March 7, 2026

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Offrange discusses the unexpected rise of the Oat Mafia. Ready the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – An article in npj Sustainable Agriculture says that future agricultural policies will need to integrate biodiversity targets into smart farming. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Inside Climate News details how the hidden climate cost of the broken U.S. health care system is affecting farmers. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

Corn growers in the Midwest are testing whether they can use less nitrogen fertilizer and still maintain yields or improve their bottom line through on-farm research trials being led by Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI). Farmers from Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin who have used cover crops, no-till or other soil health practices for at least five years can participate. Participants in the PFI research trials apply their typical nitrogen fertilizer rate and a reduced rate in randomized strips in their fields. They then share data with PFI to compare yields, costs and profits. The project, which is supported by PepsiCo and the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research, compensates farmers who participate. [link]

An expert on prairie reconstruction says expanding the use of native species in agricultural landscapes could help boost soil health while improving water quality. Judd McCullum of Hoksey Native Seeds says prairie can be a powerful tool for improving water quality, noting that the stems of native grasses slow runoff, allowing water to soak into the soil instead of flowing across the surface. Iowa State University research shows that by converting 10% of a crop-field to diverse, native perennial vegetation, farmers and landowners can reduce sediment movement off their field by 95% and total phosphorous and nitrogen lost through runoff by 90% and 85%, respectively. [link]

Red River Foods and Agroforestry Partners have signed a memorandum of understanding (”MOU”) to collaborate on the development of the U.S. chestnut market. Chestnut acreage has grown meaningfully in the United States during the past 10 years, and this strong growth trend is anticipated to continue as farmers and landowners increasingly add chestnut trees to their farming landscapes in the pursuit of income diversity and conservation-related benefits. Red River Foods and Agroforestry Partners will work together to gauge customer interest in chestnuts, develop and test new products, formulate production plans, and diversify supply to reduce risk across the entire value chain. [link]

Democratic lawmakers are preparing legislation that would break up U.S. meatpacking companies, escalating government efforts to curb record-high beef prices. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.) plans to introduce a bill that would prevent companies from processing more than one type of meat, and could require major processors to spin off beef plants, according to a summary circulated among lawmakers. The legislation would also call for a review of foreign-owned meat companies. That could include meatpacking powerhouse JBS, based in Brazil, and pork processing giant Smithfield Foods, which is majority owned by Hong Kong-based company WH Group. [link]

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is introducing the Biofertilizer Innovation and Efficiency Pilot Program, an initiative designed to help farmers improve nitrogen management and adopt innovative technologies that protect water quality and enhance soil health. Applications for the 2026 growing season opened March 2 and will close on May 1. They are being accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Farmers who participate can receive $15 per acre for reducing their commercial nitrogen fertilizer application rate by the lesser of 15% or 30 pounds per acre when using a qualifying biofertilizer product. [link]

The UN Food and Agriculture Organization is calling on governments to streamline their regulatory frameworks for cultivated proteins and precision-fermented foods. As novel foods like cultivated meat and precision-fermented ingredients make progress on their path to mainstream adoption, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is weighing in on their regulation. In a new legal paper, the food body draws on frameworks like the Codex Alimentarius and World Trade Organization agreements to highlight the gaps and challenges in regulating these novel foods, arguing that this isn’t just a technical issue, it’s “also a political and a legal one.” [link]

The UK’s first crop of “low-carbon” potatoes has arrived on supermarket shelves, marking a milestone in efforts to prove that more sustainably produced foods can secure both retailer backing and mass-market consumer uptake. The potatoes come from a first-of-its-kind low carbon concept farm in Lincolnshire created in 2024 by Tesco and potato supplier Branston to test new production systems that could help farms move towards net-zero. Around 500 of the Georgina variety are now rolling out in Tesco stores. [link]

The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in India released the state’s Agroforestry Policy 2026, aimed at promoting the cultivation of high-value trees such as teak, sandalwood, red sanders and rosewood on agricultural land parcels, simplifying procedures for harvesting and marketing timber, and expanding the state’s forest and tree cover to 33%. The policy seeks to increase farmers’ income, encourage sustainable agroforestry practices and meet the growing demand for timber and wood-based products while strengthening environmental protection and climate resilience. A senior official said that one of the key objectives of the policy is to ease the rules for farmers to grow and fell high-value trees. [link]

The USDA announced new partnerships to advance its MAHA agenda this past week. The agency announced the USDA’s commencement of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans Strategic Partnerships, an effort which encourages the private sector to participate in educating the American people about the importance of the Guidelines and how they serve as the foundation to better eating. Additionally, the USDA gave an update on the impending Stocking Standards final rule, a rule that holds any retailer interested in accepting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits accountable to a higher minimum standard of staple food stocking requirements. Finally, Secretary Rollins signed four new SNAP restriction waivers for Kansas, Nevada, Ohio, and Wyoming. [link]

Loblaw is contributing $400,000 this year to Ducks Unlimited Canada’s sustainable agriculture programs. The two organizations said a new partnership, building on a collaboration that began last year, will advance sustainable food systems and support Canadian farmers. The partnership is expected to last three years and will help finance programs that connect directly with Prairies farmers and offer incentives that make it easier to balance productivity with meaningful conservation. [link]

Canada’s Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, together with Quebec’s Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, invite agricultural producers who wish to obtain support in adopting more sustainable agricultural practices to participate in the fifth registration period for the Rétribution agroenvironnementale (Agri-Environmental Compensation), an initiative of the Government of Quebec. This initiative aims to recognize and encourage the efforts of agricultural businesses that implement good agro-environmental practices that benefit the environment and soil health. It offers direct financial assistance to producers, which can reach up to $50,000 per business for the next two growing seasons. This launch is made possible by a new budget allocation of $17.65 million, which will enable more than 650 eligible agricultural businesses to participate. These funds will help accelerate the adoption of more ambitious agri-environmental practices, including crop diversification, off-season soil protection, reduced herbicide use, improved fertilizer management, and the implementation of biodiversity-friendly practices. [link]

Indonesia has reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable forestry by renewing cooperation with the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF/World Agroforestry). The Ministry of Forestry has signed a new memorandum of understanding (MoU), marking a fresh chapter in a partnership that has been in place since 1993. Under the new MoU, cooperation will cover several priority areas: sustainable forest management, innovative financing for the forestry sector, development of special-purpose forest areas, digitalization of forestry practices, and socio-economic empowerment of forest communities. [link]

The European Union has agreed to ban 31 meat-like names from being used on plant-based product labels, but common terms like ‘veggie burger’ have been exempted. In trilogue negotiations between the European Parliament, Council and Commission, lawmakers agreed to ban vegan products from using 31 names on their packaging labels and marketing, including ‘chicken’, ‘beef’, ‘steak’, and ‘bacon’. The EU’s effort does spare some common terms like ‘burger’, ‘sausage’, ‘nuggets’, ‘ham’ and seafood alternatives – so products like the Beyond Burger, Heura’s nuggets and La Vie’s Jambon can keep their current names. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

Earlier this month, PepsiCo said it was lowering prices for brands including Doritos and Cheetos by up to 15% in a bid to reignite growth and win back inflation-wary consumers who have cut back on spending. See more, here.