November 8, 2025
Spotlight Stories
Spotlight 1 – AgFunderNews explains why smallholder farmers must be the epicenter of a global supply chain transformation. Ready the story, here.
Spotlight 2 – The International Institute for Sustainable Development declares that the redirection of agricultural subsidies is crucial for promoting healthy soils. Check it out, here.
Spotlight 3 – JustFood writes about how regenerative agriculture - and funding - is slowly taking root. Take a read, here.
Industry Updates
Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) inaugurated its new specialty feed protein production line in Tianjin, China as part of the Group’s strategic plans to expand its activities further downstream and diversify its offering with value-added products. The new specialty feed protein production line will initially focus on producing fermented soybean meal, with an annual production capacity of 60,000 metric tons. The facility employs synergistic fermentation technology developed by LDC’s R&D Center in Shanghai, that utilizes multiple probiotic strains to break down anti-nutritional factors in soybean meal, enhancing its feed protein content, palatability and digestibility. Rich in small-molecule organic acids, LDC’s fermented soybean meal supports animal gut health and helps strengthen immunity during stress or illness. [link]
PepsiCo, in collaboration with Griffith Foods and Milhão, announced the launch of a pioneering direct farmer incentive pilot program to advance regenerative agriculture in Brazil’s Cerrado region. The new pilot program introduces a hybrid Payment for Practice and Payment for Outcomes model, directly compensating farmers for adopting regenerative agriculture practices such as composting, biological inputs, and reducing chemical fertilizer use. Farmers receive upfront payments to offset the cost of sustainable inputs, and then also receive performance-based bonuses for reducing agrochemical applications throughout the season. The pilot will cover 7,000 acres, with plans to scale to 30,000 acres, PepsiCo’s full corn sourcing volume in the region, by year three. The initiative is co-funded by PepsiCo and Griffith Foods, with additional contributions from Milhão. Total investment is expected to reach $1 million by year three. [link]
British retailer Waitrose is committing to nature-friendly farming by investing £1 million (€1.17 million) alongside the Soil Association Exchange and Regenified. The new initiative accelerates the company’s Farming for Nature program, aiming to support 2,000 British farmers in adopting regenerative practices to enhance business resilience, secure food supplies, and combat climate change. The partnership with Soil Association Exchange, a farm measurement tool, involves a four-year program to support early-adopting farms in key Waitrose supply chains. Waitrose will also offer 100 farms free access to the Regenified certification framework for three years. [link]
Green Carbon Inc. has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Living Roots Pte. Ltd. to jointly develop and commercialize biochar-derived organic fertilizers for rubber plantations in Thailand and other parts of Southeast Asia. The partnership aims to establish a new model that integrates regenerative agriculture with carbon credit generation through the effective use of agricultural residues. Together, the two companies will build a supply system capable of providing more than 3,000 tons of biochar annually, implementing a circular solution that simultaneously enhances farmers’ incomes, regenerates soil, and creates CDR (Carbon Dioxide Removal) credits. [link]
Reps. Mike Lawler (NY-17), Don Beyer (VA-08), and Chellie Pingree (ME-01) introduced the Innovative Practices for Soil Health Act, bipartisan legislation to improve soil health on farms and support sustainable alternatives to annual agriculture. The legislation would ensure United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) conservation programs are better able to support farmers who incorporate perennial systems and agroforestry into their operations. [link]
JBS USA will invest $1.1 million in climate-smart agriculture for New York farmers to end an investigation and settle a lawsuit alleging the company’s net-zero claims were misleading, according to the New York Attorney General Leticia James. Under the settlement, JBS has agreed to frame its 2040 net-zero target as a “goal” rather than a “commitment” or “pledge;” the company’s site now calls the target an “ambition.” Additionally, the firm will define any steps it’s taking when issuing consumer-facing statements that say the company is “taking real acting” or similar language, according to the agreement. James filed a lawsuit against JBS in February 2024, alleging that the company was misleading consumers about its greenhouse gas reduction efforts. The New York AG alleged in the suit that the meatpacker had “no viable plan” to reach its 2040 net-zero goal. [link]
McDonald’s said its big push into value meals is paying off at a time when more consumers are feeling economic pressure. The Chicago-based burger giant said sales for its most recent quarter climbed after it boosted spending on value meals, new products and marketing, part of the Golden Arches’ broader effort to win back cost-conscious eaters. McDonald’s has been working to restore its reputation for value after raising menu prices in the post-pandemic period. McDonald’s in September resumed advertising Extra Value Meals, and the company is spending tens of millions of dollars behind marketing and discounting the deals. [link]
Chocolate giant Barry Callebaut announced a long-term partnership with Planet A Foods, a start-up innovating in sustainable cocoa-free chocolate alternatives. The partnership aims to meet the growing consumer demand for sustainable chocolate solutions without cocoa – though Barry Callebaut has affirmed that cocoa remains at the core of its business and will continue to play a central role in its future. Planet A’s ChoViva brand offers a cocoa-free chocolate alternative solution made from locally available crops, such as sunflower seeds, designed to offer a chocolate-like experience without compromising on quality or taste. Barry Callebaut’s goal is to shorten supply chains and reduce its environmental footprint, complementing the group’s broader sustainability ambitions. [link]
A new project has been launched in Scotland to evaluate ten key soil health indicators and develop a practical framework that helps farmers better manage and improve the health of their soil. The project is led by researchers from the Organic Research Centre (ORC), an RSK ADAS company, which manages the knowledge exchange and delivers the shortlist of early indicators of soil health. Colleagues from Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) will lead on the interpretation framework. The project will create a ranked list of early indicators of soil health coupled with a practical interpretation framework to tackle that need head-on. It will cover biological metrics like the soil food web, phospholipid fatty acids and CO2 burst, all of which are key areas of interest for farmers exploring the impact of their management on soil biology. The findings will be shared through workshops, freely available news items published online and through the channels of the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and SRUC, ensuring accessibility to farmers across the UK. [link]
In Case You Missed It…
In mid-October, dsm-firmenich and Bayer signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to accelerate sustainability across the animal agriculture sector through enhanced environmental footprint measurement. See more, here.