Partner Spotlight: Agrinova and a Private Incentive Model to Support Sustainable Oats

By Shamaïla Basharat

Have you heard of Quebec’s first private incentive program that rewards grain producers for adopting agri-environmental practices?

The “Programme de rétribution des pratiques agroenvironnementales dans la culture de l’avoine” — a program designed to reward agri-environmental practices in oat production — was developed by PepsiCo (Quaker), with Agrinova responsible for its implementation. We discussed the program with Pierre Remillard, agronomist and co-lead of the initiative, during a visit to Agrinova this spring.

This partnership reflects Agrinova’s long-standing commitment to advancing innovation and sustainability in agriculture across Quebec. Founded in 1996 by Collège d’Alma and recognized as a college centre for technology transfer (CCTT), the organization has completed more than 2,000 projects in Quebec and internationally. Its team of more than 30 specialists, based in Alma, Lévis, Sainte-Croix-de-Lotbinière and Mashteuiatsh, works on a wide range of issues, from potato storage and biochar to dairy production, field crops and northern agriculture. Their approach remains consistent: start from on-the-ground needs, test practical solutions and support their implementation.

A first private incentive program 

In Quebec, several public programs already support the adoption of agri-environmental practices. The program developed with PepsiCo stands out because of its private nature: it is the only initiative of its kind led by an agri-food company in Quebec’s grain sector. It recognizes sustainable practices regardless of any commercial relationship. In fact, producers are not required to sell their oats to PepsiCo (Quaker) in order to participate.

Launched in 2024 with nine Quebec farm businesses, the program expanded in 2025 to around 30 farms in Quebec and New Brunswick. The goal for 2026 is to reach 70 participating farms across the two provinces, covering 14,500 acres of oats in Quebec, representing more than 10% of the province’s cultivated oat acreage. In the longer term, the program aims to cover a supply base equivalent to the annual volumes purchased by Quaker in Quebec.

 

A two-tier structure

The program is based on two payment tiers: $20 per acre for a tierl 1 practice and $30 per acre for a tier 2 practice, considered “more advanced.” The premium applies to one practice per field per year. Producers can renew their participation by adopting a new practice or by improving on an existing one toward a more advanced approach. For Agrinova, this structure is designed to support producers while encouraging continuous improvement.

For example, the first tier includes practices such as reduced tillage or the establishment of simple cover crops. The second tier targets approaches such as multi-species cover crops, rotations longer than four years, or interseeding into a living cover crop.

 

Measuring progress over time

To document practices and assess changes over time, the program is built around an MRV logic: measuring, reporting and verifying. This process begins with an initial baseline assessment, which serves as a reference point for tracking the evolution of practices.

A framework adapted to three types of farm businesses: dairy production, other livestock production and field crops provides a tailored baseline for each sector. The data are then validated with Agrinova, which acts as a bridge between PepsiCo’s documentation needs and on-the-ground realities.

 

Opportunities for other supply chains

This program shows what can emerge when an agri-food company chooses to act directly upstream in its supply chain, with the support of an applied research partner rooted in the field.

 

“Producers appreciate the program because it is simple, accessible, and provides concrete recognition for the practices they are implementing. It is a model that could serve as a valuable example for other crop sectors in Quebec.” – Pierre Remillard, Agrinova

 

For other sectors in Quebec, the experience developed in oats offers a promising pathway to support the adoption of agri-environmental practices. It shows that a clear financial incentive can serve as a starting point and that, when combined with technical support and opportunities for peer exchange among producers, this type of model can have an even broader impact.