Bel Brands USA partners with Land O'Lakes, Inc. to pilot sustainable agriculture program

Information obtained on sustainable agriculture practices will help shape the dairy industry's future

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Mar 16, 2021, 09:01 ET

CHICAGO, March 16, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Bel Brands USA is pleased to announce a new program in partnership with Land O'Lakes, Inc. – one of America's premier agribusiness and food companies – to implement and measure sustainable agriculture practices that promote soil health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions on one of its supplying dairy farms. The 3-year pilot effort will be one of the first to use Land O'Lakes' Truterra™ Insights Engine to track crop system changes on a dairy farm.

Bel Brands USA partners with Land O’Lakes, Inc. to pilot sustainable agriculture program. The information obtained on sustainable agriculture practices will help shape the dairy industry’s future.

Throughout the program, Bel and Land O'Lakes will support the adoption of sustainable farming methods, including cover cropping, by a Land O'Lakes member-owner farm in South Dakota that supplies milk to Bel Brands. The farm will work with Land O'Lakes' Dairy 2025 Commitment team and use the company's Truterra™ Insights Engine to capture actionable data about these on-farm sustainable agriculture practices and the economic impacts. The use of this unique tool will provide a different level of data and transparency to better inform management decisions across an entire farm, acre by acre, tracking changes and improvements in key sustainability factors such as greenhouse gas emissions and soil erosion.

"Our mission is to champion healthier and more responsible food for all," stated Bill Graham, CEO, Bel Brands USA. "Our partnership with Land O'Lakes and the farmers that supply us exemplifies our unwavering commitment to innovation and sustainability. Together, we are exploring ways we can be the best possible partners to dairy farmers in their efforts to make the dairy industry more sustainable and conserve the planet's resources."

The pilot supports Bel Brands' and Land O'Lakes' shared ambitions to improve sustainable farming practices and reduce both companies' overall environmental footprint, and the findings of the program will help inform future best practices for dairy farm sustainability throughout their shared supply chain.

"As a farmer-owned cooperative, Land O'Lakes and our member-owners have always taken a leadership position in terms of both on-farm sustainability and animal care," said Pete Kappelman, senior vice president of Land O'Lakes Member and Government Relations. "Through our Dairy 2025 Commitment and Truterra business, and by working with partners such as Bel Brands USA, we believe we can leverage this leadership to help meet specific sustainability goals and provide lasting market opportunities for our of farmer-owners."

For more details about Bel Brands USA and their commitment to sustainable farming visit http://www.belbrandsusa.com/about/healthier-responsible-all/

About Bel Brands USA:
Bel Brands USA Inc., a subsidiary of Bel Group. Headquartered in Paris, Bel wants to promote healthier, responsible and accessible food for all consumers worldwide. Bel is a major player in the healthy snack market. Bel produces more than thirty local and international brands that are sold in more than 130 countries around the globe. In addition to The Laughing Cow®, other USA favorites include Boursin®, Babybel® and popular cheese spreads marketing under Kaukauna®, Merkts® and Price*s® labels. Bel Brands delivers fun snacks to over 400 million consumers globally. www.belbrandsusa.com

About Land O'Lakes, Inc.
Land O'Lakes, Inc., one of America's premier agribusiness and food companies, is a member-owned cooperative with industry-leading operations that span the spectrum from agricultural production to consumer foods. With 2019 annual sales of $14 billion, Land O'Lakes is one of the nation's largest cooperatives, ranking 212 on the Fortune 500. Building on a legacy of more than 99 years of operation, Land O'Lakes today operates some of the most respected brands and businesses in agriculture and food production including Land O'Lakes Dairy Foods, Purina Animal Nutrition, WinField United and Truterra, LLC. The company does business in all 50 states and more than 60 countries. Land O'Lakes, Inc. corporate headquarters are located in Arden Hills, Minn.

SOURCE Bel Brands USA