SMITHFIELD, VA. – Smithfield Foods Inc. announced on June 29 that it will partner with Granular Inc., a San Francisco-based farm management software provider, to help the pork processor enhance its grain supply chain efficiency. The companies also hope to increase farm sustainability and efficiency while improving crop yields.
The partnership will be available to grain farmers in North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina and Virginia who sell their products to Smithfield.
“Over the last several years, we’ve focused on working alongside grain farmers in our supply chain to provide information and advice about strategies to improve fertilizer usage and crop production,” said Stewart Leeth, vice president of regulatory affairs and chief sustainability officer at Smithfield Foods. “With Granular Insights, we’ll be able to partner those recommendations with a technology-driven solution to help drive farm profitability with fewer environmental impacts.”
Smithfield said it uses more than 13 billion lbs of feed for its animals each year and this agreement is part of its goal to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 25% by 2025 throughout its supply chain.
As part of its software, Granular Insights with Directed Scouting uses high-frequency, high-resolution satellite imagery to monitor fields, letting farmers mitigate in-field pests and resolve other yield-diminishing problems before they spread and require additional resources.
“Smithfield growers now have access to Granular Insights, and will be able to not only easily and accurately manage their inputs, but also have an edge over pests and weather - the keys to protecting yield and increasing sustainability,” said Emma Fuller, PhD., director of sustainability science at Granular. “With the data sets that drive profitability and optimize sustainability efforts at their fingertips, Smithfield growers will be able to take a holistic look at data from across their operation and combine it with satellite imagery and profit map overlays. And when farmers know more, they are able to do more with less time, energy and resources.”
