To ensure a long-term sustainable crop supply for food starch, Cargill has committed to source waxy corn 100% sustainably from European farmers. In support of this initiative, Cargill has developed the Waxy Corn Promise program, leveraging the partnerships between Cargill, farmers and co-op suppliers to address key sustainability challenges in the waxy corn growing regions. Benchmarked at Silver level by the Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Platform (SAI Platform), the Waxy Corn Promise is designed to deliver on consumers’ expectations for more sustainable food ingredients.

“The Waxy Corn Promise was developed with the support of our agricultural crop suppliers and an agronomy consultancy, to ensure that we make real sustainability impact," said Dawn Emerson, Cargill sustainability manager. "It is tailored specifically to the waxy corn crop and the growing regions, recognizing the good work that farmers do already and providing improvement actions to help them become more sustainable year-on-year”.

Continuous improvement is a key component of the program, Cargill says. Action plans are implemented and reviewed each year, at each farm, in close collaboration with Cargill’s supplier partners. The sustainability actions are deliberately targeted at the most relevant topics for waxy corn and the growing areas: protection of biodiversity, soil and water quality preservation and water use optimization.

“We are committed to making an impact and raising sustainability standards across our supply chains," said Judd Hoffman, director texturizers & specialties, Cargill Europe. "Waxy corn is a specific type of corn used to produce starches serving as ingredients in many food products and the Waxy Corn Promise provides credible claims, helping our customers achieve their sustainability targets. It also provides assurance and certainty to consumers who are increasingly seeking products containing sustainably sourced ingredients.”

While helping farmers protect and efficiently use their valuable natural resources, the Waxy Corn Promise is also said to drive positive change throughout the European starch supply chain.