Can Sustainability and Farm Viability Coexist? Takeaways from GreenBiz 26

American farmers are struggling to remain profitable amid high production costs, low commodity prices, uncertain trade dynamics, and variable weather. Sustainability can be part of the solution, but only if sustainability investments are shared across the supply chain. 

At GreenBiz 26, RTI International hosted a breakout session on the role of sustainability in reimagining the global agricultural system, convening experts from across agricultural supply chains. The panel included an Iowa corn and soybean farmer and sustainability leaders from ADM, PepsiCo, AgSpire, and RTI. Several clear themes emerged from the discussion. 

Investing in sustainable agriculture is not just a corporate social responsibility practice, it’s a survival strategy. Companies such as ADM and PepsiCo are recognizing that if they don’t invest in farmers within their supply chain, they risk not being able to meet their raw material needs in the future. 

In Ethiopia, PepsiCo has been partnering with smallholder farmers since 2023 to introduce climate-smart and high-quality potato seeds and practices, ensuring a more sustainable income for growers and a more reliable supply chain for PepsiCo. Similarly, ADM’s investments in regenerative agriculture have resulted in over 5 million acres of farmland in its supply chain transitioning to regenerative practices. These models support the future financial viability of both the brands and the farms—but they are currently only accessible to farmers who grow certain crops, live in specific regions, or sell to participating companies. 

Although ADM and PepsiCo are at the forefront with these sustainable agriculture initiatives, all global food and beverage companies are exposed to similar risks. Companies may get by without investing in sustainable supply chains for now, but the risk will continue to accumulate and the window for action is closing. 

Sustainable Agriculture Starts with Shared Investment 

One panelist put it bluntly: 

If you want farmers to do something aligned to corporate sustainability goals, you have to pay them. – April Hemmes, Iowa Farmer 

Farmers are facing a tough economic reality and switching to sustainable agriculture practices can be expensive. Farmers cannot be expected to shoulder the burden of these costs alone, so the alignment of corporate and farm-level incentives is critical. 

Companies must provide clear incentives, payments, and commitments to help farmers invest in regenerative agriculture practices as part of sustainable supply chains. Without fair compensation, a gap will persist between the sustainability commitments that companies want to showcase and real farm-level practices. Common goals must be developed—and rewarded—that support the viability of both businesses. 

Putting Farmers at the Center of the Story 

Engaging and supporting farmers is key to generating farmer buy-in and is also increasingly seen as a brand differentiator in the marketplace. By showcasing the people behind the product, companies can build consumer trust, showcase authenticity, and demonstrate supply chain transparency. 

Transparency should go both ways; many farmers want to know where their products go, what they are used for, and how they are received. During the session, ADM highlighted how they achieve this through brand loyalty events for growers in their supply chain, and how important this information is to farmers. 

Retail Companies Have a Role to Play in Sustainability

Food and beverage manufacturers, such as PepsiCo, and agricultural commodity aggregators, such as ADM, are among a growing category of companies investing in regenerative agriculture and sustainable supply chains. These efforts could accelerate if they receive greater commitments and investments by retailers, such as grocery stores, and other consumer-facing companies that buy products from food and beverage manufacturers.

GreenBiz 26 also featured emerging efforts from Amazon Grocery and Whole Foods to align their suppliers around shared regenerative agriculture and biodiversity goals. To further accelerate full supply chain sustainability efforts, other downstream retailers must increase leadership and investment. That’s when we’ll truly start to see scaled impact. 

Strategic Partnerships Multiply the Impact of Sustainability Initiatives

The most important step is getting started, but partnering with organizations that bring technical expertise, farmer networks, and additional resources can increase impact. Amid a challenging farm ecosystem, it is imperative that as companies across the supply chain jump in, they seek partnerships that will improve success rates, build upon past lessons learned, and leverage existing relationships with farmers, rather than trying to build something from scratch.  

Partnering with organizations to act as brokers or service providers is essential, because their experience and connections lower the time and resource costs of building programs that work for farmers’ varying business models. Organizations such as RTI and AgSpire have a proven track record of helping farmers adopt regenerative practices and companies meet their sustainability goals.  

For companies ready to act, RTI offers a strategic roadmap. From identifying high-impact opportunities to evaluating the full range of co-benefits, RTI’s experts help companies see the big picture of sustainable agriculture. Our experience across both domestic and international supply chains helps us translate what works for one company into actionable strategies for another.