At Kellogg Company, the soil that nurtures the grains for our foods is something we care passionately about ­–­­ today and every day. We understand that good food starts from the ground up and we’re committed to nurturing our planet. That’s why we’re passionate about celebrating World Soil Day. It’s recognized each year on December 5, and was established by the International Union of Soil Scientists as a means to focus attention on the importance of healthy soil and advocating for the sustainable management of soil resources.

Increasingly, experts are understanding that the health of our soil contributes to the quality of our water, the land’s ability to better withstand drought and improved farm productivity and profitability. In a world with an ever-increasing population, improving soil health is helping farmers feed more people by producing more food, while also reducing their environmental impact.

One example of our work protecting soil health is our co-chairmanship of the Midwest Row Crop Collaborative (MRCC), which brings together three international non-governmental organizations and nine multinational companies to focus on soil and water quality in the U.S. Upper Mississippi River Basin. Through MRCC, we’re helping farmers best understand the economic and environmental benefits of soil health practices in this important agriculture region.

We’re also sharing important information on the key role technology plays in preserving soil health. With our partner, Syngenta, Kellogg is providing farmers with the data they need to determine the nutrient profile of the soil, track crop performance and adopt new productivity enhancements.

Chris Guza, a farmer who grows wheat for Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats® cereal in the Thumb region of Michigan points out that farming is increasingly high-tech work. From satellites to soil sampling, Chris shares how he is getting the most production out of his farm, while preserving the land for future generations in our Open for Breakfast video.

Our collaboration with Chris and other wheat farmers in the area is one of more than 40 Kellogg’s Origins™ projects helping to make agriculture more sustainable and productive around the world. For example:

• Our projects in the U.S. are advancing practices across 250,000 acres that protect soil health, including crop rotation and cover crops.

   

• In Great Britain, where farmers grow wheat for Kellogg’s® Special K® cereals, those who participated in a project encouraging them to grow winter beans and other cover crops saw an average 20 percent increase in worms, a key indicator of soil health.

   

Supporting farmers and farming communities with information and resources to protect soil health is one way we are addressing food security though our Breakfasts for Better Days™ global signature cause platform. Through this work, we’re nurturing our planet in many other ways, as well as nourishing with our foods, feeding people in need, volunteering in our communities and inviting others to join us on this journey. More information about this work is available in our Corporate Responsibility Report.