WASHINGTON — The Walmart Foundation is joining McDonald’s USA and several of its suppliers in an $18 million conservation effort to protect grasslands, support ranchers and strengthen the U.S. beef supply chain.
The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) announced a $9 million grant from the Walmart Foundation to establish the Great Plains Grassland Fund. McDonald’s USA and several of its key suppliers will match the investment with $9 million in aligned funding through the existing Grassland Resilience and Conservation Initiative.
The fund will combine voluntary land protection with technical and financial assistance for ranchers. It aims to permanently protect 150,000 to 200,000 acres of grasslands at risk of conversion while helping ranchers implement regenerative agriculture practices on another 150,000 to 200,000 acres. Participating landowners will continue to use the land primarily for ranching.
“For Walmart and the Walmart Foundation, regeneration is a long-term commitment to the natural resources and people our business and communities depend on,” said Julie Gehrki, SVP, Walmart and president, Walmart Foundation. “Two decades of work with NFWF through Acres for America have shown the value of sustained investment in critical habitats. We’re building on that experience to support healthy grasslands, ranchers, and a more resilient beef supply chain. This Walmart Foundation investment puts that work into practice in the Great Plains.”
The initiative comes as roughly 2 million acres of Great Plains grasslands are converted to cropland annually, according to NFWF. Only about half of the region’s grasslands remain intact.
The new fund builds on the Grassland Resilience and Conservation Initiative, launched in 2025 by NFWF, McDonald’s USA, several of its beef and beverage suppliers and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. Participating suppliers include Cargill, Golden State Foods, Lopez Dorada, OSI and The Coca-Cola Co. Over seven years, the broader initiative seeks to improve the health and resilience of 4 million acres of grasslands.
“The Walmart Foundation has been an important strategic funder for some of our farm-level resilience efforts, and we’re thrilled to deepen the impact of the Grassland Resilience and Conservation Initiative with them,” said Cesar Piña, senior vice president and chief supply chain, North America at McDonald’s USA. “Since the initiative launched last year, it has supported two rounds of grantees advancing voluntary conservation practices across U.S. grasslands. Our support for the Walmart Foundation’s Great Plains Grasslands Fund reflects the kind of partnership that’s crucial in strengthening ecosystems, supporting ranching communities, and building a more resilient U.S. beef supply chain.”
NFWF plans to issue an initial competitive request for proposals, with up to $10 million available for projects. The NFWF expects to announce awards in 2027.
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