[Pollinator] General Mills Helps Transition 34, 000 Acres into Organic Farmland

[Matthew Shepherd]

Hi everyone,



There’s been some pretty big news this week from the farming & food supply
chain world: General Mills is transitioning a 34,000-acre farm in South
Dakota to organic. More pertinent for this list is that, as part of this
change in management, the Xerces Society will be working with the farm to
integrate 3,000 acres of pollinator/beneficial insect habitat into the
landscape. There are links and some excerpts from a few articles below that
explain more about what’s happening.



Matthew



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FROM: PR Newswire (3/6/18)

*General Mills Helps Transition 34,000 Acres into Organic Farmland*

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/general-mills-helps-transition-34000-acres-into-organic-farmland-300608870.html



General Mills today announced a strategic sourcing agreement with Gunsmoke
Farms LLC to convert 34,000 acres of conventional farmland to certified
organic acreage by 2020. The farm, located west of Pierre, South Dakota,
will grow certified organic wheat and other organic rotational crops.



In addition to healthy soil, pollinators are critical to sustain the
ecosystems on which our food and lives depend. But their habitats are under
threat. Agricultural landscaping can increase biodiversity and help a
variety of pollinators, including bumble bees, squash bees, honey bees and
butterflies. Upwards of 3,000 acres of pollinator habitat will be planted
throughout Gunsmoke Farms in cooperation with the Xerces Society. Such
habitat can also improve water quality, reduce soil erosion and protect
game and songbirds.



--------------



FROM: AP

*General Mills, Annie's Mac & Cheese tap South Dakota farm*

https://www.apnews.com/c988a9e06490487dbb57e12e7f11b8cc/General-Mills,-Annie's-Mac-&-Cheese-tap-South-Dakota-farm



General Mills announced a deal Tuesday to create South Dakota’s largest
organic crop farm as the company works to secure enough organic ingredients
to meet growing consumer demand worldwide.



Gunsmoke Farms will convert 34,000 acres — more than 53 square miles — near
Pierre to organic by 2020



Gunsmoke Farms will also carve out around 3,000 acres of pollinator habitat
in cooperation with the Portland, Oregon-based Xerces Society. General
Mills and Xerces announced a partnership in 2016 to add more than 100,000
acres of bee and butterfly habitat on or near existing crop lands.



--------------



FROM: No-Till Farmer

*Make Sure Organic Trends Are On Your Radar*

https://www.no-tillfarmer.com/blogs/1-covering-no-till/post/7625-make-sure-organic-trends-are-on-your-radar



Converting a farm to organic culture may seem like a daunting challenge,
with all the standards and paperwork that must be dealt with. Weed control
is only getting more difficult, but if you’re no-tilling you don’t want to
break out the plow.



But no-tilling organically on a large scale hasn’t scared away General
Mills. This week, the company announced it will convert 34,000 acres near
Pierre, S.D., to organic practices by 2020 as the company works to secure
enough organic ingredients to meet growing consumer demand worldwide.





----------

Matthew Shepherd

Communications Director



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