A Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) analysis concluded that Tyson Foods fails to meet its sustainability goals and could do more to reduce its environmental impacts.
According to UCS, Tyson set a goal in 2018 to have better environmental practices across 2 million acres of corn. However, according to Tyson’s 2020 sustainability report, only about one-quarter, or about 408,000 acres, have been converted to better practices. The company cited COVID-19 as the reason and moved the goal to 2025.
UCS estimates that 10 million acres are required to feed all the animals the company processes, and “with hundreds of millions of dollars in profits in recent years, Tyson has the resources to accelerate its commitment to improving production practices.”
One of the major issues that has slowed Tyson’s progress toward practicing more sustainable farming techniques is the expenses of switching to these practices. As the UCS report points out, many farmers contracted by Tyson cannot afford the upfront costs associated with making the necessary changes.
The report recommends Tyson should use its buying power and resources to help farmers employ practices that conserve and build healthy soil.
