April 18, 2026

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – The Fence Post digs into why good conservation programs still struggle to reach farmers. Ready the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – Reuters details the new climate reporting rules for the food sector that should help support the regenerative agriculture transition. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Grist says that Hurricane Helene ravaged farmers’ topsoil. They’re still fighting to build it back. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) has announced the reopening of the 2025 crop acreage reporting period for specialty crop producers. This extension applies to producers who are interested in applying for the Assistance for Specialty Crop Farmers (ASCF) program. Eligible specialty crop producers now have until April 24, 2026, to report their 2025 acreage. According to the USDA announcement, the ASCF program is designed to provide financial relief to eligible specialty crops and sugar commodity producers. Payments will come as one-time bridge payments and are intended to support producers not covered under the previously announced Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA) program. [link]

The Nuffield Farming Scholarships Trust and the Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE) have launched the latest Bitesize Guide titled ‘Technology adoption for sustainable farming’. It highlights key findings, discussions and ideas from the library of Nuffield Farming scholar reports, covering new technologies being developed and used to help make agriculture more sustainable. Extracts include explanations of key technologies, what to opt for and what to avoid, to specific practical examples of technology use in different sectors. [link]

McDonald’s is set to offer energy drinks and specialty sodas like a Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer as part of a broader overhaul of its menu of cold drinks at its U.S. restaurants later this year. The new beverages, slated to roll out next month, include a Dirty Dr Pepper and Mango Pineapple Refresher, according to documents. The company’s slate of energy drinks are expected to be sold starting in August. The fast-food company has spent years plotting its beverage expansion. McDonald’s plans to sell its new beverages at prices below those of competitors such as Starbucks, Dutch Bros, Sonic and other chains. [link]

The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is delivering specialized laser land leveling equipment to Turkmenistan to work on farm pilot projects that improve efficiency and productivity. The provided technology ensures high-precision leveling of agricultural lands using automated systems, which contributes to more even distribution of irrigation water, prevention of water logging, reduction of soil salinization, and increased productivity. It is expected that after the demonstration phase, the equipment will be used on a regular basis, contributing to the increased sustainability of agricultural production and the improvement of local communities’ well-being. [link]

A federal agency that provides critical land management assistance to American farmers has quietly gone dark in swaths of rural America. Agriculture Department offices for the government’s Natural Resources Conservation Service are operating with skeleton crews across the country — or no staff at all, in some cases — at a time farmers want expert help to restore degraded soil, manage water quality and develop land preservation plans. Debilitating staff reductions have hampered farmers’ enrollment in, and implementation of, NRCS programs. The lack of federal staffers will likely mean fewer applicants, fewer approvals and more payment delays for conservation work, according to farmers and industry experts. [link]

Farmers and ranchers across the U.S. have an opportunity to contribute to a national research effort examining how real-world farming practices influence soil health and agricultural resilience. Through this land-grant-university study, participants will complete a short survey on their farm management practices and submit a soil sample for free analysis. In return, farmers will receive a soil health report and compensation for their time, while helping researchers better understand how different systems impact soil health and agricultural resilience. This project is part of the Ag Resilience Coordinated Agricultural Project, a multi-state collaboration of researchers, educators, and farmers working to identify farming practices that improve the resilience of agricultural systems across the United States. The initiative focuses on diverse systems, including row crops, forages, livestock, fruits, vegetables, and more, to evaluate how management decisions influence both soil health and farm performance. [link]

Natural Grocers, the nation’s largest family-operated natural and organic grocery retailer, is celebrating Earth Day with a three-day, in-store event that brings together savings, education and environmental impact. As part of its broader Earth Month efforts, the company is spotlighting products that meet its standards for healthier soil, cleaner homes and more transparent food systems, culminating in special Earth Day deals, giveaways- and sweepstakes April 22–24, at all Natural Grocers locations. This year’s Earth Month fundraising efforts will benefit Rodale Institute’s Farmer Training Programs—highly immersive, full-time programs that prepare farmers for careers in regenerative organic crop and vegetable production by advancing organic practices and soil health. Natural Grocers aims to raise $100,000 in April for Rodale Institute’s Farmer Training Programs through in-store fundraising opportunities. [link]

Purina Europe announced that it has exceeded its early milestone for regenerative agriculture. The pet care company had set an initial target of sourcing 20% of cereals and vegetable proteins from farmers using regenerative agriculture practices. By the end of 2025 this figure has already reached 29%. Across Europe more than 630 farmers and over 37,000 hectares are now engaged in regenerative agriculture programs supported by Purina. [link]

Microsoft confirmed in a statement that its carbon removal program will continue to form part of its strategy to achieve its climate goals, while it “may adjust the pace or volume of our carbon removal procurement,” countering speculation that the tech giant was halting the program. The statement follows media reports indicating that Microsoft has told carbon credit suppliers that it is pausing its carbon removal purchases. Such a move could have significant implications on the carbon removal market, which has been driven largely by purchase activity by Microsoft in recent years. Microsoft is by far the largest buyer of carbon removal credits globally, representing approximately 90% of the market in 2025, according to carbon dioxide removals (CDRs) platform CDR.fyi. While the company has said that it takes a “reduction-first” approach to reaching its goals, it utilizes carbon removal to address residual and historical emissions that cannot be mitigated through reduction. [link]

Mars, Incorporated and ofi (Olam Food Ingredients) announced a five-year strategic collaboration (2025-2029) to help advance climate-smart and regenerative agriculture practices in cocoa production in Ecuador, across Mars and ofi’s shared cocoa supply chain. In the first phase, more than 960 farmers across major cocoa growing regions of El Oro, Esmeraldas, Guayas, Los Ríos, Manabí and Santo Domingo in Ecuador are expected to implement regenerative agriculture, across more than 9,000 hectares of farmland. Farmers are transitioning from full-sun monoculture to multi-strata agroforestry. By mimicking natural forest ecosystems, these systems boost cocoa production, support microorganisms and pollinators, and create natural barriers against pests and disease. Farmers will also be equipped with tools to use low carbon fertilizers, improved crop residue management, and biochar applications. [link]

Nutrients recovered from animal and human waste could drastically reduce synthetic fertilizer use in the U.S., according to a new Cornell study that takes into account real-world implementation challenges like processing and transport. In the study, published in Nature Sustainability, researchers found that animal and human waste in the U.S. could theoretically meet 102% of nitrogen and 50% of phosphorus needs for the nation’s agriculture, a value of more than $5.7 billion annually. But they also identified a major hurdle: a frequent mismatch between the location of the waste – often in areas densely populated with people or livestock – and agricultural regions with the highest fertilizer needs. Still, by mapping and analyzing the sources of waste and of agricultural need, the research team found that large percentages of recoverable nutrients – 37% of nitrogen and 46% of phosphorus – can be used locally, and more than half of the surplus nutrients can be redistributed to nearby regions with low economic and environmental costs. [link]

Concerns are growing about the future of American agriculture as the number of farms declines and fewer young people pursue careers in the industry. The Texas Farm Bureau says one of the biggest challenges is making agriculture profitable enough to attract the next generation of producers. An aging farmer population is adding to the concern, with many producers nearing retirement and uncertain succession plans in place. In some cases, farmland is being taken out of production altogether. Industry leaders say increasing awareness about where food comes from—and the people who produce it—will be key to sustaining agriculture for future generations. [link]

Patagonia‘s nonprofit shareholder Holdfast Collective has announced a $1.55 million commitment to help the Rodale Institute transition Ventura County, California’s agricultural industry to one built primarily on regenerative practices that improve soil health and natural resistance to disease. The Rodale Institute Regenerate Ventura initiative provides farmers in the county with technical assistance and other support needed to shift production away from conventional methods that rely heavily on chemical pesticides. The idea is to aid farmers through a process that can be seen as risky and, in some cases, cost prohibitive to the average grower. [link]

The Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) is proud to announce the launch of its global photo contest, Regenerative Agriculture: Fostering Resilient Landscapes and Livelihoods, open to photographers worldwide from April 15 to May 15, 2026. The contest invites photographers of all backgrounds to submit images that capture how regenerative agriculture supports resilient ecosystems, thriving landscapes, and the communities that depend on them. The three categories open for submission include: Agrobiodiversity — crops, pollinators, soil life, agroforestry, and biodiversity within farming landscapes; Landscapes — agricultural landscapes where regenerative practices build ecological resilience; and People & Livelihoods — faces and stories of people whose lives are connected to regenerative agriculture. Prizes include an Overall 1st Prize of $1,000, a People’s Choice Award of $400, and three Category Winner prizes of $200 each. Finalists will also be featured at the Regenerative Agriculture Forum 2026 in Brazil. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late March, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins and U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum announced new actions aimed at boosting the supply of American born, raised, and harvested beef. See more, here.