Purina Europe surpassed its 2025 regenerative agriculture milestone. Initially setting a target of sourcing 20% of cereals and vegetable proteins from farmers using regenerative agriculture practices, the manufacturer reached 29% by the end of the year.
But as regenerative agriculture moves from pilot projects to scaled rollouts, a question remains – who bears the cost?
In this exclusive interview, Kerstin Schmeiduch, head of sustainability, explains how the pet food producer is sharing risk with farmers, rethinking procurement relationships and funding long-term change.
Q: Where do the real costs lie in regenerative agriculture at farm level?
A: Regenerative agriculture will only scale if it works for farmers commercially as well as environmentally. That balance is becoming more important as soil degradation in Europe is already significant, with an estimated 60–70% of soils in poor condition, alongside wider challenges such as erosion and nutrient imbalance.
At farm level, the transition can involve upfront costs and changes how a farm operates. That can include investment in machinery, agronomic advice, new ways of working, time, training and measurement. For many farmers, the biggest barrier is not the willingness to change it, is about having the right support to make that change manageable.
That is why farmers shouldn’t carry the transition burden alone. In the UK, we work with partners including LENs [Landscape Enterprise Network] and 3Keel to provide practical support such as financial contributions, local agronomic guidance, technical expertise, and tools that help farmers assess their systems and plan for greater resilience.
Across Europe, our partnerships with organisations including Earthworm Foundation and Biospheres also provide technical support and hands-on expertise to help them roll-out regenerative agriculture.
Today, more than 639 farmers and over 37,500 hectares are engaged in Purina-supported regenerative agriculture programmes across Europe. That gives us confidence that practical, partnership-led models can help support farmers while also strengthening the resilience of the ingredient supply chains we depend on.
Q: How has Purina had to adapt its procurement approach to make regenerative practices viable for farmers long-term?
A: For us, we increasingly see regenerative agriculture as a way to secure the ingredients we’ll need in the future, not something separate from procurement.
Purina Europe has already reached 29% of cereals and vegetable proteins (by volume) sourced from farmers adopting regenerative agriculture practices. This exceeded our goal of sourcing 20% of cereals and vegetables proteins by 2025. Our 2030 goal is to reach 50%.
To get there responsibly, procurement needs to work with farmers over the long-term and collaborate with them on practical changes that make sense for their individual farms. That means prioritising local ingredient sourcing where possible, working closely with suppliers and partners, and recognising that there is no one-size-fits-all model.
In practice, the actions supported may range from cover cropping and reduced tillage to agroforestry or local agronomic advice, depending on the crop, region, and farming system. The support also varies by programme. For example, it may include paying a premium that covers technical support through Sols Vivants, or funding shared machinery for minimum tillage, cover crops, and localised agronomic expertise through LENs.
The key point is that regenerative agriculture cannot be achieved through sourcing alone. It depends on long-term relationships, clear incentives, and practical support that helps farmers make changes with more confidence.
Q: The LEN model involves funding beyond the farm gate. How did you justify that investment internally?
A: Healthy soils are the foundation of resilient food systems and resilient supply chains. And unfortunately, across Europe, soil fertility is declining.
So regenerative agriculture is not just an environmental initiative for Purina. It is linked to long-term ingredient security, farm resilience, and our ability to continue making high-quality pet food.
Farmers are already facing more volatile weather, pressure on soil health and rising costs. If we want resilient supply chains, we need to support the landscapes and farming systems behind them.
Models like LENs are important because they recognise that some of the benefits of regenerative agriculture sit beyond a single farm gate. Improved soil health, better water management, and stronger biodiversity can support the wider landscape as well as individual farms. This is also why collective investments matter; since 2021, LENs has helped mobilise around €24 million* of funding to farmers in the UK, supporting projects that improve soil, water, and biodiversity across wider farming areas.
For Purina, that makes investment in programmes and partnerships such as LENs, Biospheres and the Earthworm Foundation, a practical way to support the long-term resilience of the agricultural systems we rely on.
*This is what LENs has mobilised across all partnerships.
Q: What tensions are there between short-term ingredient costs and long-term resilience goals, and how do you resolve them?
A: Regenerative agriculture is not a quick fix, it’s a long-term transition.
From Purina’s perspective, we are focused on helping farms become better prepared for future challenges. Short-term cost pressures are real, but failing to invest in healthier soils and more resilient farming systems can create greater risk over time.
Our role is to work with partners, suppliers, and farmers to support practical changes that can help strengthen soil health, improve resilience, and build more secure ingredient supply chains.
That is why we see regenerative agriculture as both an environmental and business priority. For us, it is not a marketing exercise, but about securing resilient farming systems for the long term.
Q: Do you see a point where regenerative practices become cost-neutral/positive for farmers without brand support?
A: Every farm is different. Costs, benefits, and timelines depend on the crop, soil type, climate, current practices, and the wider market conditions farmers are working in.
What we can say is that many farmers are interested in building more resilient systems where it is practical for their farm.
Our focus is firmly on supporting the transition responsibly. That means helping farmers access the advice, tools, and support they need today, while we work towards our 2030 goal of sourcing 50% of key cereals and vegetable proteins from farmers adopting regenerative agriculture practices.
Ultimately, Purina wants regenerative agriculture to make sense for farmers, not just companies. When it comes to pet owners, that means being open about the steps we’re taking to source ingredients more responsibly. Across Purina and brands like Friskies, we’re helping people understand how supporting farmers on their regenerative agriculture journey can contribute to more resilient farming systems and the long-term supply of quality ingredients for the pets they love.
Q: How transparent can large manufacturers be about paying more for raw materials?
A: I cannot speak for other manufacturers, but from a Purina perspective, transparency must start with clear measurement.
For our regenerative agriculture programmes, we use a ‘Measurement, Reporting and Verification’ process, supported by independent third-party experts. These specialists work with participating farmers to gather data from the field and measure progress in the same way across all participating farms.
That matters because regenerative agriculture is complex. It is not enough to talk about ambition, we need to be able to measure progress, understand what is changing on farms, and report responsibly.
On the specific question of raw material costs, there will always be commercial sensitivities. But we can be clear about the types of support we provide, the partners we work with, and the progress we are making towards our 2030 sourcing goal.
Q: What lessons from these programmes would you pass on to UK food manufacturers just starting their regenerative journey?
A: The first lesson is that collaboration matters. No company can scale regenerative agriculture alone. It takes farmers, suppliers, agronomists, NGOs, researchers, and other landscape partners working together over time.
The second is that what works on one farm won’t necessarily work on another. There is no single model for regenerative agriculture. Practices need to reflect the soil, climate, crop, and farming system in each location.
The third is that it’s important to track progress from the beginning. Good intentions are not enough. If we want to understand progress, we need practical ways to measure what is changing on farms and in landscapes. These principles are not limited to agriculture: they also inform how we approach other nature-based programmes, including our ocean restoration work, where collaboration, local expertise, and credible measurement are equally important. In regenerative agriculture specifically, collaborative models such as LENs help put those same principles into practice.
For example, LENs is already showing measurable outcomes, such as improvements in soil carbon, reductions in nitrogen use, and the creation of biodiversity habitats.
And finally, funding beyond the farm gate matters. Technical advice, agronomic support, farmer engagement and measurement systems all help make the transition more practical.
For UK food manufacturers, the bigger point is that supply chain resilience is not a future issue. Farmers are already facing these challenges today. Building more resilient farming systems is a business necessity today, not just a sustainability ambition for tomorrow.
Q: Is there a risk that regenerative agriculture remains limited to companies with deep pockets?
A: Scaling regenerative agriculture will require shared responsibility across the value chain. Funding is important, but it is not the only answer. Practical support matters too, from agronomic advice and technical training to tools that help farmers measure soil health, biodiversity and carbon.
That is why collaborative models are so important. They can help bring different organisations together around shared landscapes and common challenges facing farmers and food producers, rather than leaving each company or farmer to act alone.
Different organisations will contribute in different ways. Larger companies may be able to help fund programmes at scale, while smaller companies may contribute through partnerships, shared learning, or support for specific farmer networks.
The important thing is that regenerative agriculture remains practical, credible, and accessible enough to become part of everyday farming rather than staying small-scale.
