July 4, 2026
Spotlight Stories
Spotlight 1 – Food Navigator details how Big Food is falling short on its regen ag commitments. Ready the story, here.
Spotlight 2 – The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition offers a critique of the Senate’s Farm Bill Discussion Draft. Check it out, here.
Spotlight 3 – Successful Farming reports on why farmers are rethinking land leveling practices. Take a read, here.
Industry Updates
Standard Bank Group committed R3.45 billion to climate-smart agriculture in South Africa, strengthening farmer resilience and food security. The initiative reflects the institution’s growing support for sustainable farming practices and climate adaptation across the continent. [link]
U.S. President Trump declared an emergency and suspended certain duties on phosphate fertilizer from Morocco to ensure adequate supply for American farmers. The action aims to safeguard the U.S. food supply and support domestic agricultural production amid concerns about fertilizer availability. [link]
Addis Ababa University is coordinating a four-year African academic coalition to advance indigenous climate change research through cross-border agroforestry. The initiative represents a shift toward continent-led environmental solutions, reducing reliance on Western academic frameworks to address African ecological challenges. [link]
A three-year agricultural loan program led by Farmers Business Network delivered positive environmental and financial outcomes for participating farmers, according to EDF. The results suggest financing structures tied to conservation practices can align farmer profitability with environmental goals. [link]
Millions of older Americans on Medicare will receive coverage for GLP-1 obesity drugs for the first time ever, starting July 1. The unprecedented benefit expansion signals a major shift in how Medicare addresses obesity and could influence nutrition and food consumption trends nationwide. [link]
The Trump administration is preparing financial support for smaller U.S. meatpackers struggling with dwindling cattle supplies that have pushed beef prices higher. The plan aims to keep independent processors operating and maintain competition in the beef supply chain. [link]
The U.S. Justice Department and 17 states allege three major egg producers coordinated bids at a wholesale egg exchange to inflate benchmark prices that drive retail rates. Antitrust authorities say the conduct artificially elevated consumer egg prices, targeting the key pricing hub at the center of the industry. [link]
The Nature Conservancy launched the Expanding Agroforestry Project to help U.S. farmers integrate trees into their operations, diversify revenue, and improve land health. The initiative aims to scale agroforestry systems combining crops, livestock, and trees to build long-term farm resilience and environmental stewardship. [link]
The USDA finalized its Production of Regenerative Agricultural Biofuel Feedstocks rule, giving producers a standardized method to measure the environmental benefits of conservation practices. The accompanying Feedstock Carbon Intensity Calculator allows growers to quantify the carbon value of practices used to produce biofuel crops, potentially opening new renewable fuel revenue streams. [link]
The EPA announced a $30 million national innovation challenge to develop cost-effective alternatives to chemical crop desiccation, the common practice of spraying pesticides to dry crops before harvest. The prize challenge invites public input to shape practical solutions that reduce pre-harvest pesticide use while maintaining crop quality and farmer profitability. [link]
A federal court ordered the USDA to restore 24 grants cancelled in March under the Increasing Land, Capital, and Market Access Program for young and beginning farmers. The ruling requires the Trump administration to reinstate the ILCMA grants, continuing a legal dispute over federal funding for new farm entrants. [link]
The UK’s Center for Dynamic Soils launched as an independent, farmer-led initiative to transform how soil science is conducted and applied across the food and farming sectors. The center aims to bridge cutting-edge soil research with on-farm practice, accelerating the transition to nature-positive agriculture. [link]
New Barclays research finds 80% of surveyed UK farmers have adopted or plan to adopt regenerative farming practices. The survey signals broad mainstream acceptance of regenerative agriculture among British farmers, driven by environmental awareness and economic incentives. [link]
California’s first statewide farmland summit at Chico State launched a coordinated effort to expand regenerative agriculture and nature-based farming across the state. Farmers, ranchers, researchers, policymakers, and conservation leaders aligned strategies for scaling regenerative practices as California charts its agricultural future. [link]
The UK is expanding access to its £50 million Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier program, now open for direct applications covering woodland and agroforestry agreements. The expanded access allows more farmers and landowners to apply directly for environmental stewardship funding under the post-Brexit farm policy framework. [link]
In Case You Missed It…
In early June, an ambitious agroforestry initiative was announced that could potentially benefit more than 50,000 farmers across Northeast India. See more, here.