2026 Pesticides in the Pantry:
Transparency & Risk in Food Supply Chains
Key Findings
Last Updated: March 2026
Top 5 Findings
- The food industry is not stagnating on pesticide risk — it is actively reversing progress it had already made: 10 of 17 companies declined, and the average score fell from 4.5 to 3.0 out of 27.
- General Mills, the 2023 industry leader, scored zero in 2026 — the largest single drop in this scorecard's history — after eliminating all pesticide disclosure from its public reporting.
- Only Nestlé, Lamb Weston, and Del Monte lead the pack, yet even the top score of 10 out of 27 represents just 37% of what full accountability would look like.
- Five major food companies — including Cargill, Kraft Heinz, and Mars — scored zero: no goals, no data, no supply chain standards of any kind.
- No company has ever earned a single point for farmworker protection, despite 78% of U.S. farmworkers being Hispanic and nearly half experiencing pesticide poisoning each year.
Most major food companies that made measurable progress on pesticide reduction since 2019 are now actively reversing that progress.
This is the fifth time As You Sow has assessed the food industry's management of pesticide risk — a body of work running from 2019 through 2026, benchmarking major food manufacturers and suppliers against criteria that have grown more rigorous with each edition. What is new in 2026 is not the failing grades; it is what is happening behind the scenes.
Major companies that had made measurable progress on pesticide reduction since 2019 are now actively reversing that progress. General Mills — the industry leader in both 2019 and 2023 — scored zero points in 2026, the largest single-company decline in this scorecard's history. ADM publicly committed to reducing chemical pesticide use in its key supply chains by 2030, then quietly eliminated that goal in 2024. Conagra, recognized in 2023 as the standout improver for reporting an actual reduction of 112,500 gallons of soil fumigants, dropped six points. These are not companies that failed to improve. These are companies that improved, then reversed course.
High Level Trends (2023 vs. 2026)
| Metric | 2023 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Average Score | 4.5 of 27 points | 3.0 of 27 points |
| Average Grade | F | F (Unchanged) |
| Companies at 0 Points | 1 | 5 |
| Top Performer | General Mills "C" | Nestlé "C" |
Four Companies Improved Scores
While the industry broadly regressed in pesticide-related action, four companies improved their scores since 2023:
- Publicly states aim to phase out pesticides and controversial practices — including glyphosate as desiccant
- Requires suppliers to reduce broad-spectrum pesticides and adopt alternative practices
- Requires drift reduction measures and buffer zones near sensitive areas
- Publicly discloses pesticide data including 8% reduction in Spanish tomato supply chain
- Goal by 2033: reduce active ingredient pesticide use by 5% per ton harvested
- Reduced pesticides from 3.1 lbs/ton (2023) to 1.2 lbs/ton (2024)
- Collects pesticide data from suppliers representing 66% of sourcing volume
- Adopted pesticide reduction practices
- Reduced applications from 7 to 1.5
- Discontinued 7 pesticides (Rainforest Alliance)
- Committed to regenerative ag practices
- Expanded pesticide data collection
- Benchmarks 80% of supplier spend
Note: Even Nestlé's top score of 10 points represents only 37% of possible points — demonstrating that even "leaders" have significant gaps in pesticide accountability.
Active Backsliding: Companies Dropping Pesticide Reporting
Major companies are not simply stagnating — they are removing pesticide-related commitments and transparency measures from public reporting.
ADM Erased Public Commitment: "ADM aims to reduce the usage of chemical pesticides in our key agricultural supply chains by 2030" — goal eliminated in 2024.
On March 11, 2026, PepsiCo updated its website with significant new data:
- 11–13% reduction in herbicide usage (lb/acre) on oats and canola across 250,000+ acres in western Canada
- Reduced pesticide application on cover-crop fields across 250,000+ acres in Illinois
- IPM compliance among certified farmers: improved from <50% (2015–2018) to 96% globally (2023)
Due to the timing of this disclosure, these updates were not reflected in the 2026 scorecard.
Figure 1A — 2023 vs. 2026 Comparison
Direct side-by-side comparison of the two most recent editions. Average score fell from 17% to 11% of possible points; companies scoring zero rose from 2 to 5.
Note: Normalized score = raw score ÷ maximum possible points × 100. The 2026 methodology shifted from 27 binary questions to 9 tiered questions (0–3 scale), keeping maximum points at 27 but rewarding depth of practice rather than mere policy existence.
Universal Gaps: Zero Progress on Critical Issues
- Pesticide reduction requirements across their supply chains
- Farmworker pesticide protection programs
- Policies requiring community notification before spraying
- Drift reduction measures for volatile pesticides (dicamba, 2,4-D)
Category Where No Company Has Scored Points, Ever
In 2023, the Farmworker Health and Safety pillar was added to the scorecard. Since its inclusion, no company has received points for protecting farmworkers from pesticide exposure, providing bilingual pesticide safety training, or notifying adjacent communities before pesticide application. In a country where 78% of farmworkers are Hispanic and annual pesticide poisoning rates among agricultural workers approach 44%, this consistent zero is not a footnote — it is a vital finding in this research.
Less Than One-Third of Companies Disclose Pesticide Data
2026 leaders — Nestlé, Lamb Weston, Del Monte, Ferrero, and Conagra — disclose pesticide use data by specific programs, projects, crop type, or other segments of supply chain.
Note: Each received only 1 of 3 possible points. Partial disclosure does not demonstrate full progress toward mitigating pesticide-related risk.
Complete Company Rankings
| Rank | Company | 2026 Score | Grade | 2023 Score | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nestlé | 10 | C | 6 | +4 |
| 2 | Lamb Weston | 9 | D | 6 | +3 |
| 3 | Del Monte | 8 | D | 4 | +4 |
| 4 | Ferrero | 5 | D | — | New |
| 4 | Post Holdings | 5 | D | 2 | +3 |
| 6 | ADM | 3 | F | 9 | −6 |
| 6 | PepsiCo | 3 | F | 9 | −6 |
| 8 | Campbell Soup | 2 | F | 7 | −5 |
| 8 | Conagra | 2 | F | 8 | −6 |
| 8 | Mondelēz | 2 | F | 5 | −3 |
| 11 | B&G Foods | 1 | F | 1 | 0 |
| 11 | Danone | 1 | F | 3 | −2 |
| 13 | Cargill | 0 | F | 3 | −3 |
| 13 | General Mills | 0 | F | 10 | −10 |
| 13 | J.M. Smucker | 0 | F | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Kraft Heinz | 0 | F | 2 | −2 |
| 13 | Mars | 0 | F | 1 | −1 |
What This Data Reveals
The food industry has not responded to stakeholder demands for pesticide reduction and transparency. Companies are actively dismantling commitments. Voluntary action alone may prove insufficient.
Since our last assessment, major food manufacturers' and suppliers' average scores have fallen, in some cases dramatically, reflecting the industry's overall regression, with leading companies actively dismantling previous commitments. This pattern suggests that current voluntary corporate action is insufficient to drive meaningful pesticide reduction across the food system.
In a competitive marketplace that increasingly demands safe food, and reduced harm to stakeholders and the environment, understanding and assessing supplier pesticide use is essential for companies to mitigate risk and maintain profitability well into the future. The companies taking steps to mitigate pesticide risk now will be better positioned as regulatory pressure, consumer awareness, and litigation risk continue growing.
Methodology Note
2023 vs. 2026 Scoring
- 2023: 27 binary questions (yes/no) = 27 points possible
- 2026: 9 tiered questions (0–3 scale) = 27 points possible
The 2026 methodology addresses 9 separate areas of concern, with available points in each section. The 9 separate areas rewards breadth of action, while the tiering in each rewards depth of practice (e.g., verification, public data, supply chain-wide action) rather than simply having a policy. Some score declines reflect this raised bar; however, companies that removed commitments or stopped reporting show backsliding regardless of methodology.
- Ferrero acquired WK Kellogg for $3.1 billion. Kellogg removed from scorecard; Ferrero added.
- Mars acquired Kellanova (Kellogg spin-off) for $36 billion. Kellanova removed; Mars retained.