Increasing Sustainability: Nutrient Management

Nearly 40% of the corn grown in the U.S. is used for animal feed. Feed grain production has significant environmental impacts, because growing that grain relies heavily on fertilizer. And in any given year, only 40% of the fertilizer applied to crops is absorbed – the rest runs off in the form of air or water pollution. In the poultry industry, for example, feed production accounts for around 78% of emissions from the global poultry supply chain.

Fortunately, retailers and food companies have the power to make big changes, by setting sustainability goals and working with suppliers to use fertilizer in more efficient ways. EDF has been working with companies across the agricultural supply chain – including Walmart, Smithfield Foods, Tyson Foods, and Campbell Soup – and has an array of tools and resources like ag tech innovations that can help you maximize nutrient use and profitability while minimizing environmental impact.