APPLEGATE FARMS SHOWCASES EXPANDING IMPACT ACROSS REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE, BIODIVERSITY, AND HUMAN HEALTH IN THIRD MISSION REPORT

Nation's leading natural and organic meat brand introduces Groundwork and Regenerative Health initiatives while highlighting measurable progress across animal welfare and food system transformation

BEDMINSTER, N.J.,, Aug. 12, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- APPLEGATE®, the nation's leading natural and organic meat brand, today released its third Mission Report, detailing the company's work in regenerative agriculture, animal welfare, farmer support, and emerging research, which explores the connection between farming practices and nutritional quality of food. The report highlights the company's ongoing efforts to advance its mission: Changing The Meat We Eat®.

The 2025–26 Mission Report highlights measurable progress across Applegate's supply chain. Key actions include:

• Helping convert 10.8 million acres to certified regenerative management¹  since 2025
• Supporting 13.2 million animals raised in high animal welfare conditions²
• Avoiding the usage of an estimated 9.3 tons of antibiotics through its No Antibiotics Ever standards
• Helping prevent 106,300 tons of soil erosion in 2025, the equivalent of approximately 62,529 midsize cars

Building on this momentum, Applegate is introducing two new strategic initiatives designed to expand the company's impact beyond traditional supply chain metrics. 

• Groundwork: Applegate's new biodiversity and farmer-investment platform, supports projects focused on soil health, habitat restoration, conservation partnerships, diversified cropping systems, and farmer resilience.
• Regenerative Health: a new research initiative that seeks to better understand the relationship between regenerative agricultural practices and the nutritional quality of food. 

"At Applegate, we have always worked to look beyond what's possible today to invest in the food system we want to help create tomorrow," said Joseph O'Connor, president of Applegate. "This report reflects the progress we've made, but it also highlights where we're headed next. Through our new Groundwork and Regenerative Health initiatives, we're exploring how farming systems can benefit not only the land and animals, but also, potentially, the nutritional quality of the food we eat."

Among the report's highlights, Applegate details new partnerships and investments designed to support farmers and ecosystems, including work with Practical Farmers of Iowa to reduce chemical fertilizer use, continued support of the American Farmland Trust's Brighter Future Fund grant program, and participation in Wilding's 50-year vision to establish 65 million acres of connected biodiversity corridors across the United States.

The report also outlines Applegate's continued leadership in regenerative agriculture, including emerging research supported by Applegate and conducted by independent academic and scientific partners to explore connections between agricultural practices and the nutrient composition of food.

"Consumers increasingly want to understand not only how their food is produced, but also the broader impacts of those production systems," said Carolyn Gahn, senior director of mission and advocacy at Applegate. "We believe investing in science, farmer partnerships, and ecosystem health can help create a more resilient food system while generating insights that benefit everyone."

The full 2025–26 Mission Report is available at http://www.applegate.com/mission-report. 

¹Certified regenerative acres by approved third party programs within the Applegate supply chain.

² "High welfare" means the farms are audited for humane animal care that meets the standards set forth by the Global Animal Partnership or Certified Humane third-party humane animal standards 

³ minimally processed, no artificial ingredients

About Applegate Farms, LLC 
Founded in 1987, Applegate Farms, LLC produces high-quality natural³ and organic hot dogs, bacon, sausages, deli meats, and frozen products. Our products are made with simple, recognizable ingredients, and we source from farms where animals are treated with care and respect, pursuant to our Applegate Humanely Raised* guidelines all part of our mission – Changing The Meat We Eat®.

When you choose Applegate, you're choosing meat that's raised with care for animals, people and the planet. To us, this means our food is:

• From animals that are Applegate Humanely Raised* without antibiotics, added hormones or growth promotants, and allowed to grow at their natural rate
• Free of synthetic nitrates or nitrites
• Minimally processed, no artificial ingredients

Applegate became a stand-alone subsidiary of Hormel Foods in July 2015. For more information about our products, visit www.applegate.com or talk with us on https://www.instagram.com/applegate, send a text to (908) 725-5800.

*Applegate Humanely Raised is a system that raises animals with space to engage in natural behaviors to promote natural growth.

SOURCE APPLEGATE