By Karim Hammam
Soil health is rapidly becoming a supply-chain priority for pet food manufacturers as extreme weather threatens agricultural yields. Major brands are moving beyond packaging targets to direct investment in regenerative farming practices that restore soil structure, retain water, and lock in carbon.
Soil Health Moves from Eco Commitment to Operational Priority
The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification estimates the world loses 24 billion tonnes of fertile topsoil annually. For an industry reliant on grains and vegetable proteins, that degradation poses a fundamental risk to long-term ingredient security. Healthy living soil acts as a natural sponge, buffering crops against drought and enhancing micronutrient transfer.
Purina's Regenerative Agriculture Partnerships
Purina has made regenerative farming a flagship sustainability initiative. By the end of 2025, the company sourced 29 per cent of its European cereals and vegetable proteins from farmers using verified regenerative practices, surpassing a 20 per cent target. The programme covers over 630 farmers and 37,000 hectares across Europe, with a goal of reaching 50 per cent by 2030.
UK Farmers Adopt Cover Crops and Reduced Tillage
In the UK, Purina partners with Landscape Enterprise Networks (LENs) to support 110 wheat growers across 8,000 hectares. Farmers plant cover crops to keep living roots in the ground year-round, reducing winter erosion, and practice reduced tillage to preserve soil biology. Farmer Clare Donkin is among those transitioning with technical and financial backing from the partnership.
Financial Support Helps Farmers Transition
A Purina-commissioned survey found 87 per cent of UK farmers are now significantly more open to adapting practices for soil resilience than five years ago. The 2026 harvest, where UK wheat yields fell up to 30 per cent below expectations, underscored the urgency. By funding on-farm interventions, the LENs model aims to insulate participating growers against climate shocks while securing a more resilient ingredient supply.
