June 7, 2025

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Arizona State University does a report on a new algae system that’s helping Arizona farmers grow better crops with less water. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 2 – Mercer University highlights the work of one of its faculty members to look at how language and communications fit into the field of animal agriculture. Read the story, here.

Spotlight 3 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition takes a deep dive into the House Agriculture Committee’s reconciliation bill. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

Farm Credit Canada (FCC) has announced a $2-billion commitment to agriculture and food innovation by 2030, funneling the investment through its newly launched capital arm, FCC Capital. The federal Crown corporation says the funding will support the development of new technologies, research and business models aimed at increasing efficiency, productivity and sustainability across Canada's agri-food sector. The move comes amid concerns about Canada’s lagging agtech investment levels. In 2023, venture capital investment in the sector reached just $270 million — about one-tenth of U.S. investment when adjusted for population. [link]

As part of a multiagency effort led by Virginia Cooperative Extension, a statewide survey is now open to document voluntary best management practices on farms within the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Many farmers take proactive steps to preserve soil and water health — such as cover crops, streamside butters, and rotational grazing — without accepting cost-share funding or reporting their efforts. The survey seeks to close that gap. By capturing these unreported efforts, it will help better reflect the full extent of agricultural contributions to soil health and water quality across Virginia. [link]

Researchers in the University of Oxford’s Department of Biology and Wild Bioscience Ltd are to receive backing of a £6.7 million grant from the Advanced Research and Invention Agency (ARIA) to pioneer a new synthetic biology approach which promises to improve yields in potato and wheat. Established by the UK Parliament in January 2023 and sponsored by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, ARIA is an R&D funding agency created to unlock technological breakthroughs that benefit everyone. The ARIA Synthetic Plants program, led by Program Director Angie Burnett, will catalyze a new generation of major crops that are more productive, resilient, and sustainable to help future-proof our agricultural system. [link]

New research is helping to answer an important question about ultra-processed foods: Which ones might be healthier? One reason many ultra–processed foods often lead us to eat big meals and heavy snacks is because of their texture, which makes them go down easily and quickly, according to a new study presented this week at a conference in Orlando, Fla., of the American Society for Nutrition. But some diets filled with ultra-processed foods don’t cause us to eat as much. People in the study who had a diet of slower-to-eat ultra-processed foods such as crunchy breakfast cereal and multigrain buns consumed an average of 369 fewer calories a day than when they were eating quick-to-eat ultra-processed foods such as commercially made smoothies and soft breads. [link]

European farmers transitioning to regenerative agriculture can produce significantly more food for lower prices compared to average conventional practices, flags a new study. The European Alliance for Regenerative Agriculture (EARA) study benchmarks 78 regenerating farms in 14 countries covering over 7,000 hectares against their neighboring and national average conventional farmers. According to the report, regenerative pioneers show 24% to 38% higher productivity than the average European farmer across 14 countries studied. Between 2020 and 2023, regenerative agriculture farmers achieved, on average, just 1% lower yields in kilocalories and proteins while using 62% less synthetic nitrogen fertilizer and 76% less pesticides (g/active substance) per hectare. [link]

Many farmers will no longer have to keep any records of when, where, or how they’re using pesticides known to pose the highest risks to human health and the environment after a recent change made by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). In May, the agency rescinded regulations on the books since the 1990s that required farmers to record basic details about their use of pesticides classified as “restricted use.” Farmers were required to record the chemical’s name, date of use, volume, location, and type of crop treated, and to keep the records for two years. In rescinding the regulations, the USDA did not follow the typical rulemaking process of proposing a change, taking public comment, and then finalizing it. In the notice, the agency officials said the regulations are “not a priority” and that “to the extent there is any uncertainty about the costs and benefits [of the regulations], it is the policy of USDA to err on the side of deregulation.” [link]

The Ivey Business School’s Centre for Building Sustainable Value has launched the Collective Action for Regenerative Agriculture Program (CAP), a new initiative to support farmers in Ontario, Canada. CAP brings together farmers, scientists, agronomists, and industry leaders to co-create farming practices suited to local soil and climate. The goal is to improve ecological health, increase farm profits, and support the entire region’s agricultural sustainability. Farmers will contribute by working with experts to adopt regenerative practices, join other farmers to share ideas, and help solve sustainability issues while exploring shared resources and income opportunities. [link]

Beverage and spirits giant Suntory Group has recently launched two partnerships aimed at increasing the sustainability and resilience of its agricultural value chains. First, Suntory and Japanese agritech startup Towing Co. have launched a joint pilot program to explore the potential of high-performance biochar — produced from manufacturing byproducts in Suntory Group’s supply chain — to both reduce manufacturing waste and boost crop yields, compared to the use of conventional organic fertilizers. Meanwhile, Suntory Holdings and Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology (TUAT) have begun collaborating with sweet potato producers in Japan’s Kagoshima Prefecture to fight disease and increase and stabilize yields using regenerative practices. Sweet potatoes are a key ingredient in several of Suntory’s shochu brands — including Kuromaru, Nanko and Osumi. [link]

UConn’s College of Agriculture, Health and Natural Resources (CAHNR) welcomed fellow researchers and poultry industry representatives from across the US and the world to the Storrs campus to continue their interdependent work on the Sustainable Agricultural Systems (SAS) Poultry Project. In 2020, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) awarded the school a $10 million grant for the initiative. At the two-day meeting, held at the Innovation Partnership Building, the multi-institutional group and its project teams discussed their on-going efforts to enhance broiler sustainability without antibiotics and ensure safe approaches to improve chicken, human, and environmental health. The group has made a number of technological advancements to lower heat stress, improve bird welfare, generate energy from poultry litter, and reduce disease, including a UConn-patented probiotic spray method that improves the hatchability and the health of chicks. [link]

Rural Action has announced that two major grants from the US Department of Agriculture are currently underway, enabling the organization to provide free site visits and technical assistance to landowners and landholders in 44 Ohio counties, including all Appalachian Ohio counties. Landowners in the focus area can receive a free site visit for advice on agroforestry and wildlife habitat practices such as forest farming, silvopasture, reforestation, wildlife habitat and water quality protection through Rural Action’s Sustainable Forestry and Watersheds Programs. The Sustainable Forestry team is working with the US Forest Service on a Forest Landowner Support project to provide technical assistance on forest farming, silvopasture, invasive species removal and opportunities for sustainable forest management. The Watersheds team has entered into a Cooperative Agreement with the US Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service to help landowners plan streambank and floodplain reforestation, invasive species removal and other opportunities to benefit water quality and wildlife habitat. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In mid-May, the USDA reversed course and committed to restoring climate-focused webpages purged from its websites earlier this year. See more, here.

May 31, 2025

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – The Strategist says that Australia’s national security depends on robust, sustainable food and nutrition security. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 2 – Eos reviews why it’s so important to keep soil healthy…along with how science can help. Read the story, here.

Spotlight 3 – AgWeb writes about the unexpected impact from recent Illinois dust storms on people, communities, and crops. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

The UK Agri-Tech Centre has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC), through its Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology of Salamanca (IRNASA-CSIC), to advance innovations in agroforestry systems, sustainable inputs and renewable energy applications. The vision is to bolster business growth, innovation, research and collaboration in the agri-tech sector—solidifying a shared commitment to addressing global agricultural challenges and enhancing sustainability through joint initiatives. It also supports market entry strategies for businesses in both countries and further strengthens the agri-tech sectors in the UK and Spain. [link]

The ReGenWine study, led by Stellenbosch University and funded by South Africa Wine, examines how regenerative farming, including the use of cattle, can help wine farmers in South Africa cope with the growing challenges of climate change, rising costs, and sustainability demands. The study runs over three years, with Hartenberg Wine Estate near Stellenbosch as the main trial site. As climate change intensifies, vineyards in South Africa face rising temperatures, water scarcity, and soil degradation. In response, the ReGenWine project offers a compelling local solution grounded in regenerative agriculture. [link]

Scientists at the James Hutton Institute in the UK have found that a fungus hiding inside common grasses could play a major role in helping Europe's farmers tackle some of their toughest challenges. Known as Epichloe, this endophytic fungus lives inside plant tissues, with certain species quietly offering a surprising range of benefits, from natural pest protection to increased drought resistance. Certain strains of Epichloe are used in pastures in New Zealand and the United States, where they have helped grasslands thrive by producing natural chemicals that deter insects. Modern versions are non-toxic and safe for livestock. [link]

A recent review from Murdoch University reveals that the world's soils now contain nearly 23 times more microplastics than the oceans. This contamination does not stay in the dirt. It travels through roots, into crops, and onto our plates. Without a shift in awareness and policy, the health of humans and ecosystems may face irreversible harm. One of the most disturbing findings from the review is that these plastics may contain up to 10,000 different chemical additives. Many of them remain completely unregulated in agricultural contexts. [link]

Despite severe drought and devastating flooding, Australian farmers are on track to plant a record winter crop, sowing an area equivalent to the size of the United Kingdom. A report by agribusiness Rabobank estimates 24.5 million hectares of wheat, barley, chickpeas and canola will be sown, breaking the record of 24.1 million hectares set in 2020/21. That is despite farmers in southern parts of the country reducing their planting or diversifying to cope with devastating dry conditions. [link]

The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) in the United States is unveiling a new grant made possible through funding from the USDA’s Commodity Credit Corporation. The Organic Dairy Product Promotion (ODPP) Grant is designed to increase organic dairy in schools, child-care centers, and other youth-based programs. This unique opportunity is part of a national initiative to increase the consumption of organic dairy among children and young adults while supporting small and mid-sized organic dairy producers. Funded projects will address expansion of existing organic dairy procurement or the addition of organic dairy products. Grants will range from $50,000 - $500,000 with no match requirement. $1,750,000 is available this round. This is the first of two times that this grant will be offered. [link]

Brother’s Bond Bourbon announced the launch of its first-ever micro-batch single barrel release, a Regenerative Grain Straight Bourbon, selected by 1 Hotels. This limited-edition bourbon, crafted with 100% regenerative grain and aged for seven years, will be available at select 1 Hotels locations in the United States beginning in June. By utilizing regenerative grain farming, this bourbon not only delivers flavor and complexity but also supports soil health and sustainable agriculture. [link]

A new low-cost bioreactor from cultivated meat company, Meatly, could slash cultivated meat production expenses by 95%. Meatly has completed commissioning, delivering initial cell growth tests using a newly developed pilot-scale bioreactor with a 320-liter capacity. Designed in-house by Meatly’s research and development team, the bioreactor is priced at approximately £12,500, significantly lower than the typical pharmaceutical-grade bioreactors currently used in the cultivated meat sector, which can cost around £250,000 or more. The company has also developed a culture medium currently costing 22 pence per liter, with expectations to reduce this to 1.5 pence per liter at scale. This figure is considerably below the industry benchmark of £1 per liter for culture media. [link]

One Banana, a family-owned, vertically integrated company committed to the responsible production of the highest quality bananas and natural ingredients, announced the launch of its Regenerative Agriculture Pilot Project, developed with technical support from EARTH University and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). This forward-looking initiative is designed to study, implement and validate regenerative farming practices tailored for tropical crops, laying the groundwork for healthier soils, more resilient ecosystems, and a more sustainable global food system. This pilot forms part of PlanetA, One Banana’s corporate sustainability strategy, which integrates a regenerative approach into the company’s core business operations. [link]

Morocco has emerged as a key beneficiary of the Mirova Sustainable Land Fund 2 (MSLF2), a €363 million impact investment initiative targeting sustainable agricultural and forestry management across seven countries, reinforcing the Kingdom’s leadership in Africa’s ecological transition. The fund, launched by Mirova—a Natixis Investment Managers affiliate—with strategic support from the Green Climate Fund, addresses urgent agro-environmental challenges including soil erosion, water scarcity, and climate disruption. The MSLF2 deploys a hybrid financing model, combining €75 million in concessional capital from the Green Climate Fund with private investment to create a multiplier effect. [link]

A new EU Soil Health Data Cube layered map will revolutionize how farmers, land managers and policy makers sustainably manage soil in Europe. Almost one hundred scientists have contributed to the project, which integrates hundreds of thousands of observations and data points on soil, climate and vegetation using a multidimensional matrix powered by artificial intelligence and high-performance computing. This new tool allows scientists and researchers to obtain open data representing European landscape and soil properties in space and time, and can potentially be used to simulate complex scenarios and accurately predict, test and model real world solutions. [link]

Google and agtech solutions provider Arable announced a water replenishment-focused collaboration, with Google agreeing to fund projects to bring Arable’s efficient irrigation technology to farmers in North and South Carolina. According to the companies, Google plans to invest more than $4 million to fund the use of Arable’s technology on 20,000 acres, aimed at saving more than 500 million gallons (1.9 billion liters) over eight years. Founded in 2014, Arable enables data-driven decisions in agriculture and natural resource management to help improve agricultural sustainability and productivity. The company’s solutions integrate IoT technology, machine learning, and advanced modeling to convert in-field weather, crop, soil, and irrigation data into real-time insights. [link]

Sustainable agriculture and biological solutions provider Indigo Ag and Microsoft announced their second carbon removal agreement, with a new commitment from Microsoft to purchase 60,000 soil carbon credits generated through the promotion of regenerative agriculture practices by U.S. farmers. The new transaction follows an initial 40,000 carbon credit purchase agreement by the companies last year. Founded in 2013, Indigo Ag provides nature-based and digital technologies aimed at helping farmers improve profitability and environmental sustainability. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In mid-March, the NotCo, an AI-driven foodtech company, announced the creation of a new GLP booster. See more, here.

May 24, 2025

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Agri Investor asks if regenerative farming can escape the ESG backlash. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 2 – Modern Farmer discusses silvopasture and why we need trees on grazing lands. Read the story, here.

Spotlight 3 – Successful Farming offers a great report on how the USDA plans to remove obstacles for small farms. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

The Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) is seeking project proposals from Indiana’s specialty crop sector for funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. The USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant Program offers federal funding annually to state departments of agriculture to support their specialty crop industries. This year, Indiana will be allocating $416,350 to selected projects. Eligible projects must enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops in Indiana, defined as fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, horticulture and nursery crops. [link]

Widespread adoption of practices that may capture carbon in soils, including planting cover crops and avoiding soil tillage, could lead to lowering crop production, finds a new study by a team of scientists. With rising food demand, practices that reduce crop yields can undermine food security and sustainability goals, note the authors of the research, which appears in the journal Nature Climate Change. But they add that the findings nonetheless point to ways to balance sustainability and productivity. The insights gained from this study, say the authors, offer valuable guidance for policymakers, farmers, and sustainability advocates seeking to balance climate goals with the need for increasing crop production. [link]

A recent survey of Wisconsin’s farmers found that 56 percent of them believe climate change is happening. Another 26 percent think it isn’t happening, and 18 percent are unsure. The same survey asked farmers if they are practicing any of 15 different sustainable agricultural practices. Only 5 percent of respondents said they weren't doing anything sustainable, an encouraging sign that producers enact sustainable practices for a variety of reasons. The survey was sent out in 2024 to 3,200 farmers around the state, and 942 of them responded. [link]

The Crown Estate is offering 15-year farm business tenancies in a bid to support the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices across its extensive portfolio of British land (83,000 ha). Typically, farm business tenancies (FBTs) in the UK have a duration of four years or less, making it challenging for farmers to invest in long-term changes to processes in the name of environmental impact management. Under the 15-year FBTs from the Crown Estate, tenants must come forward with ideas for environmental enhancements on 15% of the land. The Crown Estate will request baseline data on biodiversity and carbon impacts, and then monitor progress throughout the duration of the FBTs. In return, the Crown Estate will consider supporting tenants with the uptake of technologies or processes which diversify farmer income. It also said it is “actively reducing” rents on land supporting nature recovery. [link]

The European Union's agriculture sector loses an average of 28.3 billion euros ($31.9 billion) each year from extreme weather made worse by climate change, according to new EU-backed analysis. Most of these losses - which are equivalent to 6% of annual EU crop and livestock production - are not insured. Just 20-30% of farmers' climate-linked losses were covered by public, private or mutual insurance systems, said the report, backed by the European Commission and European Investment Bank, and produced by insurance broker Howden. [link]

Bayer Crop Science Puerto Rico and the Office for Socioeconomic and Community Development, known as ODSEC in Spanish, have renewed and expanded their collaboration agreement to support agricultural education, food security and community development in Puerto Rico. The agreement includes two initiatives. The “Crece y Aprende” (“Grow and Learn”) program works with schools and community organizations to incorporate sustainability and self-management into classroom instruction. The “Siembra” (“Plant”) program focuses on youth and adults, providing training in agricultural practices with an emphasis on entrepreneurship. Participants learn to grow food, start small businesses or lead community agriculture efforts. [link]

A traditional agroforestry system for cultivating yerba mate in Brazil and an ancestral farming system that preserves vital food crops and biodiversity in Mexico have become the latest additions to the Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) recognized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Latin America and the Caribbean. GIAHS are living heritage systems inhabited by communities that maintain a deep connection with their territories. These evolving and resilient systems are characterized by remarkable agrobiodiversity, traditional knowledge, cultures, and invaluable landscapes sustainably managed by farmers, herders, fishers, and forest dwellers to support their livelihoods and food security. [link]

As Republicans push forward with the "big, beautiful" tax bill in the U.S. Congress, federal food assistance may see big cuts. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, may be cut about 30% under the terms of the bill, which would be the "biggest cut in the program's history," according to Ty Jones Cox, vice president for food assistance policy at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, currently provides food assistance to more than 40 million individuals including children, seniors and adults with disabilities. [link]

The Trump administration released a sweeping report this past week, offering its analysis of what's driving chronic disease among the nation's children. "The MAHA Report: Make Our Children Healthy Again" catalogues in detail a "chronic disease crisis," including high rates of obesity, asthma, autoimmune conditions and behavioral health disorders among kids. The report identifies four major drivers behind the rise in childhood chronic illness: poor diet, environmental chemicals, chronic stress and lack of physical activity, and overmedicalization. This lays the groundwork for the MAHA commission to develop a strategy for addressing childhood disease, which is supposed to happen by mid-August. [link]

PepsiCo announced that it will not be meeting some of its forward sustainability goals due to external factors like lack of progress on recycling, electric vehicle charging infrastructure, and electric grid modernization, alongside internal growth of its business. The company expects delays on realizing its plastic packaging goals, and it also now expects to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 instead of 2040, previously. That said, PepsiCo has increased its regenerative agriculture goal, aiming to drive the adoption of regenerative, restorative, or protective practices across 10 million acres by 2030. This is an expansion of the original 7-million-acre regenerative agriculture goal and expands the ambition both in scale and depth, as it includes specific objectives for nature within the goal. As of 2024, against the newly released goal, PepsiCo has already delivered approximately 3.5 million acres. [link]

Parts of northern Europe have seen their worst drought in decades in recent weeks, with farmers from Scotland to the Netherlands fearing the dry spell will dent harvests if it continues. Countries including France, Belgium, Britain and Germany have seen much lower levels of rainfall than usual in some areas this spring, leaving the soil parched and dusty. The dry spell in northern Europe contrasts with southern Europe, including Spain and Portugal, where rainfall has been up to twice the usual amount for the time of year. [link]

China recently disbursed 1.4 billion yuan ($194.42 million) of central government funds earmarked for agricultural production disaster prevention and relief, according to a statement from the Agriculture Ministry. The funds from the Agriculture Ministry and Finance Ministry will support 30 provinces including Heilongjiang, Jiangsu, Anhui and Henan. The central government will focus on providing appropriate subsidies for pesticides, equipment and unified services for disaster prevention and control. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

Earlier this month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued the final version of its “Insecticide Strategy,” part of an ongoing initiative to bring the agency in compliance with the Endangered Species Act and avoid litigation. See more, here.

May 17, 2025

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Civil Eats does a spotlight on Oatman Flats and asks if this Arizona ranch could be a model for southwest U.S. farmers. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 2 – The World Economic Forum says the world urgently needs more young farmers. Read the story, here.

Spotlight 3 – Grist writes that as temperatures rise, the U.S. Corn Belt could see insurance claims soar. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

Nestlé Nigeria has disclosed plans to source at least 50 per cent of its key ingredients from farmers practicing regenerative agriculture globally by 2030. The partnership between AGRA, Nestlé, and TechnoServe aims to support 25,000 smallholder farmers and eight aggregators across Kaduna and Nasarawa States, promoting sustainable production of maize, soybean, rice, and sorghum. Nestlé is investing $1 million in the project over the next three years to contribute towards establishing regenerative agriculture as the standard in the food industry. [link]

PepsiCo and Yara have announced a long-term partnership for the supply of crop nutrition programs in Latin America to help decarbonize the food value chain. This follows a similar agreement signed last July between PepsiCo and Yara in Europe, through which Yara will supply PepsiCo farmers with best-in-class crop nutrition products and advice as well as digital tools for precision farming. In its initial phase, Yara will supply PepsiCo with products and services in Latin America, benefitting potato farmers in Mexico, Colombia, Chile, and Argentina. [link]

China’s state-owned agricultural conglomerate, Cofco, is building its biggest export terminal outside China at Brazil's largest port in Santos to manage alternative shipments of corn, sugar and soybeans from the United States. The new port will increase the company’s annual export capacity to 14 million tons from 4.5 million, but isn’t expected to reach full capacity until next year. The Santos port fits into China’s wider plan to secure access to South America’s agricultural bounty amid shortages of water and arable land at home. Chinese companies are laying hundreds of miles of railroad across Brazil’s agricultural heartland and finishing work on a $3.5 billion deep-water port on Peru’s Pacific coast. [link]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced several Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) enrollment opportunities for agricultural producers and landowners. USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) is accepting offers for both the General and Continuous CRP beginning May 12 through June 6, 2025. For four decades, CRP has provided financial and technical support to agricultural producers and landowners who place unproductive or marginal cropland under contract for 10-15 years and who agree to voluntarily convert the land to beneficial vegetative cover to improve water quality, prevent soil erosion and support wildlife habitat. [link]

Canadian farmers and landowners across Manitoba are being encouraged to apply for the Prairie Watersheds Climate Program being led by the Manitoba Association of Watersheds. The program provides funding to adopt beneficial management practices (BMPs) in three areas; cover crops, nitrogen management and rotational grazing. The money comes from the On Farm Climate Action Fund, from Agriculture and Agri-food Canada. [link]

Purdue University’s Institute for a Sustainable Future (ISF) has released the first Indiana Statewide PFAS Assessment report summarizing the uses, exposures to, and sources of contamination from PFAS across the state. Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are commonly known as “forever chemicals” because they persist in the environment. The report serves as a comprehensive review of what is known about PFAS in general and provides specific information on PFAS in Indiana. It describes what PFAS are, where they come from, how they move through the environment and what is known about potential health impacts. [link]

Brazilian microbiologist Mariangela Hungria, whose research has helped farmers in the country sharply boost grain production, has been named the 2025 World Food Prize Laureate, the Iowa-based foundation organizing the prize announced. Hungria has been a researcher for more than 40 years at Brazil's state-run agricultural center Embrapa, where she works on seeds and soil treatments that enable plants to source nutrients through soil bacteria, a particularly important development for soybean crops. [link]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has reversed course and committed to restore climate-focused webpages purged from its websites. This follows a lawsuit from Earthjustice and the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University on behalf of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York (NOFA-NY), NRDC (Natural Resources Defense Council), and the Environmental Working Group (EWG). Resources purged from USDA websites include information on climate-smart farming, accessing federal loans, forest conservation, and rural clean energy projects. USDA erased entire climate sections from the U.S. Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service sites, including information helping farmers access billions of dollars for critical conservation practices. It also disabled interactive tools, such as the U.S. Forest Service’s “Climate Risk Viewer,” a “one-stop shop for climate-related geospatial data” with over 140 data layers. [link]

The European Commission proposed weakening more of the environmental conditions tied to the EU's huge farming subsidy program, as part of plans to cut back regulations and paperwork for farmers. Farmers across Europe wielded their political clout last year during months of protests over issues including strict EU regulations and cheap imports. In response, the EU diluted some green conditions attached to farming subsidies. [link]

Thirty dairy farms across the Netherlands are taking part in a three-year pilot project initiated by FrieslandCampina, focused on regenerative agriculture. With financial support from Lidl and backing from the National Growth Fund Program ReGeNL, FrieslandCampina’s member dairy farms are taking concrete steps towards a farming system focused on soil restoration, biodiversity, and a future-proof earning model for dairy farmers. The aim of the pilot is to jointly develop an open-access standard for regenerative agriculture, with a strong focus on measurability of impact. The project explores how regenerative practices, such as herb-rich grasslands and grazing, can contribute to soil health, biodiversity, sustainable food production, and a robust earning model for farmers. Lidl is the first supermarket chain to take and support this initiative. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In mid-April, a new study in Science said that nearly 17% of the world’s croplands are contaminated with heavy metals. See more, here.

May 10, 2025

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – The Union of Concerned Scientists says that the next Farm Bill can make the agriculture sector more resilient…if it follows the Agriculture Resilience Act. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 2 – Farm Progress details how farmers can do their part on preventing dangerous and consequential dust storms. Read the story, here.

Spotlight 3 – Fortune writes that after an early boom, organic farming is falling. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

Community leaders and neighbors from Watsonville and across Santa Cruz County in California gathered to protest the use of pesticides near Pajaro Valley homes and schools. They said chemicals are harming the health of farmworkers and children. Farmworker organizer and activist Dolores Huerta spoke at the rally organized by the Campaign for Organic and Regenerative Agriculture. Huerta is calling on Driscoll's and other ag companies to transition to organic practices near homes and schools and encouraging the community to oppose pesticide use. [link]

As part of Maryland’s 5 Million Trees Program, the Maryland Department of Agriculture is reminding farmers that financial assistance is available for a range of tree-planting programs that can boost farm income, improve soil and herd health, and protect local streams and natural resources. The department’s tree-planting incentives support soil health and agroforestry practices that combine farming and forestry to create healthier conditions for people, animals, and crops by allowing farmers to improve natural resources and generate income by planting nut and berry trees. Eligible participants may qualify for up to 100% cost-share for selected practices and a one-time bonus payment of $1,000 per acre for establishing riparian forest buffers. [link]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued the final version of its “Insecticide Strategy,” part of an ongoing initiative to bring the agency in compliance with the Endangered Species Act and avoid litigation. The EPA has already completed a strategy on herbicides. These strategies, with others to follow, are intended to protect listed species under the law, while communicating clearly with farmers and other users of these chemicals on how and where they can be applied. The new strategy includes guidance on buffer distances for insecticide applications, a process for crediting growers who use conservation programs, and an interactive map that allows people to look up specific chemicals and their restrictions in specific areas. It also includes a three-step framework for reviewing insecticides and developing prohibitions for their use to protect endangered and threatened species. [link]

A new startup is helping farmers grow plant-based feed and fertilizer using wastewater for a more sustainable, profitable food system. Founded by former MIT Tata Center translational research director Jason Prapas, Fyto has built an automated system for harvesting the aquatic plant Lemna on dairy farms. Lemna, or duckweed, is rich in protein and capable of doubling in biomass every two days. Fyto has built an automated cropping system that uses nitrogen-rich wastewater from dairy farms to grow Lemna in shallow pools on otherwise less productive farmland. The Lemna can then be used on farms as a high-protein cattle feed or fertilizer supplement. [link]

Regenagri, a global regenerative agriculture initiative, is set to introduce a suite of updated standards aimed at boosting both the sustainability and traceability of regeneratively produced food and textiles. The enhanced framework will also add measurable criteria to support regenerative claims across supply chains. Although the official release of the new standards is scheduled for June 6, 2025, Regenagri will host two online briefing sessions on June 4 to present a comprehensive overview of the updates and respond to participant questions. [link]

Connecticut is rolling out a new pilot program to research soil contamination levels in farms across the state, aiming to better understand the presence of PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as “forever chemicals.” Exposure to these substances has been linked to a wide range of health issues, including high cholesterol, immune system suppression, hormone disruptions, thyroid disorders, pregnancy complications and neurodevelopmental effects. PFAS contamination in soil can leach into groundwater, affecting drinking water supplies and can be absorbed by crops, leading to consumption by humans and animals. [link]

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is now accepting applications for a grant to develop enterprises, supply chains, and markets for continuous living cover crops and cropping systems in the early stages of commercial development. CLC crops have been shown to enhance water and soil quality, sequester carbon, build soil health, and provide greater biodiversity and pollinator habitat. Significant environmental benefits from these crops will result from widespread production, which requires robust value chains and markets. Grant proposals must aim to develop and accelerate enterprises, supply chains, and markets for CLC crops and cropping systems in the early stages of commercial development in Minnesota. This could include customized equipment to harvest the crop, clean and store seeds, and process crops for food products, as well as market and business development. [link]

A new report from the Sustainable Food Trust challenges the current orthodoxy that meat and dairy products from cattle and sheep are always part of the problem for climate and health. Instead, it argues that grass-fed cows and sheep can be a vital part of the solution – if we change the way we farm and shift away from intensively farmed animal products. "Grazing Livestock" sets out a vivid comparison between industrial livestock systems and regenerative, grass-based systems rooted in nature. While these can be lower-yielding, cattle and sheep raised on pasture deliver multiple benefits from the same area of land – for the environment, public health and animal welfare. [link]

The Bernard J. Tyson Impact Fund, part of American Heart Association Ventures’ Social Impact Funds, is distributing $900,000 to four organizations to combat food insecurity. The funding is made possible by a grant from the Walmart Foundation to support companies and organizations that combat food insecurity. Recipients of funding from the Bernard J. Tyson Impact Fund include both nonprofit and for-profit organizations working to positively impact factors that affect cardiovascular health in historically under-resourced communities. [link]

The Agricultural Cooperatives Union tabled a proposal to the Greek Ministry of Rural Development and Food, calling for the establishment of a national standard for regenerative agriculture in Greece. The plan was prompted by the keen interest demonstrated during the “Agrothessaly 2025” event, which focused on the topic of regenerative agriculture. Regenerative agriculture is the process of restoring degraded soils using management practices (e.g., adaptive grazing, no-till planting, no or limited use of pesticides and synthetic fertilizer, etc.) based on ecological principles. [link]

In a landmark decision, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the use of gene-edited pigs developed by PIC (Pig Improvement Company) for human consumption. This approval marks a significant advancement in biotechnology, particularly in the livestock sector, as these pigs are engineered to resist porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), a viral infection that has long plagued the global pork industry. PRRS is responsible for substantial economic losses in the pork industry, with estimates suggesting a cost of approximately $560 million annually in the US alone. [link]

Beyond Meat raised $100 million from a plant-based nonprofit, providing the alternative meat company with much-needed cash as it struggles with declining sales, distribution hiccups and a dimmed consumer outlook. Unprocessed Foods will provide the debt financing loan in exchange for the right to purchase up to 12.5% of Beyond’s shares. Unprocessed is an affiliate of Ahimsa Foundation, which focuses “on advocating for plant-based diets.” The loan comes as Beyond reported a “disappointing” first quarter, according to founder and CEO Ethan Brown, with U.S. retail sales falling 15.4% to $31.4 million and product volume slumping 23.3%. [link]

Mondelez International’s impact investing arm, Sustainable Futures, has made a strategic investment in eAgronom, an Estonia-based agritech startup focused on scaling regenerative agriculture across Europe. The funding, part of eAgronom’s ongoing Series A2 round, aims to support the company’s expansion into new markets and increase its footprint to over 4 million hectares of farmland by 2026. Founded in 2016, eAgronom currently works with more than 3,000 farms managing 2.5 million hectares across 10 countries, including Poland, Romania, and Sweden. The company provides farmers with digital tools to improve soil health, measure carbon impact, and participate in carbon credit markets, offering both environmental and financial incentives for sustainable farming. [link]

More than 60% of the EU’s agricultural soils are degraded due to intensive agriculture, with similar damage to about 40% of British soils, a report has found. Experts from the Save Soil initiative said nourishing and restoring agricultural soils could reduce the impact of the climate crisis and provide protection against the worsening extremes of weather, as well as the food shortages and price rises likely to accompany them. This degradation of soil is changing the land’s water cycle and exacerbating the impact of the climate crisis in a vicious circle. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In mid-April, the UK government announced that it would cut import tariffs on dozens of food items to keep costs low for consumers. See more, here.

May 3, 2025

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Rolling Stone writes about what business leaders can learn from regenerative agriculture. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 2 – Forbes discusses why climate resilience is essential to feeding the public in the future. Read the story, here.

Spotlight 3 – Nature has published a new article on the global deforestation footprint of agriculture and forestry. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

Norway has banned the marketing of unhealthy food and drinks to children. It will still be legal to sell these products to children and youth, however a new regulation now in force makes it illegal to market unhealthy products to children under the age of 18. When it comes to products covered by the ban, the unhealthiest products, such as candy, soft drinks, ice cream and energy drinks, cannot be marketed particularly towards children. For other products, such as cereals, yogurt and fast food, limits for different nutrients are used to cover the unhealthiest products in these categories. [link]

PepsiCo has announced that it will remove artificial ingredients from popular food items in its product portfolio by the end of 2025. The company's CEO said that 60% of its current portfolio doesn't have any artificial colors and that its Lay's and Tostitos brands will be out of artificial colors by the end of this year. [link]

A federal U.S. judge has denied the state of Florida's request to dismiss a lawsuit against it for trying to ban cultivated meat. The lawsuit by Upside Foods against Florida’s ban on cultivated meat is able to proceed, after the judge rejected the state’s motion to dismiss the case. Upside Foods was among the first two startups to be allowed to sell cultivated meat in the US back in 2021, receiving approval from both the US Department of Agriculture and Food and Drug Administration. In 2024, amid a growing wave of politically charged discontent against cultivated meat, Florida passed a bill that made it a crime to produce or sell cultivated meat, in what was the first such ban on these products in the US. [link]

A new report issued this past week asserts that regenerative agriculture programs are being used to “greenwash” routine use of several dangerous pesticides on farm fields. Corporations that sell pesticides are entwining themselves with the movement, incentivizing farmers financially to adopt regenerative practices, the report notes. They then follow on with recommendations to use their products. The new report takes aim at some of the world’s largest agrochemical companies, including Germany-based Bayer, which bought seed and chemical giant Monsanto in 2018 and calls regenerative agriculture its “vision for the future of farming.” As part of its push for regenerative, Bayer offers growers rewards for engaging in certain practices, including not tilling their soil and for planting “cover” crops as a means to improve soil health. To handle weed problems in regenerative fields, Bayer recommends a mix of strategies, including “sustainable use of herbicides.” [link]

Global food and beverage company Nestlé and ingredients supplier ofi (olam food ingredients) announced the launch of a new joint cocoa agroforestry partnership, targeting regenerative farming practices to reduce carbon emissions and combat deforestation. Singapore-based ofi is one of the world’s largest suppliers of food ingredients, and has collaborated with Nestle over the past fifteen years to produce sustainable cocoa. In this new effort, the companies will work with approximately 25,000 farmers across Brazil, Ivory Coast, and Nigeria to convert their farms to agroforestry, a land management practice that integrates trees with pastures and crop lands, and implement crop residue management. Key components of the program include training farmers on climate-smart agricultural practices and wider environmental and sustainability issues. [link]

The Good Food Institute released its State of the [Plant Based Meat & Dairy] Industry report for 2024. The annual series of reports explores the challenges and opportunities for plant-based food, fermentation-derived proteins, and cultivated meat. While investment in alternative protein continued to fall in 2024, global sales of plant-based meat and dairy alternatives are up, as is interest in whole foods. [link]

A research team led by the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) says that the less intensively the soil is managed, the better the soil can function. Surprisingly, it applies to both conventional and organic farming. These important insights for making agriculture more sustainable are published in the journal Science. Research on farms across the Netherlands now shows that it is mainly the intensity of tillage that determines whether the soil can retain all its functions. Not only less frequent plowing, but also making more use of mixtures of grasses and plants from the bean family, such as clovers, contributes to multi-functional healthy soil. [link]

McDonald’s regulars are reducing their fast-food trips, fueling concerns about an economic malaise fanning across the restaurant sector. The burger giant posted a 3% drop in revenue in its latest quarter, driven in part by fewer guests visiting its U.S. locations. Same-store sales in its home market dropped 3.6% in the three months ended March 31, the second consecutive quarterly decline. Chief Executive Chris Kempczinski said consumers were “grappling with uncertainty,” but he was confident in the chain’s ability to navigate tough conditions and gain market share. [link]

A new report finds that transitioning towards regenerative production practices in coffee holds strong benefits for smallholder farmers, exports, greenhouse gas emission reduction, and local economies. JDE Peet’s, Nestlé, and the Rudy & Alice Ramsay Foundation supported international non-profit TechnoServe in conducting the study surrounding the benefits of regenerative coffee production. The Regenerative Coffee Investment Case studied nine of the world’s leading coffee producing countries and found that smallholder farmer incomes increase by an average of 62 per cent, while coffee exports are boosted by 30 per cent. [link]

The Maryland Department of Agriculture has released a new video in the Conservation Video Series focusing on saltwater intrusion’s effects on farmland in Maryland’s Lower Eastern Shore. Saltwater intrusion occurs when seawater flows into coastal areas like Maryland’s Lower Eastern Shore. It can lead to unsafe drinking water, ghost forests, lower crop yields, and soils that can’t support plant growth. Launched in 2022, the department’s Conservation Video Series showcases local farmers and the conservation projects they have installed to manage manure, safeguard local streams, build healthy soils, and protect the natural resources that we all depend on. [link]

The Vertical Farm at Illinois State University is now open to train and prepare students for careers in agriculture and horticulture specialty crop production and as a demonstration site for local community groups, schools, and business entrepreneurs. The $200,000 project is a joint partnership of The College of Applied Science and Technology, Department of Agriculture, and Office of Sustainability and is located adjacent to the Office of Sustainability at 305 North School Street, Normal, Illinois. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In early-April, it was announced that the WK Kellogg Co. is being investigated by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for potentially violating the state’s consumer protection laws due to health claims tied to its cereals. See more, here.

April 19, 2025

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Reuters looks at why McDonald’s is focused on regenerative agriculture. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 2 – Wicked Leeks asks if soil holds the key to better nutrition. Read the story, here.

Spotlight 3 – The Michigan Daily says that the USDA needs to modernize its farm subsidies. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

The blocking of federal funding for R&D projects mentioning ‘climate change,’ ‘greenhouse gas emissions,’ and related terms “would directly undermine US farmers’ competitiveness and long-term output,” warns a new report from environmental think tank The Breakthrough Institute. The Breakthrough Institute estimates that up to $424 million in federal funding for climate-related food & ag projects could be at risk based on a review of 100,000+ federal grant records featuring climate-related keywords. Practices such as no-till farming and cover cropping can enhance soil fertility, improve moisture retention, and reduce erosion—outcomes that directly boost crop yields and decrease the need for costly inputs like irrigation and fertilizers. [link]

Researchers at Michigan State University have made a groundbreaking discovery in Earth's deep soil layers, uncovering a new group of active microbes known as CSP1-3. These microbes were found in soil samples as deep as 70 feet from both Iowa and China, regions chosen for their deep and similar soil structures. Professor James Tiedje, a renowned microbiologist at MSU, explained that these microbes belong to a previously unidentified phylum and trace their ancestry back to aquatic environments like hot springs. Unlike surface microbes, they thrive in nutrient-poor environments and contribute significantly to water purification by breaking down carbon and nitrogen compounds washed down from above. Next, scientists plan to grow these microbes in labs and look for ways to tackle pollution or develop helpful technologies. [link]

Teagasc and VistaMilk Research Ireland Center have launched GroundTruth, an innovative citizen science project, facilitated by Research Ireland. The project, which is co-funded by the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, and the Department of Education, aims to improve soil literacy and engage communities across Ireland in research. GroundTruth will provide a user-friendly resource pack equipping participants with tools and knowledge to collect soil health data and measure aboveground biodiversity. It will also run a dedicated soil health week featuring a series of engaging webinars, a media campaign to raise awareness and various on-farm workshops across the country, providing hands-on learning experiences and showcasing best practices in soil health management. [link]

Technology is the key to meeting growing food demands and higher yields each year while protecting the environment that provides it, according to a recent report by agriculture and AI researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The report shows how AI can reduce labor requirements, aid sustainable agriculture and enhance precision livestock and crop management for farmers. As agriculture modernizes, tools like AI, robots, sensors and plenty of data will help farmers do their work more efficiently, according to the researchers. Understanding this data and how to use it can increase the yield, health and resilience of crops. [link]

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins has announced the cancellation of the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities (PCSC) program. The Partnerships for Climate Smart Commodities initiative will be reformed and overhauled into the Advancing Markets for Producers (AMP) initiative, with existing grant agreements reviewed according to the following: a minimum of 65% of federal funds must go to producers; grant recipients must have enrolled at least one producer as of 12/31/2024; and grant recipients must have made a payment to at least one producer as of 12/31/2024. Select projects may continue if it is demonstrated that a significant amount of the federal funds awarded will go to farmers. USDA will contact current partners individually to provide information about their future participation. USDA will honor all eligible expenses incurred prior to April 13, 2025. [link]

The U.S. Commerce Department said most tomatoes imported from Mexico to the United States will face duties of 20.91% from July 14 as it withdraws from an agreement it said had failed to protect domestic tomato growers. In 2019, Mexican tomato producers struck an agreement with President Donald Trump's first administration to avert an anti-dumping investigation and end a tariff dispute. At the time, the United States said the agreement closed loopholes and included an inspection mechanism. [link]

The U.S. Agriculture Department is fast-tracking state requests to yank soda from food-stamp programs. Arkansas is among the first in line. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is seeking clearance from the USDA to implement the changes, and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said her agency would move “very, very quickly” to approve them. Arkansas proposes to make candy and all types of soda—including diet and low-sugar versions—ineligible for purchases under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, starting in July 2026. The Republican governors of West Virginia and Utah have said they plan to pursue similar restrictions in their food-aid programs. Lawmakers in other states are working on legislation that would require their governors to do the same. [link]

The University of Vermont’s (UVM) new Soil Health Research and Extension Center (SHREC) will begin accepting soil samples and offer local testing tailored to Vermont’s unique soil conditions on Earth Day, April 22. SHREC will advance soil health research and provide invaluable resources to Vermont farmers by supplying specific insights with advanced soil health tests, including biological tests, carbon and organic matter analysis, and the ACE protein test for organic nitrogen. Previously, to receive soil health reports, farmers had to send samples out of state. [link]

The Cornell Maple Program is leading a multi-year study on growing high-value fruit and nut species within a 350-acre maple sugarbush in Cornell’s Arnot Forest. The agroforestry system aims to showcase increased farming efficiency and profitability, diversified crop offerings, and strengthened business resilience. To support producers, the maple program is also developing and testing distinctive products like maple-elderberry wine, maple-pawpaw ice cream and maple hazelnut spreads. [link]

A new article in Nature Food says that soil health is responsible for approximately 12% and 22% of global variations in crop production and nitrogen use efficiency, respectively. The paper says that while the influence of climate on crop yields is comparable to that of soil health, it is substantially overshadowed by the role of agricultural management, which accounts for roughly 70% of the global yield variation. In regions such as China, India, and the central United States, the influence of soil health on crop yields and nitrogen use efficiency is less pronounced due to the dominant effects of farming practices, including the intensive use of fertilizers. Enhancing global soil health could increase crop yields by 7.8 Mt while reducing nitrogen surplus by 8.1 Mt worldwide by 2050. [link]

Agrifoodtech investment in developing markets reached $3.7 billion in 2024, surging a remarkable 63% year-over-year (YoY) and bucking the 4% decline observed in the agrifoodtech sector at the global level. Total funding in developing markets accounted for 23% of global agrifoodtech investment, according to AgFunder’s 2025 Developing Markets AgriFoodTech Investment Report. The funding increase was achieved across 523 deals, showing an 8.4% YoY decline in deal activity, indicating the industry closed fewer and larger deals, according to the new report, which was released in partnership with Indian VC Omnivore, Dutch development bank FMO, and sugar reduction company Blue Tree Technologies. [link]

Prime Video will release the film, Common Ground, a documentary about regenerative agriculture, April 22 on Earth Day. The film originally premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2023 and features appearances from celebrities including Rosario Dawson, Laura Dern, Donald Glover, Woody Harrelson, Jason Momoa, Ian Somerhalder and Nikki Reed. Common Ground explores how a conversion to regenerative agriculture could revitalize the soil and save farmers millions of dollars. [link]

In a bid to support economic growth and lower costs for consumers, the UK government has suspended import tariffs on dozens of food and beverage items until 2027. The temporary suspension, which will apply to 89 products including pasta, fruit juices, spices and agave syrup, will run until July 2027 and is expected to save UK businesses at least £17 million per year. The move aims to lower costs for companies and reduce prices for consumers as part of the government’s wider 'Plan for Change' initiative, which focuses on boosting economic growth for UK industries. [link]

The Spanish government, alongside the regional governments of Navarra and La Rioja, has introduced Europe’s first AgriFoodtech Sandbox, designed to accelerate technological advancements in the agrifood industry. Managed by the National Center for Food Technology and Safety (CNTA), the initiative will offer a controlled environment where innovative products, processes, and technologies can be tested under regulatory oversight. The sandbox will allow startups, companies, and industry groups to experiment with novel approaches in the agrifood value chain. These include new ingredients, food preservation methods, packaging strategies, and ways to enhance resource use and waste recovery. [link]

Fair Trade USA is partnering with Acorn, an initiative of Rabobank, to expand fair access to the carbon economy for smallholder coffee and cocoa farmers in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. According to Fair Trade USA, Acorn’s farmer-first model guarantees that 80% of carbon credit proceeds go directly to farmers and that farmers retain full ownership of their data. Acorn’s unique Carbon Removal Units (CRUs) focus on agroforestry, so farmers are planting trees to support soil quality and crop yield. By linking agroforestry expansion with equitable carbon credit systems, coffee and cocoa farmers not only keep forests standing but are actively regenerating landscapes, improving soil health, and creating opportunities for diversified income. [link]

Nearly 17% of the world’s croplands are contaminated with “heavy metals”, according to a new study in Science. These contaminants – arsenic, cadmium, lead, and others – may be invisible to the eye, but they threaten food safety and human health. Heavy metals and metalloids are elements that originate from either natural or human-made sources. They’re called “heavy” because they’re physically dense and their weight is high at an atomic scale. Heavy metals do not break down. They remain in soils for decades, where crops can absorb them and enter the food chain. Over time, they accumulate in the body, causing chronic diseases that may take years to appear. [link]

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs signed into law the Arizona Healthy Schools Act, which bans food and beverages containing 11 ingredients in school meals. Beginning in the 2026-27 school year, any public school that participates in a federally funded or assisted meal program shall not serve, sell or allow a third party to sell ultra-processed food on the school campus during the normal school day. Arizona joins California, West Virginia, Virginia and Utah in enacting laws to restrict food served at school. Like the other four state laws, the Arizona law targets synthetic dyes: Yellow No. 5 and No. 6, Blue No. 1 and No. 2, Red No. 3 and No. 40, and Green No. 3. Other ingredients banned in the Arizona law are potassium bromate, propylparaben, titanium dioxide and brominated vegetable oil. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In mid-March, a bipartisan group of Pennsylvania state legislators introduced a sweeping package of bills intended to address the safety of food and farm chemicals. See more, here.

April 12, 2025

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – ABC Listen presents an audio story on how caring for soil brings great benefit to crops and human health. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 2 – Edie writes about why the Woodland Trust believes trees on farms are a solution to nature, climate, and food security challenges. Read the story, here.

Spotlight 3 – Defector conducts an interview with a recently fired USDA Program Coordinator. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

British farmers fear they will no longer be able to afford to restore nature in England and reduce their carbon footprint after government funding for doing this was frozen. The environment secretary announced that the sustainable farming incentive (SFI), which pays farmers for making space for nature on their land, would be paused and overhauled before June’s spending review. The scope of the scheme – and its budget – are being reassessed. In England, 70% of land is farmed, so if nature is to recover, farmers need support to make space for it on their land. This includes planting trees and hedges, digging ponds and leaving strips of land for wildflowers. [link]

South African farmers and sustainability experts warn that continued unusual weather patterns will adversely affect crop quality and livestock in the coming months, driving up food prices and raising concerns over food security. Shakti Satyapal, managing director of Roadway Farms and director of Sustainability Truthing, said South Africa is experiencing unseasonably heavy rainfall, including thunderstorms, strong winds, and hail, leading to severe flooding that has damaged infrastructure and crops across multiple regions. KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng, the Northern Cape, and the North West have all been hit by torrential downpours, with low-lying areas particularly affected. Livestock are also at risk, as sudden temperature fluctuations disrupt their health and access to feed and water. [link]

In a new report, the World Bank highlights that agricultural activities contribute significantly to global air pollution, with intensive fertilizer use, livestock farming, and crop-residue burning as major sources of particulate matter (PM2.5). These emissions not only harm the environment but also reduce agricultural productivity, potentially costing the global economy $5 billion annually. Regions like Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Southern Africa are particularly affected by these practices, which hinder crop yields and disrupt food supply chains. To address this, the World Bank calls for comprehensive solutions, including reducing ammonia emissions from fertilizers, improving manure management, and discouraging crop-residue burning. [link]

In Barbados, Joshua Forte, an environmental entrepreneur, has unveiled a plan to convert 1,000 acres into regenerative organic farms that prioritize soil health, biodiversity, and sustainable food production. Fortified by innovative practices and a commitment to sustainability, the Journey to 1,000 Acres initiative is not only about farming but also about fostering community engagement and education. Goals of the new initiative include addressing local food security; promoting sustainable agriculture and its many ecological and economic benefits; educating and engaging communities; and rejuvenating local soils. [link]

After a quarter of a century of development, the University of Missouri Center for Agroforestry made a significant step toward a long-term goal of furthering the black walnut industry in Missouri with a recent patent for its first black walnut cultivar — The UMCA “Hickman” Walnut. UMCA “Hickman” was chosen as the first cultivar to be patented within the species for kernel production — for food production as opposed to timber production — because its characteristics make it uniquely suited to tree nut orchard production. In particular, this cultivar showed high rates of spur-bearing. Ultimately, this means that the tree produces more nuts for harvest, especially earlier in its life, giving producers opportunity for improved return on investment. [link]

Farmers, researchers, practitioners, policy makers, and community leaders will gather at the University of Rhode Island’s Center for Biotechnology and Life Sciences on May 19-20 for the inaugural Rhode to Regenerative: From Land to Sea conference. This two-day event, organized with the agricultural network, Why Regenerative, will explore regenerative agriculture, an approach to food production and ecosystem management that restores and enhances soil health, water systems, and biodiversity from forests and farms to kelp beds and coastal fisheries. The conference is designed for farmers, students, researchers, investors, policy makers, funders, suppliers, and the public, and will include a field session, intergenerational knowledge exchange, and actionable solutions for the Northeast and beyond. [link]

CMI Orchards and Royal Family Farming announced that their joint venture, The Soil Center, will break ground later this spring. TSC was established to repurpose agricultural byproducts into carbon-rich soil amendments supporting crop production and reducing the need for synthetic soil additives. Through practices such as vermicomposting and biochar production, TSC will upcycle organic waste from orchards, row crops, dairy and beef operations into valuable agriculture products such as garden soil blends, compost, worm castings and biochar. Beginning this year, TSC will process over 100,000 tons of dairy manure, chicken manure, culled fruit and woody waste on an annual basis. [link]

WK Kellogg Co is being investigated by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for potentially violating the state’s consumer protection laws due to health claims tied to its cereals. Paxton said that Kellogg is marketing some of its cereals as “healthy” even though many contain blue, red, yellow, green and orange artificial food colorings. The Texas attorney general noted Kellogg announced in 2015 that it would remove artificial food dyes from its products in the U.S. in 2018 but that the company has failed to do so — despite removing the colorings from products sold in Canada and Europe. [link]

Climate Bonds is launching the Agrifood Transition Framework — a new tool designed to guide financial institutions, investors, and stakeholders through the complexities of financing a credible, just, and science-aligned transition in the agrifood system. This Framework marks a pivotal step in ensuring that capital flows into companies that are not only addressing climate mitigation but also driving climate adaptation, protecting nature, and supporting social equity. It builds on Climate Bonds’ Agrifood Transition Principles and integrates the Agriculture Criteria launched in 2024, as well as evolving work on deforestation- and conversion-free sourcing. [link]

The Bezos Earth Fund and Global Methane Hub have joined forces to cut livestock emissions through natural, science-backed breeding methods with a new initiative. This initiative is backed by $19.3m from the Bezos Earth Fund, a project launched by Jeff Bezos to combat climate change, and $8.1m from the Global Methane Hub, a philanthropic alliance to support the reduction of methane emissions. It will fund research and breeding programs across North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa and Oceania to help livestock naturally produce less methane. The combined funding will support grants to deliver the tools that will identify naturally low-emission-producing livestock based on biological traits and shape future breeding programs. [link]

Nestlé and UNESCO have introduced “Youth Impact: Because You Matter”, an initiative that will provide grants to 100 teams of young social impact innovators. These grants will support skill development and innovative solutions aimed at enhancing the resilience and sustainability of food systems. Its focus lies in promoting regenerative agriculture, addressing climate change, and advancing sustainable packaging, mainly by assisting young people around the world to embark on jobs related to sustainable agriculture and food production. [link]

North Carolina State has been working to examine basalt as a soil amendment and lime replacement in the state. Basalt, a dark-colored, dense igneous rock formed from solidified lava that has been used to make concrete and asphalt aggregates is increasingly being used as a soil amendment for agriculture. Because basalt is known to capture carbon dioxide (CO2), the idea is that farmers could apply it to their fields and take advantage of the carbon credit trading market. Another benefit is that basalt is said to raise soil pH, so farmers could theoretically use basalt as a soil amendment to replace lime. Basalt contains nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, manganese, iron, potassium, and copper. If it is released to the soil, these nutrients could potentially help improve soil fertility. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In mid-February, the European Commission published a communication outlining its strategic vision for the agriculture and food sector, aimed at ensuring sustainability, competitiveness, and resilience by 2040. See more, here.

April 5, 2025

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – AP News says that plastics are seeping into farm fields, food, and human bodies. Can they be stopped? Read the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – Yahoo News writes about how Canadian farmers are sidelining sustainable farming efforts to focus on responding to U.S. tariffs. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Mongabay reports on how the federal funding freeze is leaving agroforestry farmers in the lurch. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

Ghana has struck a landmark $25bn agreement with the private sector to combat climate change and drive sustainable development, marking one of the largest nature-based initiatives globally. The Ghana Green Guard Initiative, a collaboration between the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), developer CarbonPura, and Private Sector Participation in Health (PSPH), aims to restore degraded ecosystems, enhance water security, and generate revenue through carbon financing and biodiversity monetization. Under the initiative, more than 12mn hectares of land will be restored through reforestation, regenerative agriculture, coastal restoration, and efforts to curb illegal mining. [link]

Generative agriculture firm, Todd, is pleased to introduce the world's first regeneratively grown vegetable and flower seed products, developed to reverse the damage caused by over-farming and synthetic fertilizers, by exhibiting tolerance to regenerative farming practices that heal the earth. The company seeks to partner with high-growth, market-leading branded organic and biodynamic farms. Todd produces its seed products on its own research farms located throughout the US, and in close partnership with several family-owned regenerative farms to trial varieties and produce seed. Every one of the over 2,000 vegetable and flower varieties are produced and tested each year, allowing complete quality control and traceability. [link]

American Farmland Trust (AFT) is raising money to support farmers and ranchers affected by recent federal funding losses or delays. The goal is to provide 200 farmers a grant each up to $10,000. The AFT Brighter Future Fund aims to raise $2 million through donations, which will be distributed via the organization’s Emergency Resilience Grant. Now in its fifth year, the Brighter Future Fund has helped more than 400 farmers across the United States and over 50,000 acres of farmland. The fund has distributed over $4.5 million to support agriculturalists facing hardships. [link]

Illinois Governor, JB Pritzker, has proposed a 31% funding cut to a popular cover crop subsidy program for next year's state budget, despite an overall increase in the budget itself. Six years ago, Illinois became the second state in the nation to offer subsidies to farmers for planting cover crops in the fall, an effort to reverse its status as one of the worst states for agriculture runoff. Demand for the Fall Cover for Spring Savings program — which offers a $5 per acre discount on the following year’s crop insurance premiums — has outpaced state funding every year since. Two state lawmakers introduced bills to increase the program's annual funding but they did not clear a recent committee deadline. Lawmakers can still negotiate funding for the program as they continue to work to pass a budget by the end of May. [link]

A new study published in the journal PNAS has debunked the idea that grass-fed beef is an environmentally friendly option. The research finds that even under the most optimistic scenarios, grass-fed beef is not less carbon-intensive than industrial beef and is three to 40 times as carbon-intensive as most plant-based and animal-based alternatives. It is sometimes claimed that cattle grazing enhances soil carbon sequestration. However, the study authors find that the evidence for this is not conclusive, and that even if it were true, the effect would not be impactful enough to reverse beef’s carbon intensity. [link]

Regenerative agriculture pioneer Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA) today launched “Groundwork: AEA Agronomic Consulting,” customized packages for farmers of all backgrounds who want to transition to regenerative farming. AEA’s Groundwork offers strategic, customized plans and hands-on support for creating resilient farm systems. The new service seeks to address significant knowledge and mentorship gaps that often exist among current and aspiring regenerative growers. Previously, AEA’s agronomic consulting services were only available to customers of its products. [link]

Recent farmland sales in Iowa are showcasing strong values for high quality farmland. A pair of farms in northwest Iowa sold at an average price of $21,750/acre. Prime locations near grain elevators and feedlots, exceptional soil quality, and attractive supply/demand dynamics for farms in the area were factors contributing to the strong sale prices. [link]

A bipartisan group of U.S. House and Senate Representatives have introduced the New Producer Economic Security Act to support young farmers and ranchers in accessing farmland. The legislation would authorize a new pilot program to address the interrelated challenges of land, capital, and market access for new producers through innovative, locally-led solutions. The bill helps secure the American food system by establishing a pilot program within the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA). [link]

Mountain Hazelnuts (MH), a sustainable agroforestry social enterprise operating in Bhutan, has secured a $7.9m (€7.3m) equity investment from investors led by Mirova and Finnfund, which will be used to finance climate-resilient farming initiatives. MH was established in 2009 as a public-private-community partnership with Bhutan’s government to create a business generating income for vulnerable communities in Bhutan by planting 10 million hazelnut trees to restore degraded mountain slopes. The company has been an important driver for Bhutan’s rural economy, providing hazelnut trees, agricultural inputs, and technical support to smallholder families and community groups to create further income-generating opportunities that also help to restore land. [link]

Sweeping new tariffs announced by the White House on April 2 have the potential to dramatically increase the cost of ingredients and finished food products in the United States. Among the measures, President Donald Trump announced a new universal minimum tariff of 10% on all goods imported to the United States, including food and agricultural products, effective April 5. The White House also unveiled “retaliatory tariffs” targeting more than 50 countries, with individual rates from 10% up to 49%. The new tariffs targeted several of the world’s top coffee-producing nations. The world’s biggest cocoa producers also face steep new import levies. Olive oil, cheese and alcoholic beverages including wine and beer from European nations also will get more expensive under the new tariffs. Imports of semaglutide, a key ingredient used in the formulation of GLP-1 weight loss drugs including Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus, accounted for $15.6 billion in imports from the EU, ranking ahead of all food, beverage and agricultural products. Those imports now face a tariff of 20% or more, potentially increasing costs and disincentivizing their popularity among US patients. [link]

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has awarded a total of $431,637 to 10 new projects under the Developing Markets for Continuous Living Cover Grant. These grants help develop enterprises, supply chains, and markets for continuous living cover crops and cropping systems in the early stage of commercial development. Funding was provided to the MDA by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund and state’s General Fund. Continuous living cover (CLC) refers to agricultural systems in which there are living plants and roots in the ground throughout the entire year. This can take many forms, from winter cover crops sown between summer annuals to agroforestry practices, perennial forage crops, perennial biomass crops, and perennial grain production. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In early March, it was reported that booming cocoa prices are stirring interest in turning Nigeria into a bigger player in the sector, with hopes of challenging top producers Ivory Coast and Ghana, where crops have been ravaged by climate change and disease. See more, here.

March 29, 2025

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – CGIAR writes about sustainable farming and its ability to cultivate a water-wise future. Read the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – The Spirits Business looks into how top spirits brands are embracing regenerative farming. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – AP News says that Earth’s storage of water in soil, lakes, and rivers is dwindling…and it’s especially bad for farming. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

A new University of Michigan study suggests cover crop mixtures improve farmland soil health while reducing carbon emissions better than traditional single-species cover crops. The study, to be published in the April issue of the journal Soil Biology and Biochemistry, researched soil collected from 10 farms with varying field conditions in Lenawee, Tuscola and Monroe counties. Researchers planted a legume and grass cover crop compared to the more traditionally planted cereal rye and found that the mixture increased nitrogen content in the soil more than cereal rye planted on its own. [link]

Michigan potato growers have an opportunity to get free soil testing done on their fields. Michigan State University and the Michigan Potato Industry Commission are working on a new research project that aims to identify which management practices are most effective at building soil health in potato-based cropping systems, while also looking to assess which aspects of soil health drive yield and quality of potatoes. Any row-crop farmer with potatoes in the rotation in Michigan is eligible to participate. Once enrolled, a member of the research team will visit fields and sample soils prior to planting and 60 days after planting in 2025. Results will be shared back through a report and an optional consultation. [link]

Following recent tariffs on agricultural goods by China, along with trade uncertainty with the United States and ongoing animal disease outbreaks, the government of Canada has announced new supports for Canadian farmers via its AgriStability program. AgriStability offers affordable, whole farm protection to support producers when challenges are beyond their capacity to manage. The additional proposed supports include increasing the compensation rate from 80% to 90% and doubling the current payment cap to $6 million for the 2025 program year. To get money to producers faster, the Government of Canada has also provided provincial and territorial governments with the option to proactively enter into an agreement to issue interim payments at a higher payment rate and initiate Targeted Advance Payments in the event of tariffs, or for the hog sector in the event of African Swine Fever. [link]

The European Living Lab project, entitled ‘Soilcrates`, is about to kick off with a call for farmers across Ireland’s mid-west who are keen to learn more about the initiative. The Living Lab project – Soilcrates – is part of the EU mission, ‘A soil deal for Europe’, and involves clusters of farmers from the three communities and beyond, who come together alongside academic partners to help develop, test, and explore farming practices to improve soil health, in real-life farm environments. The overall aim of the project is to be farmer led, driven by the needs of the farmers, taking on board their challenges as well as their knowledge and expertise, and contributing to more resilient and biodiverse farms all round. [link]

Agrifood corporates McCain Foods, McDonald’s, and Waitrose & Partners will participate in a new regenerative farming pilot launched by King Charles III’s Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI) nonprofit. “Routes to Regen” will provide support for UK farmers transitioning to regenerative agriculture practices. Financial institutions Lloyds Banking Group, NatWest, Barclays, Aon, and Tokio Marine Kiln will work together with those agrifood corporates on the project. Participating farmers will be able to access financial, technical, and “peer-to-peer” support such as events where they can swap knowledge with other farmers. [link]

The National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC) in Saudi Arabia has launched the Agroforestry Action Plan Development Project, aiming to enhance environmental sustainability, social development, and economic growth. The project focuses on assessing the current state of agroforestry, applying global best practices, and encouraging investment to ensure sustainable forest management. It contributes to the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 by promoting sustainable environmental practices and combating desertification. As part of the project, NCVC will activate its memorandum of understanding signed in December 2024 with the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), to boost research collaboration and apply advanced agroforestry techniques. [link]

ADM and Mitsubishi Corporation ("MC") have signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to form a strategic alliance to explore potential areas of future collaboration across the agriculture value chain. Together, ADM and MC are committed to creating value and driving solutions that will help shape the future of the global agriculture value chain. The companies note that in recent years, the importance of secure and resilient food and agriculture supply chains has come into sharper focus, driven both by short-term dislocations as well as structural demand shifts powered by global population growth, economic development, and increasing consumer preference for sustainably sourced products. It has thus become essential to adopt a comprehensive and cross-industrial approach, connecting multiple businesses in different segments to address these challenges. [link]

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said he would significantly cut the size of the department he leads, reshaping the nation’s health agencies and closing regional offices. As part of the reorganization, Kennedy is creating a new subdivision called the Administration for a Healthy America, combining offices in HHS that address addiction, toxic substances and occupational safety among others into one focused on chronic-disease prevention programs and health resources for low-income Americans. The announcement said that broader cuts wouldn’t affect the FDA’s inspectors or drug, medical device or food reviewers. Many FDA probationary workers in the medical devices division were rehired a week after they were cut last month. [link]

Google recently announced a spate of sustainability-focused partnerships, covering a broad distribution of land area around the world. The tech giant said it is backing a range of projects across the globe, including developing innovative irrigation systems to support California’s dairy industry; boosting water infrastructure like irrigation canals and storage reservoirs in Chile’s Maipo Basin; backing an irrigation efficiency pilot project in Changhua, Taiwan; and using artificial intelligence to improve irrigation systems on potato farms in the Seine River basin in France. The quartet of water preservation and sustainable farming projects build on Google’s target to restore 120% of the volume of freshwater consumed across its offices and data centers, on average, by 2030. [link]

A new University of Houston study of hemp microbes can potentially assist scientists in creating special mixtures of microbes to make hemp plants produce more CBD or have better-quality fibers. The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports from the Nature Publishing Group and examined microbiomes living in and around the roots (rhizosphere) and on the leaves (phyllosphere) of four types of hemp plants. The research indicates that hemp cultivation can be improved by better understanding these distinct microbial communities, which impact growth, nutrient absorption, stress resilience, synthesis and more. This could help decrease the need for chemical inputs and allow growers to use more sustainable agricultural practices. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

Earlier this month, AgFunder reported that global agrifoodtech funding reached $16 billion in 2024, a 4% decline relative to 2023. See more, here.

March 22, 2025

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Purdue University says that most consumers see processed foods as potentially unhealthy but buy them anyway. Read the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – The WBCSD participates in an analysis of the costs and incentives for regenerative agriculture in Europe. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Fast Company discusses Zero Foodprint’s innovative way to grow - and finance - regenerative agriculture. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

The Hawaii Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Commission is offering a new round of grants through the Carbon Smart Land Program to support regenerative land management across the state. Grants ranging from $25,000 to $100,000 will be awarded to 10 to 15 applicants to implement practices such as agroforestry, native reforestation and soil health improvements. Eligible entities include private landowners and lessees, or those with documented access and rights to land management, community organizations, hui, networks and hubs, schools and businesses. [link]

In a move to boost paddy production and improve farming techniques, the state government in Tamil Nadu, India announced that it will send 100 progressive paddy farmers to Japan, China, and Vietnam. These countries have successfully implemented advanced technologies to enhance paddy yield and productivity; this new initiative aims to equip the state’s farmers with the latest farming methodologies, which they can later implement in their fields. The Tamil Nadu Agroforestry Policy will also be rolled out to encourage farmers to cultivate high-value timber trees such as sandalwood, red sanders, mahogany, and rosewood, by simplifying the procedures related to tree registration, felling, transportation, and marketing. [link]

Egypt's Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Environment met to strategize on optimizing agricultural and animal waste for organic feed and fertilizer production, with a goal to enhance sustainability and reduce dependence on imported feed. Egypt's government is dedicated to agricultural waste management, with a strategic framework having already been presented to the Prime Minister. Investment opportunities in the agricultural waste sector were a focal point of the discussion. Projects include a €70 million palm frond recycling factory in the New Valley aimed at wood production, initiatives to extract oils from prickly pear seeds, and efforts to produce amorphous silica from rice straw. Additionally, developments in non-traditional animal feed derived from agricultural residues were explored. [link]

Saudi Arabia has unveiled a new environmental financing initiative worth SR1 billion ($266.6 million), supported by Riyad Bank, to encourage private sector participation in sustainable and eco-friendly projects. The launch coincided with the unveiling of a new digital platform for the Incentives and Grants Program, designed to foster innovation and boost environmental investments. This initiative aligns with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 objectives, which focus on promoting environmental sustainability and enhancing the quality of life. [link]

SOIL Sangre de Cristo in Colorado is accepting applications for their Microloan Program which awards 0% interest flexible loans to farmers and food producers who might otherwise have difficulties accessing credit. These loans can be used to help defray seasonal operating expenses, improve infrastructure, extend the growing season, and much more. Since 2020, over $104,000 has been lent to small agricultural producers in the Salida-Buena Vista area and throughout the Valley. [link]

The faculty of natural and agricultural sciences at the University of Pretoria have developed new cattle feed machinery that enables researchers to oversee the amount of feed cattle consume. By monitoring and controlling cattle feed consumption, scientists can significantly reduce emissions from cattle farming. To track feed intake, the researchers place tags on the cattle that have radio frequency mechanisms on them. This new technology can stimulate the machines, causing them to release a specialized feed. Gases from cattle farming are 28 times more potent in warming the atmosphere, relative to carbon dioxide. However, by optimizing feeding and reducing cattle emissions, researchers can help decrease the environmental impact of the agriculture industry without compromising our food supply. [link]

Farmers around the world will have comprehensive access to near-daily satellite imagery of their fields thanks to a new partnership signed between Syngenta and Planet Labs PBC. The multi-year expansion of their strategic partnership enables farmers to remotely monitor crop health, detect pest infestations, and identify disease outbreaks. The high-resolution, commercially available satellite imagery from Planet Labs is delivered to farmers globally as part of Syngenta’s Cropwise digital agriculture platform. [link]

PepsiCo agreed to acquire prebiotic soda brand Poppi for $1.95 billion, adding a drink with claims that it is good for the gut as sales of traditional sugary drinks go flat. The deal comes as the soda industry is facing fresh scrutiny from the Make America Healthy Again movement, led by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has called the product “poison.” Unlike probiotic products such as kombucha and kefir—which introduce new microbes into the gut—prebiotic sodas contain dietary fibers that feed the bacteria already living in our systems. Olipop and Poppi use inulin fiber, often naturally derived from agave or chicory roots. [link]

Perennial, a prominent leader in measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV), recently launched Soil Ecosystem Maps, an interactive platform that highlights the company’s comprehensive soil health and soil organic carbon (SOC) datasets. Soil Ecosystem Maps aims to provide stakeholders worldwide with access to crucial information about SOC sequestration potential, SOC levels, and emerging microbial health indicators, such as Carbon Use Efficiency and the Microbial Soil Temperature Index. The new tool distinguishes itself from existing datasets by offering more accurate and detailed SOC measurements, integrating microbial evolution and biogeochemical processes into its SOC sequestration models, and introducing newly developed indices that deepen understanding of soil carbon storage and microbial activity. [link]

A new GLP Booster has been created by NotCo, the AI-driven food tech company best known for its plant-based products and collaboration with Kraft Heinz. Its botanical powder uses natural ingredients and can be added to any food to help you feel satiated and eat less, replicating – to some extent – the effects of Ozempic and other GLP-1 drugs. These drugs work by mimicking the GLP-1 hormone naturally found in the body, which is released in the gut after eating food, and can be boosted by fermented foods and dietary fiber. This helps regulate blood sugar, makes you feel satiated, and manages weight. NotCo says it will appeal to people apprehensive about GLP-1 drugs’ side effects – which include gastrointestinal issues such as nausea, and vomiting, and mental health problems like anxiety and irritability, among others – as well as the Ozempic rebound, a development whereby those that eventually quit GLP-1 drugs end up eating more calories than they did prior to treatment. [link]

Shares of Brazil’s JBS SA jumped the most in five years as the company moves closer to a long-awaited share listing in New York after a deal with its second-biggest shareholder. The equity holding arm of Brazil’s state-owned lender BNDES, which owns almost 21% of JBS, will refrain from voting on the plan at the company’s upcoming board meeting, removing the biggest hurdle for JBS’s listing, according to a regulatory filing. JBS has argued its valuation is currently capped compared to its peers Tyson Foods Inc., Hormel Foods Corp. and its US subsidiary Pilgrim’s Pride Corp. because the company isn’t listed in the US and can’t be part of indexes such as the Russell 2000 Index and the S&P 500. JBS plans to refile its application with the US Securities and Exchange Commission after it posts earnings next week, according to people familiar with the matter. That should pave the way for a listing by the end of the third quarter, the people said. [link]

Kiss the Ground has released the findings of its 2025 Research Study that reveals both promising growth in the Regenerative Movement and a critical disconnect within the food system. Encouragingly, 6.8% of U.S. adults are aware of regenerative agriculture as a solution for the wellness, water, and climate crisis, compared to 4% in 2023. Kiss the Ground said awareness has grown from 6.6% to 8% in the last 18 months among U.S. adults, and up from 10.4% to 15% among U.S. adults who are aware of regenerative agriculture. However, 58% of shoppers still don't read food labels. Of the cohort that does read labels, more than 50% of this group leaves a place of purchase confused. Additionally, 1 in 3 adults visited a farm or farmers market in the last year, yet only 8% of adults researched or talked to a farmer about food production. [link]

A new nationwide project called “Probing Our Country’s Soil Health” has launched, and 65 Minnesota farmers are being asked to participate. The project centers around improving a tool called the Soil Health Assessment Protocol and Evaluation (or SHAPE). SHAPE is an online tool designed to interpret soil health measurements, monitor soil health change, and offer management practice alternatives for improving soil health. The goal of the project is to collect 13,000 soil samples across the U.S. (~6,000 fields) from different soil, climate, and management conditions. The SHAPE tool will be available as a free web-based app for easy soil health scoring. [link]

A bipartisan group of Pennsylvania state legislators has introduced a sweeping package of bills intended to address the safety of food and farm chemicals. The bills would require that all new food chemicals, along with scientific support for their safety, get disclosed to state regulators; prohibit the use of synthetic food colors in school food; create a statutory definition of ultra-processed foods; require a separate label to warn consumers of the presence in food of butylated hydroxyanisole, commonly called BHA, which has been linked to cancer; require a separate label warning consumers of the presence of food colors in food; ban the use of paraquat, a pesticide linked to Parkinson’s disease; and give farmers new incentives to adopt cover crops, which can improve soil health. [link]

The Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences, through its Institute for Sustainable Agricultural, Food & Environmental Science (SAFES), announced funding awards to accelerate the advancement of its Critical Issues Initiatives. Heather Preisendanz, director of SAFES and professor of agricultural and biological engineering, announced that seven projects received inaugural funding totaling more than $100,000 through the Seed2Sustain program. The projects that received funding include Animal, Antimicrobial Resistance, Foodborne and Zoonotic Diseases; Managing Earth’s Critical Zone; Bioeconomy Solutions; Precision Biodiversity; Regenerative and Climate-Smart Landscapes; Agricultural Sustainability in Urbanized Landscapes; and Contaminants of Emerging Concern. [link]

Syngenta and PepsiCo are working in collaboration with the aim of boosting regenerative and traceable agriculture in the food industry value chain in a transparent and verifiable way. During the first year of joint work, Syngenta provided PepsiCo with 4,000 tons of sunflower oil from fields of farmers in the province of Buenos Aires, La Pampa, San Luis and Santa Fe, who applied regenerative agriculture practices. In a second stage, it is expected to increase the hectares that implement these practices by at least 25%. The overall process includes third-party validation, ensuring security throughout the entire commercial chain. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late February, the Ohio Department of Agriculture said it would provide $10 million in state funding to help farmers recover from 2024’s historic drought. See more, here.

March 15, 2025

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Teagasc discusses how to put hill farms on a sustainable path to the future. Read the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – Reccessary says that agroforestry stores less carbon than reforestation but has more in the way of other benefits. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Reuters does a deep dive into how U.S. farmers are putting plans and investments on hold under Trump’s USDA spending freeze. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

Booming cocoa prices are stirring interest in turning Nigeria into a bigger player in the sector, with hopes of challenging top producers Ivory Coast and Ghana, where crops have been ravaged by climate change and disease. Nigeria has struggled to diversify its oil-dependent economy but investors have taken another look at cocoa beans after global prices soared to a record $12,000 per ton in December. More than a dozen local firms have expressed interest in investing in or expanding their production this year, while the British government's development finance arm recently poured $40.5 million into Nigerian agribusiness company Johnvents. [link]

A new study published in Ecological Processes reveals that no-tillage farming — a technique that avoids plowing — can significantly improve soil health while reducing carbon pollution. Researchers found that NT farming increases soil carbon storage, enhances microbial activity, and prevents degradation, making it a promising tool for sustainable agriculture. In the study, scientists tested NT farming in Horqin Sandy Land, a region in China vulnerable to desertification. They focused on a drought-resistant plant called tiger nut sedge and found that NT farming significantly increased soil carbon storage and encouraged beneficial microbial activity — two key factors in long-term soil sustainability. [link]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that it plans to spend up to $1 billion in Commodity Credit Corporation funds to try to reduce the spread of highly pathogenic avian influenza in poultry. The virus, also known as bird flu or H5N1, has disrupted the work of poultry farmers for years and began infecting dairy herds last year. But a recent spike in egg prices has led to renewed public attention to the disease. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the new five-point plan would implement increased biosecurity measures for poultry farms to help reduce interactions between domestic flocks and wild birds, provide funding for farmers to quickly repopulate after having to cull infected flocks, remove some regulations, import eggs from other countries, and research a vaccine. [link]

An incubator supporting impact-driven enterprises has partnered with the Southeast Asian center for research in agriculture to run the Sustainable Agriculture and Food Security Enhancement (SAFE) Accelerator. Villgro Philippines and the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca) partnered to manage SAFE Accelerator, a virtual accelerator program designed to support high-potential enterprises developing regenerative, climate-resilient solutions that address food security and sustainable agriculture challenges in Southeast Asia. The SAFE Accelerator aims to cultivate market-driven, climate-resilient solutions that protect biodiversity, sustain farming communities, and improve food security. [link]

UK-based olive oil company Citizens of Soil has received £1.8 million (US$2.3 million) in seed funding to advance its extra virgin olive oils business. The company, which sources its products from farmers practicing regenerative farming, plans to use the funds to launch new products, expand its leadership team, and boost brand awareness. The company collaborates with artisan producers to prioritize flavor, nutrition, and small-batch groves that “farm in harmony with nature” while supporting the supply chain’s female workforce. The London-based firm will use the cash injection to scale its impact with small-scale producers, innovate the category, grow its team, and expand internationally. [link]

University of Alberta researchers are working with an Alberta startup to get an edible coal-derived protein into the marketplace, replacing less eco-friendly ingredients in animal feed. Working with Cvictus, a company that brought the project to the U of A for modernization, the Biorefining Conversions and Fermentation Laboratory has improved the technology needed to make single cell protein (SCP). SCP is a nutrient-rich, low-cost substitute for fish meal and soybean meal, the standard protein sources used in animal feed. Using a patented process, Cvictus is focused on extracting hydrogen from deep coal seams without mining, converting it to produce clean methanol and then from there, making SCP for use in livestock feed. [link]

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock has received a nearly $750,000 grant from the National Science Foundation’s Division of Research, Innovation, Synergies, and Education (RISE) to study how farmers’ risk preferences impact water use during droughts. The $745,594 three-year project will integrate economic, hydrological, and social science models to examine how farmers make irrigation decisions, particularly in groundwater-dependent agricultural systems like the Lower Mississippi River Basin. The research findings will help policymakers and water resource managers develop strategies for sustainable water use amid increasing climate challenges. [link]

A new four-month project which is being funded by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) in the UK and three water firms is set to predict nutrient release from cover crops. It will include assessments of decision support tools that estimate the quantity of nitrogen and nutrient release patterns associated with a wide range of cover crop species. An online questionnaire and a stakeholder workshop will canvass opinions and identify the resources needed to improve nutrient management planning across rotations. Some benefits of cover crops are clear, such as reducing soil erosion and nitrate leaching risks, however this project will fill additional knowledge gaps by providing evidence on the amount and timing of nutrient release from cover crop residues available to the next cash crop. [link]

Carlsberg Group has partnered with Boston Consulting Group (BCG) and One Planet Business for Biodiversity (OP2B) to launch Sowing Change, a report outlining six actionable recommendations to transform European agriculture and secure a more sustainable future. The recommendations are as follows: 1) Create an EU-wide, outcome-based definition of regenerative agriculture. 2) Develop an EU-wide measurement, monitoring, reporting, and verification (MMRV) program to standardize outcome measurement methodologies. 3) Incorporate outcome-based criteria into farmer payments. 4) Create an Agri-Transition Fund through the European Investment Bank (EIB) to finance the transition. 5) Improve knowledge-sharing programs to accelerate adoption of Regen Ag. 6) Develop a public-private market to link payments to the provision of ecosystem services. [link]

Indigo Ag and Google have joined forces to scale up adoption of regenerative agriculture practices to replenish nearly one and a half billion gallons of water over the next seven years. Google's $1.5 million contribution supports regenerative agriculture on enrolled farms in Oklahoma, expected to result in increased soil moisture and water retention. Through Indigo Ag's regenerative agriculture program, supported by Google, farmers receive incentives to implement regenerative practices, such as cover cropping and no-till farming. The resulting water savings supports Google's 2030 goal to replenish 120% of its freshwater consumption across its offices and data centers, while also working to improve watershed health in the communities where it operates. [link]

Four new research and outreach projects have been funded with $5.1 million through the Agricultural Climate Resiliency Program, a partnership among Michigan State University, the Michigan Plant Coalition, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD). Each project is funded for three years at $1.275 million. Broadly, research explores efficient use of water, protection of water resources, plant and soil health, and carbon sequestration. The four funded projects for 2025 include a modeling platform to increase resiliency of farming; AI use in the production of corn, potatoes, soybeans, and wheat; tools to address nutrient runoff; and the impact of regenerative agriculture on soil health and hydrological function. [link]

U.S. HHS Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (RFK Jr.), has directed the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to explore rulemaking to eliminate the “Generally Recognized as Safe” (GRAS) process, which is widely considered by critics to be a “loophole” that allows food companies to introduce ingredients to the food supply without oversight or a formal safety review. Currently, the FDA strongly encourages manufacturers to submit GRAS notices through the agency’s GRAS Notification Program, but industry can self-affirm that the use of a substance is GRAS without notifying FDA. GRAS has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years by lawmakers and the public, and a recent wave of state legislative actions aiming to ban certain food ingredients or directly targeting the GRAS process has been inspired by increasing awareness and scrutiny about the “loophole.” [link]

A recent study published in Science has revealed a concerning decline in butterfly populations across the United States, with numbers falling by 22% over the past two decades. Based on data from more than 76,000 surveys, the research underscores the urgent need for conservation efforts, particularly from industries and policymakers invested in sustainable agricultural and environmental practices. Scientists from Michigan State University and partner institutions conducted the most extensive analysis of U.S. butterfly populations to date. Their findings indicate an average annual decline of 1.3% between 2000 and 2020, with 107 species losing more than half their populations during this period. Declining species now outnumber increasing ones by a ratio of 13 to 1. [link]

When it launches this year, the NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite will provide a powerful data stream that could help farmers in the U.S. and around the world. This new Earth mission by NASA and the Indian Space Research Organization will help monitor the growth of crops from planting to harvest, generating crucial insights on how to time plantings, adjust irrigation schedules, and, ultimately, make the most of another precious resource: time. Using synthetic aperture radar, NISAR will discern the physical characteristics of crops, as well as the moisture content of the plants and the soil they grow in. The NISAR satellite will be the first radar satellite to employ two frequencies, L- and S-band, which will enable it to observe a broader range of surface features than a single instrument working at one frequency. [link]

The University of Guelph is taking a bold step forward in advancing soil health and combating climate change, thanks to a new $4-million investment. This significant support, comprised of a $2 million gift from the Jarislowsky Foundation and matching gift from U of G, will establish the Stephen A. Jarislowsky Chair in Climate-Smart Soils at the Ontario Agricultural College (OAC). This new endowed chair will focus on conducting research to improve soil care, mitigate the impacts of climate change, and enhance food security. [link]

A recent study from the University of Illinois shows that gene-edited bacteria can supply the equivalent of 35 pounds of nitrogen from the air during early corn growth, which may reduce the crop’s reliance on nitrogen fertilizer. Researchers tested products from Pivot Bio called PROVEN and PROVEN 40, which includes one or two species of soil bacteria, respectively, that can turn atmospheric nitrogen into plant-available forms. The analysis showed that, across all nitrogen fertilizer rates, the inoculant increased corn vegetative growth, nitrogen accumulation, kernel number and yield by 2 bushels per acre on average. [link]

A new study estimates the public sector investment that will be required to reverse course on U.S. agriculture's productivity slowdown in the face of climate change and sinking research and development activity. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers find that a 5% to 8% per year growth in research investment is needed – an investment comparable to those made following the two world wars. Alternatively, they find that a fixed $2.2 billion to $3.8 billion per year in additional investment would also offset the climate-induced productivity slowdown. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In mid-January, agriculture ministers from roughly 70 countries agreed at the 17th Berlin Agriculture Ministers’ Conference to jointly drive forward a sustainable bioeconomy. See more, here.

March 8, 2025

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Michigan Farm News asks, “is it time to get comfortable with lower yields?”. Read the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – NPR looks at a Colombian “hotel for cows” that could help reduce deforestation in the Amazon. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Investigate Midwest says that U.S. farmers depend on climate data, and they’re suing the USDA for deleting it. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

Wilbur-Ellis, a leading provider of innovative solutions for sustainable agriculture, has announced the launch of NUTRIO N-TUNE, an innovative biological product that provides a steady supply of nitrogen (N) to crops throughout the growing season. This supplement to synthetic nitrogen helps overcome nitrogen deficiencies that can occur as the season progresses. NUTRIO N-TUNE is derived from naturally occurring, beneficial bacteria capable of converting atmospheric nitrogen to ammonia. Along with seamless compatibility with a wide range of fertilizers and chemicals, the flexibility of the product means growers have multiple application options. [link]

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection recently announced that nearly 50 groups will be sharing roughly $1-million-dollars in producer-lead Watershed Protection Grants. Dodge County Farmers for Healthy Soil and Healthy Water is in line for $32,000. Including the recent round of funding, the Department of Agriculture has awarded more than $7.2 million to 52 different groups across the state since the program started in 2015. Grant projects have focused on providing conservation education to farmers, conducting on-farm demonstrations and research, issuing incentive payments for implementing conservation practices, organizing field days, and gathering data on soil health and water quality. [link]

New agriculture secretary Brooke Rollins says USDA is releasing payments from three conservation programs that were temporarily frozen in the early days of Trump’s presidency, but says others remain “under review” as the new administration reassesses priorities. Rollins said funding through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, Conservation Security Program, and Agricultural Conservation Easement Program would be released, however she didn't reference funding from the Inflation Reduction Act or the Commodity Credit Corporation, under which scores of companies had secured the promise of funds to support everything from regenerative agriculture to agroforestry projects via the Climate Smart Commodities scheme. Meanwhile, the $30 billion economic and disaster aid package approved by Congress in December will be called the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program, said Rollins, with payments to start flowing in the coming weeks. USDA is also working on rapid implementation of $20 billion in disaster assistance due to volatile weather. Rollins said that the agency will go line by line through the budget to root out wasteful programs, especially ones that focused on diversity, equity and inclusion and far left climate agendas. She also promised to get a Farm Bill done by the end of this year. [link]

A widening disparity between annual carbon dioxide peaks and dips was thought to be caused by warming temperatures and more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but a new study led by Colorado State University has found that agriculture is the primary cause of seasonal carbon cycle swings. While climate and carbon dioxide concentrations do contribute to annual carbon cycle highs and lows, the research found that agricultural nitrogen fertilizer is the biggest contributor to fluctuations, highlighting the impact of human actions and land management decisions on Earth system processes. The study, published in Nature Communications, found that agricultural nitrogen is responsible for 45% of the fluctuation increase in the annual carbon cycle. More carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and warmer temperatures contribute 40% and 18%, respectively. [link]

The Rainforest Alliance, a leader in sustainable agriculture, is streamlining and innovating its certification program to make it more user-friendly and data-driven. The main changes in version 1.4 of the Rainforest Alliance Sustainable Agriculture Standard cover: simplified certification requirements, more targeted inspections and audits, and increased data quality and focus. For almost 40 years, the Rainforest Alliance has worked diligently to restore the balance between people and nature. With farmers and forest communities at the center, the NGO pioneered certification as its primary tool for achieving impact. Today, more than 7.5 million farmers and farmworkers are part of the alliance, alongside 7,600 company partners. [link]

Legislation in the state of Washington (Senate Bill 5474) is moving forward to establish a first-in-the-nation Organic Action Plan to “expand opportunities for organic, regenerative, climate-smart, and sustainable producers.” Advocates hope that in developing the Plan, Washington will follow in the footsteps of California and the European Union by setting targets for total cropland under certified organic management and bridge the gap between climate, public health, and biodiversity. As federal funding cutbacks continue to impact farmers’ ability to leverage resources and grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), organic and transitional farmers are eager to see states like Washington take responsibility and improve the financial viability of farmers. [link]

Regenerative and natural products company GoodSAM Foods has raised a $9 million Series A round, bringing its total funding to date to $10.5 million. Bogotá, Colombia-based fund manager Acumen Latam Impact (ALIVE) Ventures and US VC firm Desert Bloom led the round, which will go towards team expansion, new products, and continuing to build out what GoodSAM calls its “direct trade” with smallholder farmers. This “direct trade” model removes middlemen — frequently known for price gouging — so that the company offtakes foods directly from the farmers, ensuring fairer wages for the latter. GoodSAM sources nuts, coffee, and fruit chips from growers predominantly in Latin America and Africa. [link]

A new global meta-analysis published in Nature has assessed the impacts of cover crops on soil organic carbon (SOC), crop yield, and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions. Results showed that legume and non-legume cover crops increased SOC by 5.9% and 4.0%, respectively. Legume cover crops enhanced yield by 16.0% but raised N2O emissions by 36.2%, which can be mitigated by integrating practices like no-tillage, deficit irrigation, and diversified crop rotations. The greatest benefits in SOC and yield from legume cover crops were observed in farming systems with low nitrogen fertilizer, low crop diversity (especially cereal-dominated systems), and low initial SOC, under humid and warm climates. [link]

Global agrifood tech funding reached $16B in 2024, a 4% decline from 2023, a new report from AgFunder shows. Investment actually increased in five countries: the U.S. (+14%), India (+215%), the Netherlands (+118%), Finland (+403%), and Japan (+76%). eGrocery was the top-funded category last year, accounting for almost 12% of total funding. The three markets receiving the most investment were the U.S. ($6.6B), China ($848M) and the U.K. ($616M). [link]

Tidal Grow AgriScience, Bellingham, Washington, a division of Tidal Vision Products Inc., is introducing four products to Canada’s agriculture industry. These regenerative solutions include the new chitosan-based seed treatment Tidal Grow GENBOOST, the new chitosan-based biostimulant Tidal Grow Chroma, and the liquid seafood hydrolysate biofertilizers, Tidal Grow Oceanic and Tidal Grow SeaPhos. These advanced crop production solutions bring the novel active ingredient, chitosan, and unique modes of action to Canadian growers, activating the crop’s natural defenses, boosting yields, and ultimately improving return on investment for Canada’s key crops. [link]

Raised, compact soil beds at a Florida farm are reducing the amount of water, fumigants and fertilizer needed to treat tomato crops, while maintaining or increasing yields. Annual savings on water amount to 25%, while also reducing crop risk associated with flooding. The raised beds also mean less bending and stretching for workers, easing the physical strain associated with farming. [link]

In a first-of-its-kind initiative in the country, the Karnataka government in India has announced the establishment of the Karnataka Forest, Wildlife, and Climate Change Mitigation Foundation to combat the effects of climate change. The 2025 state budget places emphasis on environmental conservation, forestry, and human-wildlife conflict mitigation. It also outlines plans for carbon credit generation through agroforestry and afforestation. To support farmers financially, the government has introduced a policy on agroforestry and carbon credits, helping them to plant high-carbon retention plant species on their properties. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In mid-February, the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec announced $35.3 million in funding to support producers who adopt more sustainable farming practices. See more, here.

March 1, 2025

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Food Ingredients First looks at how food and beverage giants are using small shifts to drive big results when it comes to regenerative agriculture. Read the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – The University of Pennsylvania looks into the challenges of accurately measuring soil carbon sequestration. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Civil Eats speaks with farmers who say that Climate-Smart Commodities projects are crumbling. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

Hawaii Community College is making a lasting impact on sustainable agriculture in Hawaii through its pioneering use of Korean natural farming (KNF). At the college’s Pana'ewa farm lot, students learn to apply KNF principles to cultivate crops such as ‘uala (sweet potatoes), pineapples, and kalo (taro) without synthetic fertilizers, herbicides or pesticides. This method harnesses Indigenous microorganisms and fermented plant-based biostimulants to enrich soil naturally—a crucial approach for restoring lands depleted by plantation-era farming. [link]

A new report issued by the Purdue Applied Research Institute’s Digital Innovation in Agri-Food Systems Laboratory, the research arm of DIAL Ventures, offers multiple strategies to help the agrifood sector navigate climate change-related challenges throughout the agricultural value chain. To improve climate resilience in agriculture, the report emphasizes the need to address increasing climate variability and its effects on food production. The report also prioritizes the efficient use of natural resources such as water, soil and energy. Examples include adopting precision agriculture technologies and integrating renewable energy. The report further stresses the importance of building a data-driven, decision-making culture across the agrifood value chain. [link]

China has renewed its $10 million contribution to the China-IFAD South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) Facility, reinforcing a partnership that has already benefited over 100,000 people in rural areas worldwide. The facility was first set up in 2018 with an initial $10 million contribution from China, constructed to provide a distinctive approach to sustainable agriculture development. Rather than traditional aid models, it focuses on facilitating knowledge-sharing and collaboration between developing nations, leveraging expertise from countries that have successfully addressed similar challenges. By the end of 2024, the facility had supported 20 SSTC projects across 40 countries spanning Africa, Asia and the Pacific and Latin America and the Caribbean. [link]

A no-cost soil sampling program is now available for Indiana state farmers. Indiana’s Mississippi River Basin Soil Sampling Program is a no-cost program with a focus on increasing the knowledge and use of soil sampling as a nutrient management practice to benefit farm operations. The Indiana State Department of Agriculture and partners throughout the state have worked with the Gulf Hypoxia Program to develop the offering, which is open now for applicants. [link]

Kellogg’s has debuted a new government-funded hydrogen demonstration operation at its factory in the UK, marking an industry first. The cereal giant’s three-week demonstration was funded by the government’s £55m HyNet Industrial Fuel Switching program, and comes as part of its £1bn Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP). The effort saw fossil fuel gas replaced with hydrogen to power the toasting oven, producing cereal for popular brands such as Corn Flakes, Bran Flakes, Special K and Rice Krispies. Kellogg’s is the first food manufacturer in the country to produce cereal using this method. [link]

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) revealed the details of a major update to the methodology of the State of Stocks Index (SoSI), supporting global efforts to better track and manage ocean fisheries more efficiently. The State of Stocks Index is computed every two years and presented in the State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture (SOFIA) flagship report. The enhanced methodology has been updated to deliver a more precise and comprehensive analysis of the state and health of stocks, and adopts a three-tier assessment approach, ensuring greater adaptability based on data availability and quality across different fisheries. A key improvement is a significant expansion in the number of assessed stocks in each FAO Major Fishing Area from about 500 to approximately 2,600, offering high-resolution insights into the state and health of fishery resources at both regional and global levels. [link]

On Feb. 25, the World Agroforestry Center (CIFOR-ICRAF) deposited seeds representing tree species of special value to communities across Africa in the Svalbard Global Seed Vault. The 19 species represented included 13 native to Africa and six others that have found a place in the economies and ecologies of the continent. Among the trees selected were the baobab (Adansonia digitata), which people in several African countries prize for its edible fruit and leaves, and the incredibly versatile Faidherbia albida — its roots enrich soil with nitrogen, its leaves are fertilizer and fodder for livestock; it can provide shade for crops like coffee, or give up its branches for fuel; the seeds it produces in the dry season can be eaten. Across Africa, forests are under pressure. Unsustainable harvesting and agricultural expansion claims almost 4 million hectares (9.9 million acres) every year, urbanization fragments forest patches, and climate change affects viable growing zones. [link]

A recent brief from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) highlights the critical role of forests and wild foods in transforming food systems. Produced in collaboration with People and Plants International and the Alliance of Biodiversity International, “Forests, Trees and Wild Species in Agrifood Systems” shows that over 5.7 billion people rely on non-timber forest products (NTFPs) for food, energy, medicine, and income. The report highlights the biodiversity preserved in forests—approximately 50,000 wild species are used worldwide, 10,000 of which are used to feed humans. Forests also play a crucial role in nutrition, especially for vulnerable populations, with wild species providing essential vitamins, proteins, and minerals. [link]

At Chico’s University Farm in California, research is being conducted on regenerative agriculture to make farming more environmentally friendly and resource conservative. University Farm is currently participating in the California Soil Carbon Accrual Project alongside other campuses on projects that implement and compare regenerative management systems next to conventional management approaches. The purpose of the project is to compare how different farming management systems impact soil quality. Across California, several participating farms are growing different types of crops, such as rice, alfalfa, cotton and, at Chico, grain. [link]

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in Jordan, in cooperation with the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA) and the National Agricultural Research Center (NARC), announced two new projects designed to bolster the country's agricultural sector, enhance food security, and improve livelihoods. The project “Conservation and Genetic Enhancement of Local Almond Varieties in Jordan for Sustainable Agricultural Development,” documents, analyzes, and preserves Jordan's valuable almond heritage, including wild and landrace types, which are threatened by climate change, agricultural modernization, and a lack of comprehensive genetic information. The second project, “Strengthening Jordan’s agriculture sector through enhanced capacities and market access,” aims to improve food security and the livelihoods of rural communities by supporting farmers in adopting sustainable farming practices, increasing productivity, and improving access to markets. [link]

Israel’s Aleph Farms, a pioneer of cultivated meat, has lowered its valuation by 73% in its upcoming funding round, noting that the company is adapting to “changing market conditions." As food tech companies feel the pinch, Israeli-cultivated beef producer Aleph Farms has been forced to slash its valuation as part of an “emergency fundraising” round, according to tech publication Calcalist. The company has reportedly been aiming to secure $25M from investors “to stay afloat”, though is so far expected to raise only $10M in the coming weeks based on reports from shareholder Millennium Food-Tech. [link]

Long-term field study results over 25 years show differences in soil carbon gain among cover cropped, no-till, and perennial cropping systems. Investigators at the Kellogg Biological Station Long-Term Ecological Research (KBS LTER) program site in Michigan found that field crops in a corn-soy-wheat rotation grown conventionally with tillage and no cover crops did not show an increase in soil carbon over 25 years. However, when a winter cover crop was added, these fields sequestered carbon rapidly – increasing by up to 25% over 25 years. Likewise, no-till practices, in which seeds are planted into unplowed soil using specialized equipment, also built soil carbon, but only half as fast as the rate of cover crops. Even more effective than cover crops in these annual systems, soils planted with perennial crops like alfalfa and unmanaged successional vegetation, sequestered carbon even more effectively. [link]

The Ohio Department of Agriculture will provide $10 million in state funding to help farmers recover from 2024’s historic drought. The state experienced extreme weather conditions throughout the spring and summer, significantly affecting agricultural producers. Local Soil and Water Conservation Districts will help administer the relief funding to 28 counties designated as primary natural disaster areas by USDA between Aug. 19 and Sept. 16 due to drought. Funding is available to any livestock producer participating in the Farm Service Agency Livestock Forage Disaster Program in a county designated as a primary natural disaster area. [link]

A new study in the journal, Nature, compares the carbon dynamics of silvopasture systems in the Northeastern United States relative to treeless pastures. For the study, total carbon content was measured in the woody, herbaceous, and soil pools for silvopastures and treeless pastures on five different farms. Results indicate that silvopastures stored 43% more total carbon than treeless pastures, with tree carbon in silvopastures being the driving factor. No significant difference in soil carbon stocks were found between systems across all five study farms. Total carbon content of forages was generally lower in silvopastures when compared to treeless pasture. [link]

A new study out of Australia using updated greenhouse gas metrics says that animal agriculture is the leading cause of climate change - not fossil fuels. In the study, Australian climate scientist Gerard Wedderburn-Bisshop, co-founder of the World Preservation Foundation, notes that the IPCC’s greenhouse gas accounting rules were developed three decades ago – while recent advances have improved our understanding of what causes climate change. According to his assessment, agriculture – the most extensive land user – caused 60% of global warming between 1750 and 2020, with meat and dairy farming alone responsible for 53% of the total. In contrast, fossil fuels contributed to 19% of warming in this period, less than a third of the food production sector. [link]

At the USDA's Ag Outlook Forum, the agency's Chief Economist, Seth Meyer, said that commodity prices year over year and cash receipts are expected to decrease for most major row crops, but the outlook for the livestock sector is more optimistic. The gap between ag imports and exports is also projected to remain wide in 2025. USDA is forecasting a $500 million dollar increase in exports based on higher grain and feed exports. While Mexico remains a top importer of U.S. ag commodities, China is importing less. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

One year ago today, New York Attorney General, Letitia James, filed a lawsuit against giant meat producer, JBS, accusing the company of making misleading claims about its greenhouse gas emissions goals to boost sales among environmentally conscious consumers. See more, here.

February 22, 2025

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Vogue Business travels to Australia to ask if happier sheep make better wool. Read the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – The University of Pennsylvania says we need to reframe the benefits of conservation agriculture away from environmental impact to that more squarely associated with economic impact. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – The Washington Post writes that after 10,000 years, the plow may now become extinct. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

A study has revealed that 91% of UK farmers consider poor mental health as one of the biggest hidden dangers in the industry. The research, conducted by the Farm Safety Foundation, highlights a significant mental health crisis within the farming community. The charity's findings also indicate a steady decline in mental well-being among young farmers over the past four years. [link]

A trial at the University of Leeds is measuring the impact of regenerative agriculture principles to plug the research gap and support evidence-based practice for farmers. An array of metrics are being measured across seven different systems and compared against a conventional plough-based control. These include soil carbon, gross margins, crop development and nitrous oxide emissions. The trial is now in its third year and ultimately hopes to establish whether all major regenerative agriculture principles need to be followed to make the system a success. [link]

Chipotle is diversifying the sourcing of its raw materials amid tariff talk from the U.S. government. CEO Scott Boatwright said that about 50% of the chain's avocados come from Mexico and that the company's supply chain team has been diversifying into Colombia, Peru, and the Dominican Republic. Less than 0.5% of the company's sales include raw materials sourced from Canada and China. [link]

The Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec announced $35.3 million, part of which is funded under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, to support producers who adopt more sustainable farming practices. This new investment acts as the fourth enrollment period of the "Rewarding of Agri-Environmental Practices" program, targeting up to 1,200 new farm businesses for support. Eligible practices under the new initiative are crop diversification, off-season soil protection, reducing the use of herbicides, improved fertilizer management, and biodiversity-friendly landscaping. [link]

Tourba International, a nature-based solutions project developer, said its newly launched agricultural initiative has already engaged 15,000 smallholder farmers to cover one million hectares across Nigeria. The initiative covers all initial costs, including soil testing and certification, to facilitate farmer participation and adaptation on more sustainable farming practices. The project focuses on boosting farm yield while reducing production costs through regenerative agricultural practices such as minimum tillage, intercropping, agroforestry, and soil carbon sequestration to maximize carbon capture. The work is funded by selling carbon credits on the voluntary carbon market. [link]

UK farmers are invited to an event focusing on regenerative agriculture practices, organized by the Farmer Scientist Network at the Yorkshire Agricultural Society and taking place at the Great Yorkshire Showground on Thursday, March 6. The event is open to farmers at any stage of their regenerative agriculture journey, with experts on hand to provide guidance on nurturing soil on both arable and livestock farms. The event will feature a range of activities, including a session led by soil scientist Neil Fuller, who will provide tips for farmers on how regenerative practices are transforming the food we eat. Farmers will also have the opportunity to hear from mixed North Yorkshire farmers, Fraser Hugill, director of the Beef Shorthorn Association, and Angus Gowthorpe, founder of The Green Farm Collective. [link]

Leading quarry and minerals processor Kilwaughter Minerals has officially launched its new Soil Health Hub, an educational resource designed to empower UK farmers with expert knowledge on soil health, pH management, and nutrition strategies. The free-to-access online service offers advice, articles and case studies as well as a dedicated portal for soil testing, including personalized tracking, field management, nutrient guidance, lime recommendations and a unique soil health dashboard specific to individual farms. The launch reinforces Kilwaughter Minerals’ deep-rooted commitment to soil care with its ‘love for soil’ message, highlighting the crucial role of healthy soil in agricultural productivity. [link]

Food, beverage and snacking companies Nestlé and Mars announced new agreements with New Zealand-based dairy cooperative Fonterra, which will see the companies funding incentives to farmers to lower emissions and reduce the climate footprint of their dairy supply chains. Both Nestlé and Mars have set targets to achieve net zero emissions across their value chains by 2050. Dairy products constitute the largest single source of Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions for Nestlé, and the second largest contributor to the carbon footprint of Mars’ Snacking business. Funding from the agreements with Nestlé and Mars will be split between providing on-farm tools and technology designed to further improve emissions efficiency, and emissions incentive payments to farmers who achieve the lowest emissions footprints in the Fonterra co-op. [link]

CarbonZero.Eco, a Silicon Valley-based startup focused on regenerative agriculture and carbon sequestration, has officially emerged from stealth mode, securing a $3.5 million seed funding round. Founded by 16-year-old CEO Harper Moss alongside seasoned tech entrepreneur Gregory Ray as CTO, the company aims to streamline Biochar production to support farmers while reducing carbon emissions. The startup has already made significant strides, pre-selling $7 million worth of Biochar and forming partnerships with over 300 almond farms in California's Colusa and Yolo Counties. By leveraging agricultural waste that would otherwise decompose and release carbon dioxide, CarbonZero.Eco plans to remove up to 1.5 million tons of CO2 while improving crop yields for farmers. [link]

Three new members have joined the FAO Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance (LEAP) Partnership, contributing their unique expertise and perspectives to advance the sustainability of the livestock sector. The new members include the Harper Adams University, La Mesa Argentina de Carne Sustentable (MACS) and the Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development (IEDA) - a leading national research institute in China. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance (LEAP) Partnership is a dynamic multistakeholder initiative committed to improving the environmental performance of livestock supply chains while ensuring their economic and social viability. [link]

A flexible loan program designed to support North Country small farms is helping Mace Chasm Farm diversify and increase its offerings. The Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA), in partnership with Foodshed Capital, awarded the Keeseville farm a $14,000 zero-interest loan to help expand its tree nursery operations. The investment marks the sixth small farm project supported by the SOIL Loan Fund, which ANCA developed to address the challenges many North Country farms have accessing capital through conventional loan programs — particularly for farms operated by women and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC). Known for its artisanal meat products, Mace Chasm Farm began its tree nursery program in 2022 in its continued efforts to diversify the farm’s revenue sources. Their primary market for tree sales has been with a Maine nursery during the fall season. [link]

The European Commission has published a communication outlining its strategic vision for the agriculture and food sector, aimed at ensuring sustainability, competitiveness and resilience by 2040. The Commission's vision centers on creating an agri-food system that is attractive, competitive, sustainable and fair for current and future generations. A significant aspect of the Commission's communication is its commitment to reducing food waste across the supply chain, with a goal to achieve a 30% reduction in food waste per capita by 2030. [link]

MyLand, a leading innovator in soil health, announced a new $4.8 million dollar opportunity in Washington State to enhance soil health for farmers. The program, funded in combination by the Washington State Department of Agriculture and Washington State Department of Commerce, focuses on supporting sustainable agricultural practices and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Growers that qualify to participate in the program will receive the MyLand Service at no cost in the first year. The MyLand Service leverages the power of live, native microalgae to rejuvenate soil health, improving productivity, profitability, and sustainability. [link]

The North Dakota On-Farm Research Network, in partnership with the University of Illinois Data-Intensive Farm Management program, is inviting farmers to participate in on-farm research during the 2025 growing season. The research will focus on variable-rate nitrogen application in corn and hard red spring wheat within soil health management systems. Fields no-tilled for 10 years or longer qualify as soil health management systems. Participating farmers will receive a financial incentive for implementing the trial and be fully reimbursed for treatments that lose money, such as yields lost due to zero N rates, making this a risk-free opportunity. The research will be implemented entirely with precision agriculture equipment, and each farmer will receive an individualized report at the end of the season. [link]

According to a study published in Nature, researchers have found that calcium silicates react with CO2 more efficiently than the traditionally used magnesium silicates, offering an opportunity for farmers that currently use calcium carbonate to reduce soil acidity. The study, led by Stanford University chemist Matthew Kanan and postdoctoral researcher Yuxuan Chen, suggests that integrating these materials into agricultural soils could provide a dual benefit—enhancing soil quality while removing large-scale quantities of atmospheric CO2. A method was developed to produce calcium silicates by heating a mixture of calcium oxide (CaO) and magnesium silicates at high temperatures. This process, which facilitates a mineral exchange, resulted in a material that binds CO2 thousands of times faster than natural weathering. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

At the beginning of the year, The Alliance to Advance Climate-Smart Agriculture at Virginia Tech announced the enrollment of over 1,300 farms representing more than 202,000 acres in the first year of its landmark project to incentivize agricultural producers in four states to adopt sustainable farming practices. See more, here.

February 15, 2025

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – OCI Global showcases how a unique partnership has created a road to sustainable bread production. Read the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – Prevention Magazine spotlights the Rodale Institute’s recent conference tying regenerative organic agriculture to better human health. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – The FAO details how agroforestry can empower farmers and protect our planet. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

A fund created by the Aberdeen Area Community Foundation has been designed to support agriculture-related projects in South Dakota. Roughly $40,000 is available to be used by June 30, 2026. The money can be used for things like agriculture education for all ages, dissemination of ag-related information and promotion of agriculture. It cannot be used to directly financially benefit an individual or for-profit business. Preference will be given to tax-exempt groups like schools, churches and units of government. [link]

Scientists in East Africa are using CRISPR to edit the genomes of bananas, protecting a major staple crop in the region. One of the biggest threats to banana farming in the region is Banana Xanthomonas Wilt, a bacterial disease that can wipe out entire banana fields and cause up to 100% crop loss. To solve this problem, researchers are using CRISPR to identify and remove a specific gene in the banana plant that helps the bacteria infect it. When recently testing the edited bananas in a greenhouse facility, scientists found that the CRISPR-generated plants were resistant to the disease, while the unedited ones became infected. [link]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has frozen some funding for farmers as it goes through a sweeping review, despite assurances from the Trump administration that programs helping farmers would not be affected in the government overhaul. Some of the money that has been frozen is tied to environmental conservation programs that were funded by former President Joe Biden’s signature climate law, the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which included about $19.5 billion for farm programs over 10 years. The American Soybean Association said it had been notified by growers that payments associated with the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Program have been suspended, at present. The National Farmers Union also said it is hearing from members who are not receiving expected payments from conservation programs like cost-share contracts with the NRCS under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). [link]

In an open letter to European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Danone, and Bel Group encouraged the Commission to prioritize the reduction of methane emissions in the dairy sector as part of its upcoming Vision for Agriculture and Food. Tackling methane emissions represents one of the most powerful opportunities for sustainability progress, yet it remains overlooked compared to other areas of sustainability. EDF, Danone, and Bel Group stress that, by working collaboratively and in farmer-centric ways, policymakers, farmers, and businesses can create a more sustainable and resilient dairy sector that benefits both the environment and the economy. [link]

Kericho County in Kenya has launched a transformative coffee agroforestry program in partnership with the Cereal Growers Association (CGA) to promote sustainable agriculture while improving farmers’ incomes. The agreement, signed at the Governor’s office, allows farmers to integrate coffee trees into their farms, offering economic benefits and contributing to climate change mitigation. The partnership grants CGA official permission to operate in Kericho without restrictions, supporting farmers in sustainable agroforestry practices. CGA has already established operations in three key coffee-growing wards such as Kunyak, Chilchila, and Kamasian where farmers are being encouraged to plant coffee trees alongside other crops. [link]

The European Union's Joint Research Center (JRC) has introduced the EU Sustainable Food System Dashboard, a tool for tracking agricultural sustainability metrics. The dashboard focuses on environmental sustainability indicators, assessing food production's effects on climate, resources, and ecosystems. It aims to assist policymakers, farmers, and stakeholders in evaluating progress and identifying challenges. Agriculture remains vital to the EU economy, supplying food and employment. However, conventional methods face criticism for their environmental repercussions, including greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss. The EU's targets include reducing emissions and promoting sustainable land use. [link]

A roundtable conference co-hosted by sustainable cotton consultancy, CottonConnect, the Cotton Egypt Association (CEA), and the Cotton Research Institute took place to advance regenerative cotton agriculture in Egypt with a focus on strategies to scale up sustainable practices in the industry. The discussions highlighted the importance of brands offering financial and technical support, as well as opening markets for cotton farmers in Egypt adopting regenerative practices. Key topics included the role of technological innovations and biotechnologies, such as precision agriculture, satellite imaging, biofertilizers, and bioinsecticides, in improving efficiency and productivity in cotton farming. [link]

The latest Census of Agriculture from the USDA confirms that farmer diversification into agritourism is helping sustain their operations amid economic challenges. From farm stays to U-pick experiences, agritourism is providing a much-needed financial boost while strengthening the connection between farmers and their communities. As more data emerges, it’s clear that this growing sector is becoming a lifeline for many family farms. According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, agritourism generated $1.26 billion in revenue, marking a 12% increase from previous years. This growth highlights the rising demand for on-farm experiences as more consumers seek connections to agriculture. [link]

A new financial aid scheme has been launched which aims to support Maltese and Gozitan farmers in the adoption of agroforestry systems, the Ministry for Agriculture stated. The Ministry said that this scheme is an important step in the protection of the environment as well as the sustainable development of farming in Malta. It added that agroforestry systems include the planting of fruit trees. Minister Anton Refalo said that through this initiative, the government will provide financial support to farmers who integrate forestry practices with farming on the same land. The Ministry stated that such a system helps in soil conservation and improves biodiversity as well as carbon sequestration in the soil. [link]

Purdue University’s College of Agriculture, in partnership with the Indiana Corn Marketing Council and the Indiana Soybean Alliance, will host their first-ever Resilient Agriculture Summit on March 13. This free, one-day event will offer networking and learning opportunities. Attendees will gain insights into the latest advancements in resilient agriculture, discover effective practices and learn how to implement these strategies into their own operations to improve environmental sustainability and farm productivity. The summit will feature individuals involved with the purchasing of corn, soybeans and other crops, as well as farmers, industry experts and Purdue University representatives and researchers from different disciplines, providing a comprehensive overview of how regenerative practices are transforming agriculture. [link]

Pesticides are causing overwhelming negative effects on hundreds of species of microbes, fungi, plants, insects, fish, birds and mammals that they are not intended to harm, according to a study carried out by an international research team led by East China University of Science and Technology. The scientists analyzed over 1,700 existing lab and field studies of the impacts of 471 different pesticide types—either insecticides, fungicides or herbicides—in agricultural, commercial or domestic use. Wide-ranging negative effects were seen for over 800 species found on land and in water, including impacts on how fast they grow, their reproductive success, and even behavior such as their ability to catch prey, find plants to forage upon, move, or attract mates. Pesticides can also affect organisms' metabolism and damage cells. [link]

The U.S. Senate has confirmed Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to lead the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and Brooke Rollins to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). HHS includes the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Kennedy has said he will root out pharmaceutical and food industry influence at HHS and is an advocate for regenerative agriculture. During her confirmation hearing last month, Rollins said that as Secretary of Agriculture, she’d prioritize tackling bird flu, “modernizing” the USDA to align with Trump’s principles, and getting disaster aid for farmers out the door. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late January, Mitsubishi announced a strategic partnership with CH4 Global to help the company scale production and commercialization of its Methane Tamer product, which reduces methane emissions form livestock. See more, here.

February 8, 2025

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – CGIAR details how NATURE+ is mobilizing new value chains for neglected crops in 5 countries. Read the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – The Wall Street Journal does a story on how one milk brand went from touting its sustainability push to getting swept up in a conspiracy theory. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Morning AgClips writes about how to unpack and correct soil compaction. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

The Maryland Department of Agriculture has launched a new public awareness campaign to educate farmers about the benefits of planting trees on farmland. Spotlighting the department’s full range of incentive programs, highlights include how farmers who plant trees can boost farm income, improve soil and herd health, and protect local streams and natural resources. The campaign will run throughout February and features a 30-second public service announcement airing on local cable and broadcast networks, including Maryland Public Television, as well as social media messaging shared across a range of digital platforms. [link]

GramaxNP, a biological liquid seed coating for small grains, has been awarded Canadian Food Inspection Agency registration. Developed by soil bionutritionist, Biolevel, GramaxNP offers a novel but proven solution to increase yield in wheat production in Canada, where 10.8 million of the country’s 31.5 million seed hectares are dedicated to production of the grain. GramaxNP’s liquid seed coating harnesses Biolevel’s beneficial microbes to enhance nitrogen fixation and phosphorus and potassium availability in small grains, including wheat and barley. Multi-year trials in South Dakota and the United Kingdom show that GramaxNP improved yields in 90% of trials at standard fertilizer rates, while protecting yields even with 30% less nitrogen. GramaxNP delivered an average $6 ROI for every dollar invested in these trials. [link]

American Farmland Trust and Sol Systems are working together on a new initiative that integrates solar energy production with sustainable agriculture. The initiative will focus on Kernza, a perennial grain developed from intermediate wheatgrass that may be used in bread and pastry production as well as in beer brewing. It will be conducted at Sol Systems’ Eldorado Phase II project site in Illinois and will incorporate Kernza grain under solar panels. [link]

Pennsylvania’s Governor, Josh Shapiro, announced recipients of $10 million in grants through the nation’s first Agricultural Innovation Grant Program. This funding will help Pennsylvania agricultural businesses adopt innovative technologies and practices to enhance conservation and implement clean energy solutions — boosting profits, protecting soil and water resources, and generating cleaner renewable energy. Grants will reimburse expenses for project planning and implementation, as well as larger-scale projects with a regional impact. These projects include technologies that improve efficiency, generate energy while reducing nutrient waste, and support crops that store carbon or replace non-renewable resources. [link]

New groundbreaking research shows how, at a local scale, agricultural research and development led to improved crop varieties that resulted in global benefits to the environment and food system sustainability. The Purdue University study, published in the latest issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, undertook a fine-scale grid analysis going back to the early 1960s and found that, globally, reduced agricultural land use from improved crop varieties saved 1,043 animal and plant species. The study also quantified the impact of new crop varieties developed by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), finding that it contributed roughly 47% of the total production gains in developing countries from 1961 to 2015. [link]

The Indonesian government has opted to promote and adopt an agroforestry approach to cultivate gogo-type paddy on 1.1 million hectares (2.64 million acres) across the country to achieve self-sufficiency in food. Speaking in Indramayu, West Java, Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni stated that his side is collaborating with the Ministry of Agriculture to execute the initiative starting this past week. He explained that agroforestry involves planting trees alongside essential crops, such as rice and corn, on degraded lands to restore the ecological functions of the areas while boosting food production. [link]

As U.S. egg prices have skyrocketed due to bird flu, some restaurants are passing on the added cost by asking customers to pay per egg. Rather than hiking prices on their menus, which are costly to reprint, they are letting diners know upfront that each egg in an omelet, breakfast burrito and French toast comes with a fee. Restaurants are calling the egg surcharges temporary, hoping that will make them more palatable to diners. [link]

Over $5 million dollars has been awarded by New York state to the Ontario County Soil and Water Conservation District to work with four local farms to help protect water quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The money is part of over $15.8 million in funding through the first round of the Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) Enhanced Nutrient and Methane Management Program (CAFO ENMP). Funding from the program will go toward projects that help farmers protect water quality and mitigate the impacts of climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. [link]

Farmers Business Network (FBN) has launched a pilot, the Regenerative Agriculture Financing (RAF) Land Loan program, to reward farmers financially for implementing regenerative agriculture practices. Select farmers that employ water and soil health practices such as no-till and cover cropping, and that meet criteria outlined by the Gradable platform and the Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), will be able to access discount interest rates through the new program on newly financed land for seven years. The project comes out of research done by EDF showing that borrowers and farmers would be willing to adopt some regen ag practices and provide data in exchange for a reduction in land financing interest rates. [link]

Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign have created a new mapping tool that evaluates both the environmental and economic benefits of agroforestry adoption to farmers. The team developed a map identifying areas where agroforestry could deliver the biggest impacts in terms of soil erosion, water quality, climate, and profitability for lands that are not viable for other crops. They also arrived at a high-level estimate of potential carbon sequestration if agroforestry was adopted on the most suitable land in the Midwest. Crucially, the researchers are making their mapping tool freely available for landowners, conservation scientists, and policymakers. [link]

Kiss the Ground, a leading voice and educator in the Regenerative Movement, announced the launch of Regenerative Agriculture Essentials, a 90-minute course designed for anyone interested in exploring regeneration and what it means for our wellness, water, and climate crisis. The brand-new course explores the emerging concepts of regenerative agriculture with world-renowned leaders in the Movement, offering inspired audiences a concise and easy-to-understand essential guide to understanding the power of soil health. This course will help educate corporate teams and professionals taking their first steps toward regeneration while inspiring important conversations about the crucial role soil plays in human and planetary health. [link]

Like many other companies that manufacture chocolate products, The Hershey Co. is preparing for record high cocoa prices in 2025, and strategizing how to mitigate the impact of commodity volatility on its business. CEO Michele Buck said that the company expects "the surge in cocoa prices to continue to put significant pressure on earnings in 2025…view[ing] today’s high cocoa prices as transient, [but ready to] adjust pricing, price pack architecture, formulations, demand shaping, and investment strategies, should our view on the commodity markets evolve." Buck also noted that its experience with GLP-1 weight loss drug data is showing that such drugs continue to have a "mild impact" on the company's product categories, although a long-term shift towards healthier foods appears to continue. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In early January, Flowers Foods announced that it will acquire Simple Mills for $795 million in cash. See more, here.

February 1, 2025

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – RealAgriculture discusses lessons learned from nearly 10 years trying to bridge the rural-urban divide. Read the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – Food Tank publishes its list of 25 books guiding us towards more regenerative food systems. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Nature Magazine writes about why farmers are beginning to take their governments to court over climate change. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

Michigan’s first-ever grant program aimed at strengthening the state’s middle-of-the-supply-chain agri-food systems is now taking applications. The new Farm-to-Family Food Hubs and Farm Stops grant program is designed to support innovative models that deliver locally produced and healthy food to Michiganders, while creating economic opportunities for Michigan farmers. Food Hubs and Farm Stops grants will provide up to $50,000 to eligible applicants to support a range of activities, including expanding processing capacity, sourcing, transportation infrastructure, distribution service, or other relevant functions that increase the vibrancy of and access to Michigan’s food systems. [link]

The University of Idaho is offering grants to farmers who adopt climate-smart agricultural practices under its "Innovative Agricultural and Marketing Partnership" program until Feb. 21. The partnership is a statewide project focused on reducing climate impact within Idaho’s top commodities including potatoes, sugar beets, wheat, barley, hops, chickpeas and beef. It aims to prevent 31,000 to 70,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents from entering the atmosphere annually while replenishing cropland soil carbon. The program will enroll more than 200 farms, with at least 30% of participants representing underserved populations. Grants range from $38 to $74 per acre, or $1 per head per day for grazing cover crops on enrolled acreage. Partners include county soil conservation districts, The Nature Conservancy, Desert Mountain Grass-Fed Beef, and the Nez Perce and Coeur d’Alene tribes, available to help producers implement these projects. [link]

Mitsubishi has announced a strategic partnership with CH4 Global to help the company scale production and commercialization of its Methane Tamer product, which reduces methane emissions from livestock. This powdered supplement, designed to be mixed into livestock feed, can reduce the amount of methane produced by farm animals by up to 90%. Mitsubishi has committed to helping CH4 navigate regulations in the Asia and Pacific market, to help it increase production of its Asparagopsis seaweed feedstock and to help it boost its commercial adoption in markets around the world. The sustainable cultivation of Asparagopsis, the core ingredient in Methane Tamer, is another important part of the partnership. Mitsubishi's vast experience in aquaculture is instrumental in identifying and establishing potential production sites throughout Southeast Asia. [link]

Nudging consumers with carbon footprint labeling and product categorization motivates online shoppers to select plant-based foods, according to new research published by agricultural economists at Purdue University and the University of Kentucky. One of the study's lead researchers says that a lot of research has been conducted on point-of-purchase nudges in a physical setting, however not much has been done in the growing domain of online grocery shopping. The team generated their results using the Open Science Online Grocery platform. The platform simulates a typical online grocery shopping experience by listing more than 11,000 food products across all product categories, from produce to beverages. More than 2,350 U.S. residents took part in the study. Participants selected from an array of products in the meat, milk, yogurt and cheese categories. Of the 8,320 grocery items the group checked out in their virtual carts, 5,200 were plant-based products. [link]

Research with smallholder farmers in Kenya shows that tree-planting schemes like agroforestry must account for complex local issues and preferences. The new study – led by the University of Exeter – examined the factors that enable or prevent Kenyan smallholders from increasing the diversity of trees and shrubs on their land. Kenyan farmers in the study were generally positive about increasing the diversity of trees on their farms – but the study identified several barriers. Farmers were worried about negative consequences such as the risk of attracting harmful wildlife and harming the soil, farms being too small, lacking time and knowledge, and following local beliefs about trees. To promote agroforestry that benefits people, nature and the climate, policies should address these barriers and support enabling factors raised by the farmers. [link]

Venture capital investment in agtech startups dropped off precipitously in 2024 as a broader downturn in the agricultural sector led to a retrenchment among investors, according to a new Pitchbook report. Agtech deal values fell 25.6% over the previous year while deal counts decreased 24.3%, Pitchbook said. Despite the decline in activity, the median deal value reached a record high of $3.6 million in 2024 driven by increased focus on late-stage startups. While agtech investment remained depressed throughout 2024, dealmaking picked up significantly in the last quarter of the year. Deal activity grew to $1.8 billion across 149 deals, an 8.9% increase from the third quarter. [link]

The University of New Mexico College of Population Health has marked a significant milestone with its first-ever U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) education grant, establishing an innovative program to train the next generation of conservationists. The Partnership for Agricultural Sustainability and Education (PASE) program is a three-year, $700,000 project funded through the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). The primary aim is to create a professional certification program to promote the adoption of climate-smart conservation and traditional agricultural practices, support small-scale farming and local food systems, and educate students and farmers on NRCS technical assistance and resources. [link]

Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) unveiled its latest report, Sustainable Finance Flows to India’s Agriculture Sector, offering a comprehensive analysis of financial flows that can help transform India’s agriculture into a sustainable and climate-resilient sector. Annual financial flows to sustainable agriculture averaged INR 22,393 billion (USD 301 billion) during FY 2020-22, with private finance accounting for 67% of total flows. Domestic sources of capital dominated, representing 99.5% of financial flows. The report recommends a four-pillar framework to enhance sustainable agriculture finance in India: 1) establish a unified sustainable agriculture taxonomy, 2) enhance monitoring and reporting systems, 3) boost and diversify financial flows, and 4) build capacity to equip stakeholders with knowledge and resources. [link]

States, local governments, and project developers were left scrambling after the White House paused hundreds of billions in federal grants, loans and other financial assistance-programs, pending a review by the Trump administration. The White House later rescinded its order, however funds were left unavailable in many instances. The federal government spent more than $3 trillion on federal assistance, such as grants and loans, in the fiscal year 2024, according to the original White House memo, which didn’t say where that figure came from. The original order required each federal agency to complete a comprehensive analysis of all of their federal financial-assistance programs “to identify programs, projects and activities that may be implicated by any of the President’s executive orders,” the memo said. [link]

Pork giant, Smithfield Foods, returned to the U.S. stock market this week as a public company, following over 10 years as a private company. It now trades on the Nasdaq under the ticker "SFD". Since late 2013 Smithfield has been a subsidiary of China-based, WH Group, whose $4.7 billion deal was one of the largest takeovers of a U.S. company by a Chinese firm at that time. Smithfield’s ties to its parent company and the Chinese market remain strong. Hong Kong-based WH Group is retaining a roughly 90% stake in Smithfield after the listing. While Smithfield remains based in the Virginia town whose name it shares, WH Group can nominate the majority of board directors. [link]

During his confirmation hearing in front of the Senate Finance Committee, President Donald Trump's nominee to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., said that he wants to help farmers transition to no-till and reduced chemical usage. Much of the hearing focused on issues with little connection to agriculture, such as Kennedy’s statements on vaccines that many scientists say are inaccurate. However, when prompted by Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., Kennedy said he was worried about farmers getting cancer and Parkinson’s disease from exposure to ag chemicals, and he said Europe has stopped accepting exports of U.S. food. Kennedy also said some farm chemicals destroy the soil microbiome, reducing water infiltration and causing erosion. No-till supporters typically attribute these outcomes to tillage rather than to chemicals. [link]

MyLand, a leading innovator in soil health, has announced that it has closed $23 million in funding in a round led by Proterra Investment Partners LP. This influx of capital will support MyLand’s rapid, contracted growth with both new and existing growers across the U.S. and into international markets, underscoring the importance of soil as the foundation of sustainable agriculture. MyLand’s innovative service harnesses the power of live, native microalgae to rejuvenate soil health, improving productivity, profitability, and sustainability for growers. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late-November, a study in the journal, Frontiers in Environmental Science, said that global land is sufficient to provide a sustainable supply of food and ecosystem services throughout this century, while also reducing greenhouse gas emissions in alignment with a 1.5C warming goal. See more, here.

January 25, 2025

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Farming Life discusses how to get younger generations interested in farming. Read about it, here.

Spotlight 2 – The FAO publishes a comprehensive report on how nitrogen use must be improved to reduce harms to human and environmental health. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 3 – The Conversation says that “regeneratively farmed” is the new buzz label on store shelves, however, do we actually know what this means? Check it out, here.

Industry Updates

Agriculture ministers from roughly 70 countries agreed at the 17th Berlin Agriculture Ministers' Conference to jointly drive forward a sustainable bioeconomy. They undertake to strengthen the contribution of a sustainable bioeconomy to global food security, while conserving biodiversity and mitigating climate change. The ministers also unanimously support the initiative of the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL) to fund a project of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to develop a global bioeconomy partnership. [link]

Farm to Table's New Mexico Farmer Innovation Program announced that the request for applications for the Urban Agriculture Initiative Micro-Grant funding opportunity is now open. Urban farmers, ranchers or food producers with a gross cash farm income of $250,000 or less per year who produce in New Mexico may be eligible to apply for a non-matching grant. Objectives and goals of the program are to implement conservation practices that will improve resilience to climate change and on-farm sustainability practices and — among others — support farmers who may not qualify for other United States Department of Agriculture funding. The grants are competitive and will be awarded in amounts of up to $20,000 based on eligibility and merit for projects that take place in 2025. Priority will be given to proposals that give attention to historically underserved farmers in urban communities. [link]

The Co-op Group has launched an £820,000 fund to support sustainable farming efforts, which, it says, continues its long-term investment in UK agriculture. Through the fund, farmers will be directly rewarded for their efforts in reducing carbon emissions and promoting nature on their farms across beef, lamb and dairy sectors as part of two new sustainability projects. The Group was the first national UK grocer to have 100% of all its fresh and frozen chicken, pork, beef and lamb sourced from UK farms including when used as an ingredient, a commitment which began in 2014. [link]

Saskatchewan and the Canadian federal government have announced an investment of $9.4 million for crop-related research, with an additional $5.4 million co-funded by industry partners. The investment, which is part of Saskatchewan's 2024-25 agriculture budget of $37 million, will support 53 approved research projects aimed at advancing the agriculture sector. The funding will provide research organizations the dollars they need to investigate solutions to production issues and to develop new opportunities for the Canadian crops sector, which in turn will help farmers compete globally and boost their bottom lines. [link]

Swedish researchers have introduced a biochar soil treatment that could transform the management of DDT-contaminated agricultural land. A team at Chalmers University of Technology has demonstrated that biochar can significantly reduce the environmental risks associated with DDT contamination, unlocking the potential for thousands of hectares of previously unusable farmland. Field experiments revealed that biochar treatment reduced DDT absorption in earthworms by approximately 50%, significantly decreasing the risk of bioaccumulation in the food chain. This promising development could enable landowners to safely cultivate select crops, including forestry seedlings, bioenergy crops like willow trees, and animal feed, while awaiting regulatory updates on contaminated land rehabilitation. [link]

The Non-GMO Project has introduced Non-UPF verified, a certification to show products are not ultra-processed foods (UPFs). A pilot phase will launch in the spring. The new certification will complement the “butterfly,” Non-GMO Project’s verified seal that signifies products do not contain genetically modified organisms. The Non-GMO Project conducted research with Linkage in 2024 and found that 85% of shoppers said they want to avoid ultra-processed foods. [link]

Project Eaden, a German climate tech startup that creates ultra-realistic plant-based meats using proprietary fiber spinning technology, closed an oversubscribed €15 million Series A funding round led by Planet A and REWE Group. The company noted that current meat alternatives do not stack up to the taste, texture, or nutritional benefits of animal meat, creating no real shift in consumer behavior to combat livestock farming's contribution of 12% of global annual greenhouse gas emissions. The company plans to use the funding to support a pan-European retail launch, scale up its production capacity and expand its product portfolio. It is also making strategic hires in operations, engineering, marketing, and sales. [link]

Upper Midwest U.S. farmers are now able to see the environmental effects from their sustainable farming practices through a new conservation program that hopes to expand across the Midwest. Farmers for Sustainable Food recently wrapped up its inaugural year, enrolling over 100,000 acres of cropland across four states and reducing nearly 50,000 tons of CO2 equivalents into the atmosphere. Through a partnership with Edge Dairy Farmer Cooperative and a $50 million federal grant, participating farmers are compensated for their time and data sharing, receiving support to understand the metrics and outcomes of the conservation practices being used on their farms. [link]

A leader in the bean-free coffee space, Atomo Coffee, has secured $7.8M from investors in its latest Series B fundraising round; so far, the startup has raked in nearly $59M in investment. The company will use the capital to expand the reach of its Remix product, a 50:50 blend of conventional coffee and its beanless innovation, with an eye on international horizons beyond the United States. Its current mix includes a combination of upcycled date pits, ramon, fenugreek and sunflower seeds, millets, lemon, guava, carrots, strawberry and potato fiber, black aronia berries, green bananas, and fructose (with caffeine from green tea). [link]

University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist, Carson Roberts, says that adding diversity to pasture can make it more productive than growing tall fescue alone. Diversity can also aid in reducing or diluting the effects of fescue toxicity, improve nutritive value of forage, increase weight gain on animals, and enhance soil health. One way to add diversity is through inter-seeding legumes. Research over the years at the MU Cornett Research Farm shows that fescue pastures are more productive when legumes are in the mixture. Traditionally, legumes are sown at the beginning of the active growing season in April. However, frost seeding can be very successful, according to Roberts. Frost seeding, a method of broadcasting seeds over snow- or frost-covered pastures, improves poor pastures at a low cost. Seeds work their way into the soil and germinate as the ground freezes and thaws between winter and spring. Frost seeding is effective because freeze-thaw cycles cause soil surface movement that increases seed-to-soil contact. [link]

ADM has partnered with agri-tech company Klim to expand its re:generations program across Germany. Re:generations provides financial assistance and agronomic support to farmers implementing regenerative practices, including precise fertilizer application, conservation tillage, cover crops and biodiversity enhancement. The expansion into Germany will see farmers who adopt regenerative agriculture practices receive incentives based on land area. The program has a target of enrolling 60,000 acres (24,281 hectares) by 2025, initially focusing on wheat, oil seed rape and soy crops. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

Early this month, researchers at Michigan State University discovered a groundbreaking way to re-engineer plants to withstand extreme heat, offering a glimmer of hope for agriculture in the face of a warming planet. See more, here.

January 18, 2025

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Food Tank reports on an approach that could enable willing consumers to help fund a climate-smart food transition. Read about it, here.

Spotlight 2 – The New Hope Network dives into the marketing challenges (and concerns) of selling regenerative products today. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 3 – Successful Farming asks what industry sustainability commitments mean for farmers. Check it out, here.

Industry Updates

A new study in the journal, Nature, shows that the presence of trees encourages the proliferation of beneficial soil microorganisms, helping to counter the detrimental effects commonly associated with conventional farming practices. Conducted in Brandenburg, Germany, the study focused on the soil microbiome at varying depths within agroforestry systems, aiming to elucidate the biodiversity hosted by tree roots compared to open-cropland soil devoid of tree cover. The study observed decreases in potential plant pathogens and shifts toward beneficial microbial communities within the soil of the agrosilvopastoral system. Increased soil depth was also associated with reduced microbial richness, according to the researchers. [link]

Regenagri wants to help farmers monetize their sustainability efforts by launching what it calls the world’s first global carbon insetting program, which gives farmers and growers a way to monetize sustainable practices through Regenagri certification. Carbon insetting allows companies to reduce their carbon footprint and emissions by investing in initiatives such as regenerative agriculture, reforestation and renewable energy within their supply chain. Regenagri CEO Franco Constantini said that an initial group of producers across the U.S., Brazil, India, Turkey, Ivory Coast and Pakistan have joined the program, representing 871,827 acres of farmland. The carbon insetting initiative builds on Regenagri’s global certification program, which allows farms to verify and be recognized for the regenerative agricultural practices they use. [link]

Research work at Laval University's Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, together with 14 vegetable farms, is offering a glimmer of hope on stemming the rapid degradation of soils taking place in recent years. Thus far, the research has shown that applying straw or wood chips to organic soils can help compensate for carbon and soil losses caused by microbial decomposition. What’s more, when mixed with soil in appropriate doses, straw and wood chips have the potential to restore the soil aeration and drainage that are essential for good vegetable growth. [link]

Four spirits companies and the Kentucky Distillers’ Association are collaborating to enhance regenerative farming with a $2.8 million initiative for corn farmers. The five-year, multi-million-dollar initiative will provide corn farmers with the tools to pursue regenerative farming, which focuses on rebuilding the health of soil, water and biodiversity. It can also improve the productivity and profitability of farmers. Leading the charge with the Kentucky Distillers’ Association are Brown-Forman, Diageo North America, Heaven Hill Brands, and Suntory Global Spirits. They will join forces with Precision Conservation Management and the Kentucky Corn Growers Association on the initiative. Over the five-year period, the companies and farmers will work together to introduce regenerative corn-growing practices across more than 100,000 acres of land. [link]

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is banning the use of Red No. 3, an artificial dye linked to cancer in animals, from food and ingested drugs. Food manufacturers will have until early 2027 to reformulate products that use Red 3. Consumer advocates pushed the agency to revoke authorization for the additive after two studies linked it to cancer in male laboratory rats. Red 3—made from petroleum and used to turn foods and drinks a bright, cherry-red color—was approved by the FDA in 1969. [link]

An international research team published findings in Nature Sustainability detailing how tree crops are not only essential to feed the world, but also hold immense potential for protecting biodiversity and the climate, as well as improving livelihoods for millions of people worldwide. The study’s findings urge policymakers to develop specific agendas to promote sustainable practices in tree crop agriculture. With their permanent root systems and extensive leaf litter, tree crops prevent soil erosion, enhance its fertility, and provide habitats for many species year-round. They contribute to greenhouse gas reduction through carbon sequestration, improve habitat connectivity for fragmented ecosystems, and buffer protected areas from the impacts of intensive agriculture. Tree crops tend to be less mechanized and require more manual labor, offering vital employment opportunities, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where these crops are widespread. [link]

Chipotle Mexican Grill announced that its venture fund, Cultivate Next, has invested in two ventures addressing meat’s climate impact, including technology to reduce methane emissions from cow burps. Cultivate Next announced a minority investment in CH4 Global, which is scaling a cattle feed supplement made from red seaweed that lowers methane emissions up to 90%, according to its website. Chipotle also invested in Plantible, a company that produces plant-based protein from the aquatic plant Lemna, also known as duckweed. The protein can mimic the quality, taste and texture of meat and can replace synthetic emulsifiers and binders in the food industry. [link]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the publication of an interim rule on Technical Guidelines for Climate-Smart Agriculture Crops Used as Biofuel Feedstocks. The interim rule establishes guidelines for quantifying, reporting, and verifying the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with the production of biofuel feedstock commodity crops grown in the United States. These guidelines will facilitate the recognition of climate-smart agriculture within clean transportation fuel programs, creating new market opportunities for biofuel feedstock producers while enhancing climate benefits. [link]

For the first time ever, the Regenerative Organic Certified (ROC) label is launching a national campaign, "Heal the Earth, Nourish your Life", with consumers so that awareness and demand for Regenerative Organic Certified products can scale. The Regenerative Organic Alliance (ROA) launched the ROC standard in 2017 and has onboarded farmers and ranchers representing more than 18 million acres, to date. The focus for the Regenerative Organic Alliance in 2025 is to educate retailers, consumers, brands and producers on the healing power of regenerative organic agriculture. The organization will be employing multiple strategies for this with a new paid consumer marketing campaign that includes paid social, digital banner ads, and thought leadership articles highlighting farmers and producers who are committed to restoring soil health, protecting animal welfare, and promoting social fairness, from food to fashion. [link]

The Nature Conservancy is inviting eligible producers with crop and grazing operations to apply to the Expanding Agroforestry Incentive Payment Program beginning January 31 through March 14, 2025. If selected for participation, producers will receive direct incentive payments to install new agroforestry plantings, thus increasing their income potential while enhancing the environmental outcomes of their operations. They will also receive technical assistance. A Town Hall webinar, which will provide an overview of the incentive payment program, will be held on January 22, 2025. Those interested in applying or learning more about the application process and/or the webinar, visit nature.org/Expanding/Agroforestry. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late November, a wide coalition of stakeholders involved in advancing agroforestry in Peru announced the development of an innovative agroforestry-focused decision-making platform. See more, here.