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PepsiCo Foods North America announced Wednesday an initiative to expand agricultural job opportunities for young people, who make up just 9 percent of U.S. farm workers.
The effort, called the Planting Pathways Initiative, will begin with pilot partnerships that will provide job pathways across farms and the agricultural sector. Initial partners include Practical Farmers of Iowa and the Farm Foundation.
The initiative is part of PepsiCo Positive (pep+), a plan announced in 2021 that aims to transform the CPG giant’s supply chain and put environmental and social progress at the forefront.
“PepsiCo has a business interest and responsibility to help grow a resilient and impactful supply chain, from the seed in the field to the product on the shelf and the many people enjoying our products at home,” Margaret Henry, PepsiCo’s vice president of sustainable and regenerative agriculture, said in a statement. “We are proud that these partnerships strengthen our commitment to agricultural innovation.”
Our multi-year partnership with the Iowa Practical Farmers Association aims to provide marginalized and beginning farmers with the opportunity to build strong business plans and succeed in the sector by providing coaching, capital, a strong network and educational opportunities.
Meanwhile, the PepsiCo and Farm Foundation partnership will create a two-year cohort program called Field to Future that will provide college students with support to develop careers in agriculture. In addition to mentorship and scholarships, selected individuals will be invited to participate in a two-year paid internship at PepsiCo.
Agriculture has the oldest workforce of any sector, and engaging young people in agriculture is seen as critical to long-term food security. According to the latest Census of Agriculture, the average age of a U.S. farmer is about 58, and farmers over 65 years old make up one-third of all producers.
But as concerns about the environment, sustainability and self-reliance grow among young people, so too does interest in agriculture. Producers under the age of 35 make up just 9% of the industry, up nearly 4% from 2017.
