The Perry Family Farm from Alberta was announced as the Farmer of the Year at PepsiCo's first-ever Global Farmer Awards. (supplied photo/PepsiCo, Inc.)

By Alice McFarlane

Global Farmers Awards

PepsiCo presents first Global Farmer Award to Alberta family farm

Oct 24, 2025 | 9:44 AM

PepsiCo launched its first-ever Global Farmer Awards, honoring outstanding farmers, farming families and advisors from across its global supply chain.

The celebration brought together roughly 60 farmers and advisors from 19 countries, recognized for their achievements in sustainability, innovation and leadership in agriculture.

Finalists were selected across six award categories: Sustainability, Next-Gen Farming, Leadership & Advisory, Heritage & Growth, Quality, and Farmer of the Year – with a representation of small and large-scale farmers, multigenerational families, and advisors across key global regions including North America, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East and Africa and Asia-Pacific.

The 2025 Farmer of the Year was awarded to Chris and Harold Perry of The Perry Family Farm in Alberta, a fourth-generation farm that has been growing potatoes for Lay’s for over 45 years.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of PepsiCo Ramon Laguarta said its business starts with farmers.

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“They are the heartbeat of our supply chain and the foundation of the global food system,” Laguarta said. “These awards are about celebrating their contributions, highlighting the innovations they’re pioneering and reinforcing our shared ambition to help build a more resilient, more sustainable, more inclusive agricultural system.”

The Global Farmer Awards come just months after PepsiCo expanded its pep+ Positive Agriculture goal, aiming to drive regenerative agriculture, restorative and protective practices across 10 million acres by 2030.

PepsiCo Chief Sustainability Officer Jim Andrew said with soil increasingly degraded and extreme weather events happening more frequently, the global food system and the world’s ability to feed a growing population is under threat.

“Accelerating the adoption of regenerative farming practices is a critical part of making the global food system more resilient,” Andrew said. “Farmers need to be at the center of this transition—they are on the front lines and key to implementing solutions on the ground and around the world.”

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alice.mcfarlane@pattisonmedia.com