Chris and Harold Perry of The Perry Family Farm in Alberta, Canada, won the 2025 Farmer of the Year. As a fourth-generation farm and regional leader in regenerative agriculture, renewable energy and productivity, the Perry Family Farm has been growing potatoes for Lay’s for more than 45 years.

“This event is more than an award: it’s a way to show how much we value the farmers we work with,” said Marcelo Stefani, global chief procurement officer at PepsiCo. “By honoring these agricultural leaders, we are reinforcing our support for the people who grow our food and are championing the innovation needed to feed a growing population in a changing climate.”

The Global Farmer Awards follow PepsiCo’s expanded pep+ Positive Agriculture goal, which aims to drive regenerative agriculture and restorative practices across 10 million acres by 2030. As of 2024, the company has already delivered more than 3.5 million acres globally.

“With soil increasingly degraded and extreme weather events happening much more frequently, the global food system and the world’s ability to feed a growing population is under threat,” said Jim Andrew, chief sustainability officer at PepsiCo. “Accelerating the adoption of regenerative farming practices is a critical part of making the global food system more resilient. 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. Launching the Global Farmer Awards creates another platform to show farmers how important they are to us, elevate their stories, inspire collaboration and spotlight regenerative agriculture solutions that can scale and help strengthen the global food system.”