May 9, 2026

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – SeedWorld discusses how Denmark’s oat strategy could transform sustainable agriculture. Ready the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – NPR says that CSA boxes get people to buy fresh produce off farms, but asks if customer convenience will hurt the mission? Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Bay Journal details a project that is examining what “thriving ag” could look like in the future. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

Purdue University researchers have published a comprehensive road map for sustainable livestock production, finding that practices good for the planet can also benefit animal welfare, productivity and global food security. The paper synthesizes findings from more than 200 publications in genetics, nutrition, the microbiome and management to provide a holistic road map for the future of ruminant sustainability. [link]

A new study from Iowa State University shows how corn responds to different levels of nearby groundcover, offering key insights for regenerative agriculture practitioners seeking to optimize living mulch systems. The research finds that competition may begin through light signals earlier than assumed: corn starts exhibiting shade avoidance responses at six centimeters of nearby groundcover, while behaving as though there is no competition at 25 centimeters. [link]

BESTSELLER, the Danish fashion company, has committed $3 million to the Regenerative Fund for Nature, expanding support for farmers’ livelihoods and land restoration in South Africa. With this contribution, BESTSELLER joins Conservation International, Kering and Inditex as a partner in the fund, which has enrolled 1.1 million hectares across 14 projects in 10 countries and serves 105,000 beneficiaries. [link]

Amsterdam has become the world’s first capital city to ban advertisements promoting meat or fossil fuels, in support of targets to increase plant-based consumption and lower emissions. Billboards and metro stations will no longer feature ads for burgers, gas-powered cars and other carbon-intensive offerings; the city aims to raise the share of plant-based protein consumed by residents from 40% to 60% by 2030. [link]

A bipartisan group of U.S. House and Senate members has reintroduced the FAIR Labels Act of 2026, which would impose federal labeling requirements on plant-based and cell-cultivated protein products. Under the legislation, cell-cultivated products would be required to display the term “cell-cultivated” prominently adjacent to the product name, and plant-based products would need to carry the full phrase “plant-based alternative protein product” on their labels. [link]

The Soil Health Institute has launched a free, web-based Drought Resilience Calculator to help farmers and advisors understand how soil health management can improve water availability and crop resilience. The tool models how increased residue cover and soil organic carbon can help crops withstand dry conditions by simulating the soil water cycle using historical weather data; it was developed with support from Cargill. [link]

PepsiCo has announced a collaboration with agriculture technology company TalusAg to advance fertilizer decarbonization through low-carbon ammonia environmental attributes, marking PepsiCo’s first executed transactions of this kind. The initial agreements span PepsiCo’s Europe, Sub-Saharan Africa, Asia Pacific and global teams, representing approximately 30,000 metric tons of low-carbon ammonia, with an option to purchase an additional 41,000 metric tons. [link]

Ducks Unlimited (DU) and Regenified have announced a new partnership through which DU will become the inaugural member of the Regenified Accredited Verifier Network (RAVN), conducting on-site and virtual regenerative agriculture verification. The partnership is expected to go live in summer 2026, with an initial focus on North America-based producers. [link]

The EPA’s Gulf of America Division has announced a new Farmer-to-Farmer grant program providing targeted support to farmer-led organizations within the Gulf of America watershed, spanning EPA Regions 3 through 8. The agency expects to make 20 to 30 awards totaling $1.5 million to $2.5 million, each with a five-year project period, to advance innovative farmer-led conservation. [link]

Bayer and bp have announced a long-term strategic alliance to scale the intermediate oilseed crop camelina, marketed under the brand name “newgold,” for use as a biofuel feedstock in North America. The alliance targets a biofuel market estimated to grow nearly threefold to 40 billion gallons by 2040; bp brings fuels and refining expertise while Bayer contributes seed technology and its extensive farmer customer base. [link]

The Illinois Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program through June 5, 2026, for a program running from September 2026 through September 2029. Eligible applicants include nonprofits, local and government entities, trade and commodity associations, and public and private universities; funding priorities include projects benefiting beginning farmers, educational programming, and sustainability and conservation. [link]

Minnesota’s Climate-Friendly Agricultural Practices (CFAP) program is now open for applications, offering flat-rate payments of up to $10,000 to producers who implement sustainable agricultural practices with quantifiable greenhouse gas emission reductions. Approved practices include conservation cover, pasture and hay planting, conservation crop rotation, and tree and shrub establishment; approximately $1.2 million is allocated on a first-come basis. [link]

Kettle and Fire is partnering with regenerative meat brand Force of Nature Meats to launch Kettle and Fire x Force of Nature Bison Bone Broth, made from grass-fed and finished bison bones sourced from regenerative pastures. The Non-GMO Project verified product is available at Whole Foods Market and kettleandfire.com, with a launch at Sprouts planned soon. [link]

The Global Environment Facility has approved $17 million for ARTSI (Accelerating Rapid Transition of Subsidies & Incentives), a two-year public-private initiative to co-design nature-positive subsidy reform. ARTSI aims to work alongside countries to scale positive incentives for nature in support of global biodiversity funding goals and to help governments meet commitments under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. [link]

PepsiCo has launched the 2026 Asia Pacific edition of its Greenhouse Program as an IMPACT Edition, shifting focus from early-stage pilots to scaling proven sustainability solutions across its regional supply chain. Now in its fourth year in Asia Pacific, the program has supported more than 22 pilots with over 30 startups; the 2026 edition is designed to integrate validated startup technologies directly into PepsiCo’s day-to-day operations in support of its PepsiCo Positive sustainability strategy. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late March, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it had finalized its Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) “Set 2” final rule. See more, here.