July 12, 2025

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – An article in Art discusses the future of food…and how technology and sustainability are changing what we eat. Read the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – The WBCSD reflects on London Climate Action Week and looks at how to finance the future of sustainable agriculture in Brazil’s Cerrado. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Forbes connects the dots and says that farming is America’s first line of defense for creating healthier people. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

A $723,839 USDA Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure grant will connect Pennsylvania farmers with 15 community partner locations — including shelters for individuals experiencing homelessness, domestic violence support centers and substance use recovery programs. The NEPA Food Dignity Movement has been awarded a United States Department of Agriculture Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure grant to tackle systemic challenges in farm sustainability and revolutionize the regional food supply chain in Northeast Pennsylvania. [link]

In Hawaii, the Kaua‘i County Office of Economic Development has awarded 12 Agriculture Farm Expansion Grants for fiscal year 2024-25. This is the second year the office offered funding through the grant program aimed at advancing Kaua‘i’s agricultural industry through targeted investments in the expansion of farming and/or production around the island. A selection committee carefully reviewed and scored each of the eligible 18 proposals submitted, with the 12 selected projects partially or fully funded with a total of $637,429. [link]

Snacking, food, and pet care products provider Mars announced the launch of the Mars Sustainability Investment Fund (MSIF), a new $250 million fund aimed at providing capital to companies developing solutions to address key industry sustainability challenges. The new fund will deploy capital across investment funds as well as through direct investments, targeting solutions to sustainability challenges across the company’s value chain in areas including the sourcing of its ingredients, the health aspects of its products, and circular packaging. [link]

New University of Minnesota research, recently published in the Soil Science Society of America Journal, significantly improves a tool that farmers can use to guide nitrogen application decisions on their fields. A well-known tool, called the Pre-Sidedress Nitrate Test (PSNT), uses soil nitrate status to help farmers determine whether their corn crop may need more nitrogen. By analyzing data from 34 field trials across Minnesota, the researchers updated the PSNT threshold, finding that 20 parts per million of nitrate in the top 12 inches of soil reliably delivers 97% of maximum yield, and that if PSNT is below such levels, roughly 12.3 lbs of nitrogen per acre is needed for every one part per million shortfall. [link]

U.S. House representatives have introduced the Conservation and Regenerative Optimization Practices for Farming Act, or the CROP for Farming Act, a bipartisan proposal to strengthen conservation efforts and equip farmers with new tools to improve soil health, enhance productivity, and reduce harmful emissions through voluntary practices. The bill updates the Food Security Act of 1985 to recognize and support farming efforts to reduce nitrous oxide and methane emissions, while promoting carbon storage in soil and vegetation, all through existing conservation incentive contracts under the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Through updates to the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), the bill encourages practices such as no-till farming, cover cropping, and improved grazing management —strategies that enhance soil fertility, improve water retention, and support long-term farm resilience. [link]

The Association of Equipment Manufacturers and its member company leaders released a comprehensive whitepaper detailing how advancements in technology have revolutionized the cultivation of specialty crops and enhanced efficiency, sustainability, and productivity. Today’s ag equipment plays a pivotal role in shaping these transformations, with innovations spanning autonomy and automation, precision spray application and weed management techniques, irrigation systems, as well as harvesting technologies. [link]

A global research study published in The Innovation found that certain farming practices can simultaneously boost food production, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve soil health. Drawing on more than 39,000 field comparisons across 104 meta-analyses, the study found practices such as legume and cereal intercropping, organic amendments and precision nutrient management can increase yields while reducing environmental footprint. A key finding was that legume-cereal intercropping can significantly enhance system productivity while also lowering fertilizer use and greenhouse gas emissions. [link]

House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson wants to move legislation this fall to address farm and nutrition programs left out of the budget reconciliation bill. Thompson, R-Pa., told reporters that the bill would need about $8 billion in additional funding over 10 years, far less than the $66 billion spending increase included in the reconciliation bill dubbed the One Big Beautiful Act and paid for out of cuts to funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Issues that would be addressed in what Thompson calls farm bill 2.0 include controversial provisions to address concerns around industrial hemp, lawsuits against pesticide manufacturers, and California’s Proposition 12 regulations on sow housing. Other issues that need to be addressed include reauthorization of the Conservation Reserve Program; limits for USDA direct and guaranteed loans; rural broadband assistance; and a provision to trigger permanent price-support laws if existing commodity programs are allowed to lapse after 2031. Thompson also said there are several nutrition assistance issues he wants to address, including expanding SNAP eligibility for ex-convicts and families of young adults who are still in school, along with modifying SNAP eligibility requirements to eliminate a "poverty cliff." [link]

A new free modeling tool is enabling researchers, farmers and food processors to assess how changes in the ways a dairy farm is managed would influence its environmental impact, energy use and economics. The Ruminant Farm Systems (RuFaS) modeling tool, developed by Cornell researchers and collaborators across academia, industry, government and nonprofits, is available at no cost for open-source collaboration. Cornell researchers created the scaffolding for the model and worked with collaborators to integrate Cornell and other dairy farm research on factors like animal feed, crop growth and milk production. The model predicts outcomes such as production costs, resource use and greenhouse gas emissions. [link]

The holding company Allterra, owner of the Microgeo and TMF brands, has announced the launch of three new biological inputs to ensure the improvement of soil: a bionematicide, a biofungicide, and a bioactivator. Allterra is one of five companies in Brazil with the newly launched QIMA certification, bearing the Regenera seal, which guarantees alignment with Regenerative Agriculture practices. The new biological product launches are part of Allterra’s strategy to consolidate its role in offering solutions and services that combine technological innovation, increased profitability for the producer, and reduced environmental impact. [link]

The Italian candy maker behind Ferrero Rocher and Nutella announced a roughly $3 billion deal to buy the breakfast-cereal conglomerate WK Kellogg. WK Kellogg is the company behind Froot Loops, Frosted Flakes, Rice Krispies and a variety of other cereal monikers. It has a market value today of some $1.5 billion, and more than $500 million in debt. Ferrero has been targeting the U.S. for acquisitions to grow geographically and expand by category. It bought Wells Enterprises, the maker of Blue Bunny and other ice-cream brands, and before that struck a $2.8 billion deal to acquire Nestlé’s U.S. chocolate business. [link]

The European Commission announced the launch of its “Roadmap towards Nature Credits,” aimed at helping to develop a new market for nature credits. Similar in concept to carbon credits, nature credits would represent activities that protect and restore biodiversity and ecosystems targeting nature-focused outcomes based on specific metrics and indicators. Under the new roadmap, the Commission said that it will establish a dedicated expert group including member states, stakeholder and technical experts to co-develop certification methodologies and governance principles for nature credits, with first results expected in 2026. From 2025 – 2027, the Commission will launch a pilot project on nature credits, and it will subsequently consider next steps for the development and scaling up of nature credit markets. [link]

Major food corporations are failing to effectively support farming practices that protect human and environmental health, according to an assessment of 20 companies released by the corporate watchdog group, As You Sow. The report scored corporate programs and policies related to regenerative agriculture – a type of farming that prioritizes healthy soil – determining that, on average, the companies deserved a near-failing grade of “D”. The nonprofit group assigned the lowest grades to W.K. Kellogg Co., known for popular cereals including Frosted Flakes and Rice Krispies, and B&G Foods, Inc., whose brands include Crisco and Cream of Wheat. Companies earning the highest scores included PepsiCo, the global snack and beverage giant, as well as McCain Foods and Lamb Weston, both known for their French fries and other potato products. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In mid-June, Impossible Foods CEO Peter McGuinness said that the plant-based giant could enter the blended meat space to try and spur more sales growth with flexitarians. See more, here.

July 3, 2025

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Beyond Pesticides writes that as temperatures continue to rise, organic agriculture eliminates chemicals that contribute to the climate crisis. Read the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – The European Commission provides its in-depth analysis on how to future-proof the food and agriculture segment. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Boston Consulting Group presents a viable path to regenerative landscapes in the Amazon. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

The Central Government in India has issued model rules for the felling of trees on agricultural land in a bid to promote agroforestry with the aim of doubling farmers' incomes, increasing tree cover outside forests and mitigating climate change. In a letter sent to all state governments, the environment ministry said the objective of 'Model Rules for Felling of Trees in Agricultural Lands' is to enhance the ease of doing business in agroforestry and incentivize farmers to integrate trees into their farming systems without facing undue procedural hurdles. The government has been promoting agroforestry as a necessary means for supporting India's climate goals under the Paris Agreement. [link]

Eni has inaugurated its first agri-hub in the Republic of the Congo, launching the very first vegetable oil extraction plant in the country. The production will be destined for Eni's biorefineries that sit within its Enilive segment, where it will be transformed into biofuel to help decarbonize transport sectors, as part of Eni’s sustainable mobility strategy. The agri-hub in Loudima will have a capacity of 30,000 tons per year of vegetable oil and will be supplied by oil crops grown on degraded and underutilized land or through intercropping systems, as part of an innovative regenerative agriculture project developed in collaboration with local stakeholders. [link]

Syngenta is accelerating the rollout of its nature-inspired, science-based biological solutions, responding to rising demand for sustainable, high-performance tools that help farmers boost productivity efficiently and responsibly. In December 2024, the company acquired Intrinsyx Bio, a California-based start-up specializing in the development of nutrient-use efficiency products. Most recently, in early 2025, Syngenta concluded the integration of Novartis’ Strains and Natural Products Collection, the repository of natural compounds and genetic strains for agricultural use. Also in 2025, Syngenta opened a 22,000 m² biologicals facility in Orangeburg, South Carolina, in the United States, which is purpose-built to produce 16,000 tons of biostimulants annually. This new manufacturing facility complements Syngenta’s existing global network of biologicals’ manufacturing facilities in Brazil, Italy, India and Norway. [link]

The Bennington County Agroforestry and Flood Resilience local fund pool has $250,000 available for Bennington County land stewards in the state of Vermont. The local fund pool for the county has been allocated $250,000 to spend on federal EQIP (Environmental Quality Incentives Program) contracts that support one of six primary practices: alley cropping, silvopasture, forest farming, hedgerow planting, windbreak/shelterbelt establishment, and riparian forest buffer. Last year, some $750,000 in total were available for applicants in Bennington and Rutland Counties through the Bennington, Rutland, and Poultney-Mettowee Conservation Districts. This year, $250,000 is meant for just Bennington County. [link]

Morocco is accelerating its agricultural transformation through a new partnership with Hong Kong-based Jungnong Group, a subsidiary of China’s Agricultural Development Group. With an initial investment of $22 million, the joint venture represents a strategic pivot toward high-tech, water-efficient farming systems in a country grappling with water scarcity and climate volatility. The project, formalized through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Morocco’s Ministry of Agriculture, Maritime Fisheries, Rural Development, and Water and Forests, will serve as a blueprint for sustainable agriculture in North Africa. It promises to create more than 300 direct jobs, train local workers in precision agriculture, and boost export-oriented crop production in semi-arid regions. [link]

Hershey is the latest company to commit to dropping synthetic dyes from its products by the end of 2027. The move comes as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., health and human services secretary, has prioritized removing synthetic dyes from food and beverages sold in the U.S. At the state-level, West Virginia will ban certain food dyes and preservatives from 2028. Starting in 2027, Texas will require warning labels on products containing artificial food dyes and additives. [link]

Nearly a dozen agriculture commissioners from red states wrote to top Trump administration officials and Republican lawmakers calling for the elimination of federal funding to organizations that promote “net-zero” climate policies. The letter argues that net-zero policies adopted by certain organizations “will have devastating effects on American consumers, farmers, and ranchers, and further endanger food security for the poor in America.” The agriculture commissioners singled out the United Nations International Maritime Organization (IMO), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the United Nations Environment Program as organizations that promote those policies. [link]

Consumer goods companies are enlarging their range of products—by making them smaller. Diminutive snack and drink sizes are hitting store shelves as brands try to keep stretched consumers buying with lower-price options. PepsiCo now sells Lay’s potato chips in half a dozen different-sized bags, costing from around 50 cents to roughly $5. Campbell’s now markets teensy packages of Pepperidge Farm cookies and Goldfish crackers. And Mondelez International has six different Milka chocolate bar sizes with prices from under $1 to $6. Food, beverage and consumer-product companies are hoping that a wider range of shrunken size options can boost overall sales volumes, which have been pressured in recent quarters. Smaller-size offerings also tend to have higher profit margins. [link]

New research shows that UK farmer confidence has been battered by climate change in recent years. The market research of 300 farmers across the UK was commissioned by the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU) from Grounded Research, specialists in gathering insights into questions about food and farming. When asked what impact recent extreme weather has had on their farms, 87% cited reduced productivity, 84% have witnessed a reduction in crop yields or livestock output, whilst three quarters have seen their incomes reduced. In the past five years, 86% of farmers have been hit by extreme rainfall, 78% by drought, and over a half by the impacts of heatwaves. Only 2% have not experienced extreme weather in some form. [link]

The U.S. government is preparing to breed billions of flies and dump them out of airplanes over Mexico and southern Texas to fight a flesh-eating maggot threatening the American beef industry. The targeted pest is the flesh-eating larva of the New World Screwworm fly. The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to ramp up the breeding and distribution of adult male flies — sterilizing them with radiation before releasing them. They mate with females in the wild, and the eggs laid by the female aren’t fertilized and don’t hatch. There are fewer larvae, and over time, the fly population dies out. The USDA expects a new screwworm fly factory to be up and running in southern Mexico by July 2026. It plans to open a fly distribution center in southern Texas by the end of the year so that it can import and distribute flies from Panama if necessary. [link]

Despite funding cuts across the board for programs and agencies on the federal level, Virginia farmers are seeing a win for conservation projects. The state is showing a dedication to sustainable farming measures by allocating $223 million for agricultural practices that stop pollutants and sediment disturbances that lead to runoff into the Chesapeake Bay. It is a $16 million increase over the last fiscal year, leading to the fourth year of increasing funding from the state. The program helps farmers in the commonwealth to implement projects that conserve water, help soil health through cover crops, and other sustainability goals. Farmers can apply for up to $300,000 in fiscal year 2026 to cost-share one of over 60 projects, including stream cattle exclusion zones, cover crops, and animal waste control facilities. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late 2024, UW-Madison Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist of Agricultural & Applied Economics, Jeff Hadachek, developed a tool to aid farmers on understanding the financial impact of conservation decisions. See more, here.