Scoular advances sustainability with emissions reduction, regenerative agriculture
USA – Scoular, a prominent player in global agribusiness, continues to push forward in its sustainability efforts, as outlined in its recently published fourth annual sustainability report, released on October 23.
The comprehensive report, covering the period from June 2023 to May 2024, provides insights into Scoular’s advancements across five primary pillars: carbon footprint reduction, responsible product sourcing, community engagement, diversity and inclusion, and workplace health and safety.
Scoular, headquartered in Omaha and with a global reach of approximately US$9.7 billion annually, leverages its extensive grain trading, transportation, and storage network to support sustainable agricultural practices.
Paul Maass, Scoular’s CEO, emphasized the company’s ongoing dedication to sustainability.
“Our fiscal year 2024 sustainability report reflects our continued commitment to driving our five sustainability pillars, established in 2020. As the marketplace continues to evolve at a rapid pace, we are well-positioned to invest in ways to support our producers, customers, and other industry partners to meet their goals and create value,” he said.
Carbon footprint reduction through technology
A key element of Scoular’s sustainability drive in FY2024 was the trial deployment of emissions-reduction technology at its Adrian, Missouri-based sustainability hub.
Originally commissioned in 2013, the Adrian facility serves as an ideal site for testing new energy-saving innovations. The site handles corn, soybeans, and wheat for animal feed, flour mills, and export markets, positioning it strategically for advancing sustainability practices.
One of the most impactful innovations was the installation of Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) motors on grain bunker fans. This reduced electricity use by 53% initially, and Scoular projects an even higher reduction rate of up to 84% once the system is optimized.
In addition, Scoular installed solar panels and energy-saving technologies to further lessen the facility’s environmental footprint, highlighting a successful model for scalable, low-emission solutions across its other facilities.
In addition to its emissions-reduction initiatives, Scoular launched a regenerative agriculture pilot program in collaboration with two wheat milling partners, Miller Milling and Grupo Trimex.
This program aims to incentivize sustainable farming practices that bolster soil health and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. By promoting transparency within its supply chain, Scoular seeks to empower growers and foster partnerships that align with both customer demands and environmental stewardship.
Beth Stebbins, Scoular’s director of sustainability, underscored the importance of supply chain collaboration.
“Our sustainability report highlights many of our achievements, including supply chain collaborations to reduce the environmental impact of the commodities we source,” Stebbins said.
“We pride ourselves in building out sustainability solutions, like our regenerative sourcing pilot, that provide value to both our growers and end-use customers.”
In fiscal 2025, Maass said Scoular will assess and refresh its pillar commitments to ensure the company’s strategy continues to build on its achievements and learnings to drive opportunities that positively shape the industry going forward.
“I am excited about the evolution and innovation in our industry and believe with change and challenges come innovation and opportunities to create a more sustainable future for ourselves and generations to come,” he said.
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