August 15, 2026
Spotlight Stories
Spotlight 1 – UnHerd reports that drought is pushing England to the brink by way of lower crop yields and tumbling farmer morale. Ready the story, here.
Spotlight 2 – KPBS looks into how farmers are making sense of California’s new definition of regenerative agriculture. Check it out, here.
Spotlight 3 – A study published in PLOS One details the typical price premiums received for meat products with sustainability labels. Take a read, here.
Industry Updates
Nestlé has completed a pilot project using artificial intelligence to optimize irrigation in coffee plantations across 20 farms in Espírito Santo, Brazil. The AI-driven system, developed under the Nescafé brand, reduced water consumption in coffee production by up to 36%. [link]
Mariano Cenamo, an advocate for a sustainable Amazon bioeconomy, has died at age 46. Cenamo was known for his work promoting sustainable economic models for Amazon rainforest communities. [link]
Ethiopia is testing a new model of regenerative and climate-smart agriculture in the Jimma Zone. The initiative is supported by the African Development Bank Group and Japan-backed partners. [link]
Plant hormones and plant growth regulators (PGRs) are becoming key components of modern crop management. Growers are turning to these tools to improve productivity while adapting to climate variability and rising sustainability requirements. [link]
Excess nutrients can lie dormant in soil for years before eventually polluting rivers, a new USGS study finds. The research highlights delayed effects that complicate efforts to reduce agricultural runoff and downstream dead zones. [link]
CMI Orchards and Applegate Farms have earned global recognition for their sustainability efforts. Both companies were named finalists for their work advancing regenerative agriculture initiatives. [link]
Whole Foods and the National Young Farmers Coalition have launched a new fund to support the next generation of farmers. The fund aims to help young and beginning farmers access resources needed to grow their operations. [link]
Chilean salmon producer Multi X and BioMar have signed a collaboration agreement to develop a regenerative agriculture pilot. The pilot, based in southern Chile, marks the country’s first regenerative agriculture project tied to salmon feed production. [link]
Natural and organic meat brand Applegate has announced two new initiatives, Groundwork and Regenerative Health. The programs are designed to expand the company’s regenerative agriculture strategy beyond traditional supply chain metrics. [link]
The U.S. government is moving forward on developing an official definition of ultra-processed foods (UPFs). The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture have submitted the proposed definition for final review. [link]
Tyson Foods is planning to close a major beef processing plant and sell another. The moves are the latest by the meatpacking giant to pull back from its beleaguered beef business. [link]
The Forest Carbon and Climate Program at Michigan State University has received USDA Forest Service funding. The funding will support new methods to measure and monitor aboveground biomass in U.S. agroforestry systems. [link]
German retailer Edeka has launched an agroforestry pilot project at five farms in Germany. The project aims to support sustainable agriculture and enhance biodiversity. [link]
A new study published in the journal Science finds conflicts of interest in environmental certification schemes for cocoa farming. The findings reveal potential weaknesses in how farm sustainability is monitored. [link]
In Case You Missed It…
In early June, the Global Carbon Council (GCC) announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF) to accelerate the implementation of high-integrity Nature-based Solutions (NbS) and strengthen the environmental integrity of the global carbon marketplace. See more, here.