The John Deere Foundation announced today it will invest $200 million over the next 10 years in philanthropic initiatives that include major investments in the communities in which it operates, as well as to farmers globally and in volunteer and charitable programs for its workforce. Together, the investments “will bring to life John Deere’s higher purpose: We run so life can leap forward,” the company said.

The financial commitment builds significantly on the Deere Foundation’s legacy of philanthropy, the company said in a news release. Since its founding in 1948, the foundation has awarded over $340 million in grants.

As part of its 10-year commitment, the foundation will invest:

• $100 million in the families and youths who live, work, and learn in John Deere’s home communities to ensure their inclusive and equitable access to critical resources and educational opportunities. Annual investments of $2 million in food banks will provide the equivalent of 100 million meals over the next decade, and investments in youth education will reach at least 1 million underserved and underrepresented youths.
• $50 million in farmers throughout the world to bolster their capacity to make a living, feed a growing global population, reduce inequality and protect the world. Through its work with a range of global partners that serve smallholder and resource-constrained family farmers, the foundation will help 15 million farmers unlock their potential.
• $50 million in John Deere’s workforce to further mobilize and build on their enormous volunteer talents and generosity to strengthen their communities and improve lives around the world.

“The urgency of running today with the vision of a better tomorrow is John Deere at our core,” said John May, chairman and CEO of Deere & Co. and chairman of the John Deere Foundation, in a statement. “The foundation’s financial commitment holds true to this purpose by investing deeply in the people we serve to overcome the challenges they face today and create for themselves paths to a more prosperous tomorrow.”

The foundation’s 10-year commitment aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and the foundation will track and report investments against relevant targets and indicators, said Nate Clark, president of the John Deere Foundation.

Several key grants will be announced in the coming months that will illustrate how the commitment is put into action, Clark said.