British potato growers who supply McDonald’s will receive £1 million in grants to help boost soil quality and optimise water management.
The launch of the Sustainable MacFries Fund aims to increase the resilience of Britain’s potato supply base.
McDonald’s has partnered with McCain to launch the fund, which will help growers use new technology to become more sustainable.
Together, both companies will provide £1 million in grants to those farmers who produce the varieties that make McDonald’s fries.
The fund will help introduce new infiltration tines, which breaks up soil following planting, allowing water to infiltrate the ridges in fields and enable the potato plant to create a better root structure and increase the uptake of water.
Growers will introduce advanced crop monitoring on their mobile devices to ensure the right amount of water is being used on the crop, optimising their water usage.
McDonald’s and McCain will also look to fund new research to help understand the benefits of using cover crops to retain soil quality, pre and post potatoes.
Lastly, funding from the grant will give farmers an opportunity to conduct their own research into soil and water usage in their fields, with a chance to invest in technology that could help them grow more sustainably.
Daniel Metheringham, agriculture director at McCain GB & Ireland, said: “The investment will help fund practical on-the-ground solutions and accelerate best practice on farms to improve soil health and water quality, allowing farmers to thrive.”
It comes as McCain recently announced a £25m investment into British agriculture to support the long term sustainability of its potato suppliers.
