Spotlight Stories
Spotlight 1 – Successful Farming discusses two North Dakota farmers that share equipment, ideas, and a passion for better soil. Read the story, here.
Spotlight 2 – Salish Current details how agroforestry practices are spreading in western Washington. Check it out, here.
Spotlight 3 – AgWeb reports on a soil mystery that could cut input costs for farmers. Take a read, here.
Industry Updates
Michigan’s Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) announced strong first-year results from its 2025 Food Hub and Farm Stop Grant Program. The program supports food hubs and farm stops that help connect Michigan farmers with local markets. [link]
Lockerley Estate, a 2,350-hectare (5,640 acre) site in Broughton, Hampshire, received the Sustainability Award at the Test Valley Business Awards. The award recognizes the estate’s commitment to sustainable and regenerative farming. [link]
Sustainably Grown® has officially applied for recognition against the Consumer Goods Forum’s Sustainable Supply Chain Initiative (SSCI) benchmark. The SSCI benchmark assesses sustainable sourcing standards against social and environmental criteria. [link]
Plans for the Asia Biologicals Foundation, an independent, non-profit, science-led institution with an Asia-wide mandate, were announced at the Asia Biologicals Summit 2026. The foundation aims to unite science and industry to advance agricultural biologicals across Asia. [link]
A new study finds that a Wisconsin program paying producers for measured reductions in phosphorus runoff is more cost-effective than the federal EQIP conservation program. The research compared how cost-effectively each approach improves water quality. [link]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking public input on how its core economic and statistical programs should evolve. The effort is aimed at modernizing the department’s agricultural data and forecasts. [link]
Two Kenyan enterprises have been selected for a 12-month pan-African accelerator program for nature-based businesses. The program aims to help businesses that protect and restore nature attract investment and expand their operations. [link]
USDA in Kentucky has announced additional eligible practices for farmers participating in the Regenerative Pilot Program in fiscal year 2027. New practices include riparian forest buffers, riparian herbaceous cover, and filter strips. [link]
USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) has opened the Southwest Watershed Research Center (SWRC) in Tucson, Arizona. The center will develop solutions for water, plant, and soil challenges facing agriculture in the American Southwest. [link]
California Sen. Catherine S. Blakespear presented the Solana Center for Environmental Innovation with a $1 million check. The funds will be used to expand waste diversion programs throughout the region in southern California. [link]
The University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa has received a $600,000 USDA grant to train students in sustainable poultry farming. The grant comes from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). [link]
Ministers and government representatives from six countries called for greater investment in sustainable food production at COP17. They warned that governments must accelerate efforts to meet global biodiversity targets by 2030. [link]
The Green Climate Fund (GCF) has approved two new projects in Algeria and Mexico valued at $184.8 million. The FAO-supported projects will bolster sustainable forest management, land restoration, and climate-resilient development. [link]
WWF-Brazil has developed a new concept note on pathways to scale agroforestry investment in Brazil. The note examines how emerging business models can help mobilize investment in agroforestry and overcome barriers to implementation. [link]
Nestlé and BirdLife Europe announced a three-and-a-half-year collaboration to measure how regenerative agriculture practices support biodiversity. The work will assess selected practices across European agricultural landscapes and supply chains. [link]
Ukrainian grains producer and oilseeds processor Kernel Holding SA is collaborating with NASA Harvest to develop a digital sustainability tool. The tool will remotely verify the implementation of sustainable agricultural practices over several years. [link]
Ingredients supplier Roquette and Mars-owned Royal Canin have partnered with Soil Capital to co-invest in regenerative practices. The partnership targets farms that supply wheat into Royal Canin pet food products. [link]
The National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition (NSAC) released Conservation Practices for Agricultural Resilience: A Resource Guide. The guide identifies NRCS conservation practice standards that help farmers and ranchers build resilience to drought, flooding, and other extreme weather while improving soil health, protecting water quality, decreasing greenhouse gases, and reducing input costs. [link]
USDA in Pennsylvania has announced additional eligible practices for farmers participating in the Regenerative Pilot Program in fiscal year 2027. New practices include tree/shrub establishment and soil carbon amendments. [link]
In Case You Missed It…
Earlier this month, new data from Virginia Tech’s 2026 Global Agricultural Productivity (GAP) Report showed that agricultural productivity grew by just 0.63 percent annually from 2015-24, its slowest rate in 50 years. See more, here.