STUTTGART, ARK. — A new partnership between Riceland Foods, Inc., Stuttgart, and Nestle Purina PetCare, St. Louis, will incentivize Riceland farmer-members to grow rice using sustainability practices, beginning in 2023. Purina will invest more than $1.5 million over four years.

Arva Intelligence, Houston, will qualify the carbon reductions associated with the farming practices. The reductions will provide proof for Purina to receive associated Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions credits. Scope 3 emissions result from activities from assets not owned or controlled by a company, according to the US Environmental Protection Agency, which also refers to them as value chain emissions.

“Sustainable rice is relevant to meeting market demands as much as meeting the bold environmental goals we set-out to achieve, which includes a goal of net zero by 2050,” said Jack Scott, vice president of sustainable sourcing at Nestle Purina.The sustainability program also will benefit Riceland’s Carbon Ready program. Riceland Foods is a farmer-owned cooperative that stores, transports, processes and markets over 2.5 million tonnes of grains annually.