JM Smucker Co: Disclosure of Pesticide Use in Agricultural Supply Chains
WHEREAS: One third of every bite of food we eat is dependent on pollinators, but pollinator species are declining at alarming rates in significant part due to the use of toxic pesticides on farms.[1] Pesticides also cause several serious human health effects from cancers to neurological damage.
The use of pesticides threatens biodiversity and farm resiliency due to proliferation of pesticide-resistant weeds, loss of topsoil, and harm to species above and below ground. Pesticides can also harm fence line communities, pollute drinking water sources, reduce carbon storage, and impair neighboring farmland.
Consumer advocates have begun testing for pesticides in food products, including processed foods.[2] Consumer lawsuits have targeted manufacturers of foods containing pesticide residues.[3]
JM Smucker has recognized in its public definition of sustainable agriculture the importance of addressing issues related to pesticide use, [4] but does not disclose data on pesticide use across its agricultural supply chains. This failure to report on pesticide use represents an important blind spot for the company and impedes investors’ ability to assess company risk over time.
In a recent investor scorecard on management of pesticide risks in agricultural supply chains, Smucker scored 1 out of 27 possible points, trailing many major food companies that are doing more to track and reduce pesticide use.[5] For instance:
General Mills discloses metrics for tracking and reporting pesticide use by suppliers in its regenerative agriculture program, including type and name of input, amount and method used, cost and date of application, pest or disease being controlled, and pounds of pesticides avoided.
Lamb Weston discloses pesticide use data across its potato supply chains (reported in pounds of active ingredient use per ton grown).
Sysco reports annually on pesticide use avoided by suppliers using Integrated Pest Management (IPM) – reporting 8.4 million pounds avoided in 2019.
Kellogg’s collects pesticide use data and committed to phase out pre-harvest desiccation with glyphosate for wheat and oats by 2025.
Campbell’s has committed to pilot a pesticide data collection and reporting tool for tomatoes and collect pesticide use data in potatoes for future reporting.
In a competitive marketplace that is increasingly demanding climate resilience and reduced stakeholder and environmental harm, understanding and tracking supplier use of pesticides reduces risk for shareholders and our company.
BE IT RESOLVED: Shareholders request that Smucker disclose, at reasonable expense and omitting proprietary information, available quantitative metrics on pesticide use in the Company’s supply chains that can cause harm to pollinators, human health, or the environment.
SUPPORTING STATEMENT: While type of metrics are left to management discretion, shareholders recommend the company measure and disclose the following:
Type and amount of pesticides avoided annually through targeted strategies like regenerative agriculture programs, IPM or other methods;
Targets and timelines, if any, for pesticide reduction;
Priority pesticides, if any, for reduction or elimination.
[1] https://xerces.org/pesticides/risks-pesticides-pollinators
[2] https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/glyphosate-contamination-food-goes-far-beyond-oat-products
[3] https://www.foodnavigator-usa.com/Article/2018/08/21/And-now-the-food-lawsuits-General-Mills-sued-over-glyphosate-residue-post-Monsanto-289m-verdict
[4] https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/jms-s3-com-jms-p-pmc6/assets/news-stories/corporate-publications/2021-corporate-impact-report.pdf
[5]https://static1.squarespace.com/static/59a706d4f5e2319b70240ef9/t/617066595329e05297e3a54e/1634756190182/AsYouSow2021_+PesticidesinthePantry_proof_v3_FIN_20211018.pdf
Resolution Details
Company: JM Smucker Co
Lead Filers:
As You Sow
Year: 2022
Filing Date:
February 2022
Initiative(s): Pesticides
Status: Resolution Withdrawn, Agreement Reached