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. Pesticides also cause a number of serious human health effects from cancers to neurological damage.

The use of pesticides also threatens farmer resiliency and productivity due to proliferation of pesticide-resistant weeds and insects, loss of top soil, and soil degradation. Pesticides can cause harm to fenceline communities, pollute drinking water sources, and impair neighboring farmland.

Consumer advocates have begun testing for pesticides, including glyphosate, in food products, including processed foods, and consumer lawsuits have targeted manufacturers of foods containing pesticide residues.

In its Materiality Assessment, Kraft Heinz acknowledges that sustainable agriculture is highly important to both stakeholders and the company; yet, our company does not acknowledge the growing risks of pesticide use, which threatens sustainable agriculture and raises reputational and legal risks. Kraft Heinz has not disclosed if or how it tracks, reports, or reduces the use of synthetic pesticides in its agricultural supply chain, representing an important blind spot.

Other major food companies are taking action to address and report on pesticide risk:

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, and pest or disease being controlled. It also reports pounds of pesticides avoided.

Sysco reports annually on pesticide use avoided by suppliers using Integrated Pest Management ("IPM") -- reporting 6.3 million pounds avoided in 2018.

Kellogg's collects pesticide use data through an annual Grower Survey and has committed to phase out pre-harvest desiccation with glyphosate for those crops by 2025.

Campbell's has committed to reducing pesticide risk, starting with programs in three priority crops, including piloting a pesticide data collection and reporting tool in tomatoes and collecting pesticide use data in potatoes for future reporting.

In a competitive marketplace that is increasingly demanding clean food and reduced stakeholder and environmental harm, understanding and tracking supplier use of pesticides in the supply chain reduces risk for shareholders and our company, while reducing harm to stakeholders.