to support regenerative agriculture practices, as well as providing US farmers with a diversified income stream.
“The world cannot wait for governments to do the right thing,” said Hanselman,” private industry must take initiative, and we are thrilled to welcome Smithfield to the Alliance.”
