McCain Foods is embarking on an expansion of its network of Innovation Hub farms across North America. This growing season, the company will partner with four additional farms in three regions as part of its North America-wide network of Innovation Hubs where commercial-scale research trials are tested locally as an opportunity for learning and transparency. The expansion supports McCain’s commitment to implement regenerative agriculture practices throughout 100 per cent of its global potato acreage by the end of 2030.
This year, new Innovation Hub farms will be established on potato farms in Alberta, Canada, plus Wisconsin and Maine in the USA, with the fourth on an onion farm in Idaho. They will join established research hubs in Idaho, Washington, and Manitoba.
“Regenerative agriculture is a core part of our mission to grow food in a smart and sustainable way,” said Dan Metheringham, North America Vice President of Agriculture and Sustainability. “We are currently writing what promises to be a defining chapter for sustainable agriculture and we are proud of the work our team and partners are doing from the ground up.”
McCain developed the Innovation Hub concept to be a local, regionally accessible extension of its Farms of the Future project. Its flagship station in New Brunswick, Canada is where it is gaining a better understanding of regenerative agriculture practices and their impact, costs and benefits, and where it is working with farming partners to reimagine how to grow a potato that is better for both the farm and the planet. Trials and learnings are applied at a commercial scale to address environmental challenges that are unique to each local region.
While each Innovation Hub farm is addressing different agriculture issues and challenges — such as soil erosion, water insecurity, nutrient management and pesticide toxicity — collectively, they are showcasing best practices and applications of various regenerative agricultural practices like cover cropping, crop diversity, irrigation innovations, advanced machinery and nature-based solutions.
Through this work, McCain is building strong evidence that sustainability in agriculture can be both economically and environmentally viable, with assured supply, strong yields and improved soil health.
The progress being made is tangible, as the number of farmers growing food for McCain and adopting regenerative agriculture practices is steadily increasing.
“Farmers are conducting commercial-scale trials so we can learn fast – and fail fast – with new practices and new varieties, then share that knowledge with local growers,” said Metheringham. “The early signs are positive: a significant percentage of growers who visit our Innovation Hubs express their intent to implement new practices on their own farms.”
