December 13, 2025
Spotlight Stories
Spotlight 1 – Think Global Health discusses how an investment into animal health in the EU can benefit farmers and consumers. Ready the story, here.
Spotlight 2 – Iowa State University reports on prairie strips and their ability to rapidly improve soil health. Check it out, here.
Spotlight 3 – The Guardian takes a look inside the perennial grain revolution. Take a read, here.
Industry Updates
Danone has achieved B Corp certification across its entire global operations, a milestone for the French food group that has been a decade in the making. The certification makes Danone one of the largest multinational companies to meet the standard, placing a new focus on the function of third-party validation in corporate sustainability and governance. B Corp certification is an accreditation for businesses that meet specific standards of social and environmental performance, transparency and accountability. The certification is overseen by the non-profit organization B Lab. [link]
The County of Santa Clara, CA has awarded $196,707 to 17 family farms and ranches through its innovative Agricultural Resilience Incentive (ARI) Grant Program for the 2025 cycle, helping local farmers adopt climate-smart practices across more than 117 acres of farmland. Now in its fifth year, the ARI Grant Program recognizes and rewards farmers and ranchers working to make Santa Clara County’s agricultural lands more resilient to drought, heat, and changing climate conditions. Launched by the County Consumer and Environmental Protection Agency, Division of Agriculture, the program provides up to $30,000 per recipient for practices such as compost and mulch application, managed grazing, and other climate-friendly practices. [link]
The Trump administration announced $12 billion in aid to struggling U.S. farmers as the agriculture sector grapples with the fallout from the president’s far-reaching tariffs. Much of the aid—$11 billion—will be in the form of one-time payments through the Farmer Bridge Assistance program, which helps U.S. crop farmers. The remaining $1 billion will go toward commodities not covered under the bridge assistance program. The aid will be a shot in the arm to soybean farmers, who have faced devastating financial losses this year. Farmers have said the extra money would help them pay down their debts this year and finance the cost of planting next year’s crop. [link]
Suntory Holdings and Conservation International, a global nonprofit environmental organization, announced the launch of a regenerative agriculture pilot program in Huila, Colombia – one of the major coffee producing regions in the world. The pilot program aims to support the sustainable procurement of coffee beans while reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the production process by improving how coffee residues and fertilizers are managed. Starting in 2026, the two-year program will engage a total of 180 coffee farmers in the region. [link]
Tesco is launching two new projects to protect nature in its supply chains. It will work with respected non-profit organization, Earthworm Foundation, to put in place regenerative agriculture practices in Cote d’Ivoire, a country known for its cocoa production, and where the retailer sources much of the cocoa used in its Finest chocolate range. The retailer’s block chocolate supplier, Baronie-Cemoi, is also partnering on the project. Tesco has also launched a new partnership with the social enterprise Sea Ranger Service to restore seagrass in the Northeast Atlantic, off the coast of the Netherlands – an area used to source several species of wild caught fish, including plaice, cod and haddock. [link]
A new report from the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) and the NYU Center for Environmental and Animal Protection (CEAP) warns that the current UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) systematically neglect animal welfare and health — a gap undermining progress on human health, environmental protection and social equity. Despite growing international support for a One Health approach, which recognizes the interlinkages between human, animal, and environmental health, the current SDGs remain incomplete without the systematic inclusion of animal health and animal welfare. This omission matters because the SDG framework is the main international framework for achieving sustainable development in the 2015–2030 period. [link]
The Beginning Farmer Resource and Decision-Making Guide is now available from Michigan State University Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Starting with production in mind, the guide gives farmers an introduction to important farming topics and directs them to education and decision-making tools and how to connect with agricultural partners. Content areas include: bees and livestock, equipment, organic practices, plants, soil health, water management, and more. The resource guide is a living document that will be routinely reviewed. [link]
California farmers seeking guidance on starting or advancing their transition to organic crop production are invited to attend free webinars led by a wide range of experts, including University of California scientists and fellow growers. Held at noon every Wednesday from January 14 to March 18, 2026, the “Transition to Organic Webinar Series” covers the certification process, market dynamics, soil health and soil amendments, pest and weed management, and other key topics of organic production. The 10 online sessions – each comprising a 75-minute presentation and discussion, followed by optional office hours – are organized and sponsored by the Community Alliance with Family Farmers, UC Cooperative Extension, and the UC Organic Agriculture Institute (an institute of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources). [link]
Boulder County, Colorado is launching three grant programs in December to support nature-based climate solutions: the Soil Health Initiative, Grey to Green Fund, and Sustainable Food and Agriculture Fund. These programs will help local organizations and food producers implement projects that improve soil health, enhance urban green spaces, and strengthen the local food system. Applications can be accessed alongside additional information on the Boulder County grants website. [link]
Muju Earth is looking to tackle one of agriculture’s toughest challenges by taking on soil degradation with an innovative new product: the Aeropod. The product is a biodegradable capsule planted alongside seeds. It activates under natural stressors like rainfall and soil pressure, triggering a gentle mechanical response that breaks soil compaction and creates microchannels for oxygen and water flow. As the Aeropods decompose, they release beneficial microbes and materials that support soil biology, reduce fertilizer dependence, and improve long-term soil health. [link]
The Nature Conservancy (TNC) announced a $1.616M grant from the Lockheed Martin Corporation to fund climate adaptation projects in Maryland and Colorado. The funds will accelerate the deployment of nature-based solutions that strengthen community resiliency near military installations in response to climate change. Part of the funding will also be used to increase the use of regenerative agriculture practices that help improve water quality while supporting a farmer’s bottom line, as well as the restoration and protection of key wetland habitats. [link]
The Oklahoma Conservation Commission, Murray State College, Chickasaw Nation, the Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts and the Arbuckle Conservation District are teaming up to open the Southern Oklahoma Urban and Small Farm Hub in Ardmore. It will be on Murray State College’s Ardmore campus, serving as a resource site offering technical assistance, farm planning and education training. A main focus for the hub will be promoting natural resource conservation and regenerative agriculture. Producers will also have access to mini-grants to support the work. [link]
The U.S. Department of Agriculture is launching a $700 million pilot program to support regenerative farming — a type of agriculture that focuses on soil health to produce more nutritious food. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins made the announcement on Wednesday alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, and regenerative farmers from California, Missouri and Indiana. Rollins said the new pilot will allow farmers to pursue “whole-farm planning” instead of a piecemeal approach through the USDA’s existing Natural Resources Conservation Service by enabling them to apply for the pilot with a single application. [link]
Cultivated meat startup Believer Meats has ceased operations. The company, which is in the unique position of having both a large-scale production facility and regulatory approval to sell its wares in the U.S., is being sued by a vendor for more than $34 million in unpaid bills. One of the top-funded players in the industry after raising a $347 million Series B round in 2021, Believer Meats’ backers include ADM Ventures, the Menora Mivtachim pension and insurance fund, S2G Investments, Tyson Ventures, Rich Products Ventures, Manta Ray Ventures, Emerald Technology Ventures, Cibus Capital, and Bits x Bites. [link]
Experts across the University of California San Diego have come together to launch a new center for soil health research, education and outreach in Southern California, creating a powerful opportunity to advance climate solutions. The center taps the expertise of microbiologists, plant and soil biologists, ecologists, biochemists, growers and community historians to collaboratively shape the future of soil health and drive innovations in sustainable technology. Led by microbial ecologist Jack Gilbert, the Healthy Soils Project is pioneering a new era of sustainable agriculture by developing safe, natural fertilizers derived from fungi, bacteria and other microorganisms. [link]
In Case You Missed It…
In late November, Bunge and ForFarmers announced a strategic agreement aimed at improving sustainability within the soybean meal supply chain in Europe. See more, here.