Danone invests in regenerative agriculture for British oat supply chain

Danone has entered a partnership with the Landscape Enterprise Network (LENs) to help farmers introduce long-term regenerative practices. The company said the initiative is intended to strengthen the resilience of farms and the natural environment.

Funding provided through LENs will support farmers managing more than 2,500 hectares, including land in regions that supply Danone with oats in Britain. The programme will finance practical measures addressing greenhouse-gas emissions, soil condition, biodiversity, water resilience and exposure to climate-related risks.

Planned measures include reduced cultivation, the use of cover crops to keep fields protected through winter, and chopping straw after harvest so that organic material is returned to the soil. LENs said oat farmers would begin applying regenerative methods in autumn.

Danone described the partnership as part of its aim to support a more resilient food system while protecting and regenerating the natural environment. The company works globally with more than 58,000 farmers and has committed to supporting a shift towards regenerative farming practices.

Hannah Cornick, sustainability and social impact director for Danone North Europe, said farming and environmental challenges required collective action. “They require coordinated action, backed by evidence, and a shared commitment to maintaining healthy, resilient landscapes,” she said. Cornick added that cooperation among farmers, businesses and environmental experts would produce “tangible benefits” for soil health, biodiversity and climate resilience.

Donald Lunan, LENs’s chief executive, said Danone’s co-funding would deliver measurable effects in its first year. He said the practices would help reduce and remove carbon, improve soil health and water quality, and increase biodiversity across the sourcing region. Danone also said that, after switching in 2025 to sourcing all British oats for its core Alpro oat drinks, the products had recorded an average 25% lower carbon footprint and 70% lower water use over their life cycle in Britain.