May 4, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – No-Till Farmer says that investment in no-till, regenerative ag practices is gaining momentum. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – Euro News writes that Europe has to set aside its pesticides row and turn towards sustainable agricultural solutions. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Forbes discusses the full potential of the voluntary carbon market through an agriculture lens. Read the article, here.

Industry Updates

Regenerative agroforestry nonprofit and United Nations World Restoration Flagship Trees for the Future (TREES) is celebrating a land restoration milestone this week – 350 million trees planted around the world. Local TREES staff train farmers in a regenerative agroforestry technique called the Forest Garden Approach. Farmers grow trees from seed on their own land and plant them strategically to protect the land and support the farming family. Founded in 1989, TREES staff have worked around the globe. Today, TREES staff train farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. The average Forest Garden is made up of 2,500 – 4,000 trees to restore and protect the land and dozens of food and resource crops for the family to eat and sell. [link]

Pennsylvania State Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding visited Stroud Water Research Center for a first-hand look at research measuring the effects of farming practices that are improving water quality and soil health. Redding and local farmer, Jamie Hicks, were joined by the Stroud Center’s Executive Director, Dr. Dave Arscott, and Director of Watershed Restoration, Matthew Ehrhart, as they toured a field managed by Hicks, and discussed a new $1.5 million funding opportunity that will further conservation research to develop innovative solutions that farmers can implement to address complex challenges like climate change and loss of critical water and soil resources. This increased research funding, coupled with Governor Shapiro’s proposed $10 million Agriculture Innovation Fund will keep Pennsylvania researchers on the cutting edge of exciting developments in conservation and regenerative agriculture. [link]

The Federal Government in Australia has announced new grant funding for farmers to tackle sustainable agriculture at the grassroots level. In a statement, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Murray Watt said the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program Small Grants are designed for individuals as well as farming, community and Indigenous groups to lead on-ground projects. Funding comes from the Natural Heritage, the Federal Government’s key investment platform for achieving its natural resource management, sustainable agriculture and environmental protection outcomes. Starting in 2023-24, the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program is penciled in to allocate $302.1 million over five years. [link]

Australian Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Minister Murray Watt will bring together more than 150 stakeholders for high-level conversations about how to de-carbonize the agriculture industry. Farmers, peak agricultural lobby groups, researchers, environmental groups, energy experts and senior departmental staff from around the country will converge on the Darling Downs in late May to discuss how the sector can meet its own climate goals. The summit will be a chance for industry to discuss the Ag and Land Sector Decarbonization Plan, one of six such plans for various industry sectors under the government’s Net Zero 2050 Plan, forming part of the overall consultation process for the climate abatement agenda. [link]

The global regenerative agriculture market is forecasted to grow to a valuation of US$ 4,364.4 million in 2024 and is likely to register a CAGR of 15.6%, garnering a valuation of US$ 5,710 million by 2034, according to Future Market Insights. The growing focus of governments on sustainable practices in agriculture is propelling the global regenerative agriculture market demand. These initiatives include a range of financial aid programs, government grants, and legislative initiatives aimed at encouraging farmers to use regenerative farming methods. Industry giants are making significant investments in regenerative agriculture in response to customer demand for sustainably and ethically derived goods, further propelling the market growth. Regenerative agriculture practices include the following: Agroecology, Aquaculture, Biochar & Terra Preta, Agroforestry, No-till & Pasture Cropping, Holistically Managed Grazing, Silvopasture, and Others. [link]

ADM announced that its global regenerative agriculture program expanded to more than 2.8 million acres in 2023, exceeding its 2 million acre goal. In addition, the company announced that it is targeting 3.5 million regenerative acres in 2024 and is increasing its 2025 goal from 4 million to 5 million acres globally. ADM partnered with more than 28,000 growers of corn, soybeans, wheat, peanuts, cotton, sorghum, canola and barley in 2023 as it expanded its regenerative agriculture efforts globally, including the launch of new programs in Europe and Latin America. Participating farms again saw improvements in soil health and carbon footprint. ADM defines regenerative agriculture as an outcome-based farming approach that protects and improves soil health, biodiversity, climate and water resources while supporting farming business development. [link]

As part of the government’s quest to improve American eating habits, the Food and Drug Administration is considering requiring food manufacturers to put new labels on the front of packages. The labels might flag certain health risks, such as high levels of salt, sugar or saturated fat. The FDA is still weighing its approach, with an aim to propose its rule on labeling this summer. The agency hopes that clearer food labeling could help people make healthier choices as it tackles the rise of diet-related health problems such as Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. One label idea the FDA has tested uses red, yellow and green to convey whether products are high, medium or low in added sugar, sodium and saturated fat. Other potential labels that the FDA has shared state how much of those substances a product contains per serving. [link]

An innovative Scottish firm is harnessing the superpowers of the underground fungal kingdom to revolutionize tree-planting efforts at home and abroad, with a mission to help reforest the earth. Rhizocore, based on the outskirts of Edinburgh, creates bespoke ‘fungi bombs’ – or Rhizopellets – which are hand-crafted to contain the optimum mix of mycorrhiza for a particular site and the trees which will be grown there. Mycorrhiza connects the roots of trees and other plants in the habitat in a mutually beneficial arrangement that allows nutrients and water to be exchanged. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In early April, twenty members of the U.S. House of Representatives wrote a letter to House Agriculture Committee Leadership urging them to include a voluntary crop insurance premium incentive program for farmers who plant cover crops in the upcoming Farm Bill. See more, here.

April 27, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Forbes asks if U.S. farmers have been slow to take up sustainable practices. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – Iowa Capital Dispatch notes that “it’s getting worse”…the U.S. is failing to stem the tide of harmful farm pollutants. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Our World in Data publishes a review on the effectiveness of global policies associated with reducing environmental impacts of agriculture. Read the article, here.

Industry Updates

A grant offering $3 million in funding is available for farmers in California looking to improve their soil health. The Central Sierra Healthy Soils program provides free technical assistance and financial resources and is available to small agriculture producers and family farms in eight counties: Nevada, Placer, El Dorado, Amador, Alpine, Calaveras, Tuolumne and Sacramento. The hope is to fund about 50 projects over four years. [link]

Four research and outreach projects have been funded through the new Agricultural Climate Resiliency Program, a partnership among Michigan State University, the Michigan Plant Coalition, and the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. The program, which began in 2024 and is administered by MSU AgBioResearch and MSU Extension, was created to address long-term climate- and water-related challenges in plant agriculture. Overall, research will examine topics such as plant and soil health, carbon sequestration, efficient use of water and protection of water resources. Results will be shared with growers across the state through MSU Extension. In 2024, the State of Michigan provided a one-time $5 million allocation for a competitive grants program, which supports each of the four new projects at roughly $1.25 million over three years. [link]

Patagonia Provisions and Aslan Brewing Company together are launching the World’s First Regenerative Organic Certified IPA, available on draft at the brewery’s Bellingham and Seattle locations for a limited time. Patagonia Provisions x Aslan Brewing Co. World’s First Regenerative Organic Certified IPA is made with Regenerative Organic Certified Kernza, Regenerative Organic Certified Pilsner Malt from Breathe Deep Farm in New York’s Hudson Valley, and organic Chinook Hops and Strata Hops from Washington’s Roy Farms. To become Regenerative Organic Certified, the highest standard for organic agriculture in the world, this beer had to meet stringent requirements for soil health, animal welfare, and social fairness. The Patagonia Provisions x Aslan Brewing Co. World’s First Regenerative Organic Certified IPA is the very first ROC beer. [link]

The growing consumer demand for organic and sustainably produced food items has resulted in increased scrutiny of pesticide residues and stringent organic certification requirements, which in turn is creating solid anticipated growth prospects for the pesticide detection market. This market is valued at US$ 1,892.78 million in 2024 and is anticipated to surpass a valuation of US$ 3,049.50 million by 2034, expanding at a CAGR of 4.90% during this time. Digital technologies and data analytics are a key part of the pesticide detection product offering, transforming workflows by improving data management, analysis, and decision support. Laboratory automation of sample monitoring, data processing, and reporting duties can be achieved using cloud-based platforms, LIMS, and data analytics tools, enhancing workflow efficiency and ensuring regulatory compliance. [link]

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said this week that it had detected viral particles of H5N1 avian influenza in milk purchased at grocery stores, but the agency says it still believes that the milk is safe to drink. In an update about an ongoing outbreak of bird flu in cattle, the FDA noted that it believes the viral particles were detected by highly sensitive lab tests and are likely to have been remnants of viruses killed during the pasteurization process. The agency said that it does not think it is likely that the particles would be able to infect people but it is conducting additional tests to be completely sure. [link]

Ugg has reached its goal to support one million acres of grasslands across 80 sheep farms in Australia. The milestone comes a year ahead of schedule and only four years after the brand established a long-term partnership with Land to Market and Savory Institute to support regenerative agriculture. The partnership started in 2021 when Ugg established a $3.3 million grant with the Savory Institute. The grants were used to develop programs that work to protect and reverse environmental degradation through agriculture aimed at restoring soil, encouraging wildlife diversity, capturing carbon in the ground, and improving land health for future generations. [link]

A workshop was organized by the office of the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA) in India this week, recognizing the need for innovation and revitalization of agroforestry in a region that has long adopted only traditional farming methods. The workshop titled “Reimagining Agroforestry in Meghalaya: The Need for Strengthening and Rethinking” was jointly organized by the Centre of Excellence, the Community-led Landscape Management Project (CLLMP), IORA, and the Government Innovation Lab (SCEP). In addition to identifying the best sustainable agroforestry models across diverse agro-climatic regions of Meghalaya, the workshop dwelt on integrating optimal tree growing and agricultural practices, exploring strategies to enhance existing plantations/agroforestry models or develop new ones, fostering cross-department collaboration to create a stakeholder ecosystem for expanding the benefits of carbon finance through agroforestry, and outlining the requisite support needed for successful agroforestry implementation in Meghalaya. [link]

Governor Kathy Hochul of New York announced that as part of record funding being invested in the State’s agricultural stewardship programs, $28.75 million is now available for on-farm projects through the Climate Resilient Farming grant program. Round 8 of CRF provides critical funding that helps New York’s farmers reduce greenhouse gas emissions, protect water, ensure soil health, and increase on-farm resiliency to the effects of a changing climate. Under the Governor’s leadership, the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget provides $81.8 million through the Environmental Protection Fund, up $4 million from last year, for agricultural programs and initiatives, such as Climate Resilient Farming grant, that are helping farms to implement environmentally sustainable practices and combat climate change. [link]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, wanting to limit the spread of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza, announced that it has mandated testing of HPAI for interstate movement of dairy cattle. The Federal Order becomes effective April 29. Before interstate movement, dairy cattle must receive a negative test for influenza A virus at an approved National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) laboratory. Owners of herds in which dairy cattle test positive for interstate movement will be required to provide epidemiological information, including animal movement tracing. The steps immediately become required for lactating dairy cattle. The requirements for other classes of dairy cattle will be based on scientific factors concerning the virus and its evolving risk profile. [link]

Barry Callebaut, the world's largest chocolate supplier, has launched the Future Farming Initiative (FFI) to build a high-tech and sustainable cocoa farming business under the leadership of Steven Retzlaff, president of Global Cocoa. The group will establish the investment company, FFI, which will be wholly owned by Barry Callebaut, and develop technology and R&D capabilities to be scaled. Barry Callebaut said that FFI intends to be a catalyst for others to invest in farming and create partnerships with farmers to modernize sustainable cocoa farming at scale. [link]

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) announced the launch of a new action-oriented, country-focused initiative to reduce the need for antimicrobials on farms, amid the growing threat posed by Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) in the food and agriculture sector, impacting terrestrial and aquatic animal health, plants and the environment and causing significant economic losses to farmers across the globe. The initiative aims to provide countries with policy support, technical assistance, capacity building, and knowledge sharing to help reduce the need for antimicrobials in livestock production, prioritizing animal health and welfare, mitigating environmental impact, and enhancing food security and nutrition, thus helping to achieve the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals. Working together with governments, farmers, private sector and civil society organizations and other actors, it will promote the “5 Gs” at the farm level: Good Health Services, Good Production Practices, Good Alternatives, Good Connections, and Good Incentives. [link]

In a landmark collaboration, the U.S. National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA) are teaming up to advance foundational research in agricultural robotics. The agencies are issuing a new Dear Colleague Letter to solicit visionary research proposals to develop robots with the potential to revolutionize farming practices. The collaboration stems from a shared recognition of the critical role that robotics can play in addressing challenges in agriculture and food production, such as increased demand for food and the need for precision agriculture practices. By leveraging resources from both agencies, NSF and USDA seek to foster interdisciplinary research that will tackle agricultural challenges and increase sustainability. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late March, Microsoft and climate solutions provider, The Next 150, announced that they have signed a 6-year offtake agreement, with Microsoft purchasing 95,000 tons of carbon removal credits generated by a new biochar production facility in Mexico. See more, here.

April 20, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – WIRED writes about the rise of the carbon farmer. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – S&P Global unpacks mitigation and adaptation pathways toward sustainable agriculture. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Fast Company focuses on an ex-Googler’s new chestnut farm in rural Pennsylvania. Read the article, here.

Industry Updates

The California Farm Bureau has announced it is making $5 million available for citrus growers to implement health-soils practices, while Congress is providing an extra $1.5 million for breeding research. The funding was made possible after the state Department of Food and Agriculture awarded money from the Healthy Soils Program Block Grant to the California Bountiful Foundation, the California Citrus Quality Council and Xerces Society. Grants of up to $200,000 are offered to growers for farm projects such as cover cropping, nutrient management and pollinator-friendly hedgerow plants, the CFB explained. The program is set to support 20 to 45 projects over three years. [link]

The Connecticut Department of Agriculture (CT DoAg) is awarding $1.475 million in state funding to farmers and non-profits involved in production agriculture to invest in long-term climate resiliency projects which will decrease vulnerability to extreme weather events through regenerative agricultural practices. The 20 funded projects are part of the Farmland Restoration, Climate Resiliency and Preparedness Grant, which was authorized by and funded through Connecticut General Statues 22-6c with a focus on restoring and improving land with prime and important farmland soils. Funds can be used for capital investments, including equipment, to implement farming practices that will have a multi-year or cumulative effect on the climate resiliency of the land or farming operation. Awardees will be provided technical assistance by a soil scientist or other advisor assigned by and paid for by CT DoAg and will receive funding to implement the FRCR Plan. [link]

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2022, showing that American agriculture reduced emissions by almost 2% from 2021 to 2022, the largest decrease of any economic sector. Other highlights specific to the agricultural sector include: 12-million-metric-ton reduction in greenhouse gas emissions; 2.1% reduction in livestock GHG emissions; 1.7% reduction in crop cultivation emissions; and 1.2% reduction in fuel combustion emissions. [link]

Nestlé Purina is investing in farmer adoption of regenerative agriculture practices across the company’s corn and soy supply chains through a new partnership with Cargill. This work will support soil health and reduce the carbon footprint for Purina dry pet food products across North America, contributing to a more sustainable future for people and their pets. The partnership is expected to support the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices across more than 200,000 acres of corn and soy farmland in the Midwest and is estimated to reduce the carbon footprint of the Purina grain supply from Cargill by up to 40 percent over the next three years. [link]

For the first time, California water regulators are cracking down on one of the state’s major farming regions for failing to take steps to curb growers’ excessive groundwater pumping, which has sent water levels into rapid decline and is causing the land to sink. The State Water Resources Control Board voted unanimously this week to place the Tulare Lake basin on “probationary” status for failing to adopt sufficient measures to address chronic overpumping. Falling groundwater levels have caused the ground to sink as much as 6 feet in parts of the area over the last decade, and state officials have determined that a local plan for managing groundwater would allow the free fall to continue. They say that without stronger measures, hundreds of household wells are at risk of running dry. It’s the first time California officials have used their authority to intervene in a community to force stronger measures to rein in the depletion of groundwater, as required under the state’s decade-old Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, known as SGMA. [link]

The State Bank of Vietnam announced that more than 15 trillion Vietnamese dong ($597 million) has been disbursed under a credit scheme to support Vietnamese agroforestry and aquatic sectors since July last year. The loans, with interest rates lower than market rates by 1 percent to 2 percent annually, have been designed to help the sectors cope with and overcome difficulties experienced during this turbulent period. Dao Minh Tu, the bank's deputy governor, said the central bank was willing to increase the amount to over 30 trillion dong ($1.2 billion) if there is strong demand within the sectors. [link]

The Michigan State University Extension Field Crops Virtual Breakfast Series is hosting Abby Smith with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) on April 25 to discuss conservation practices and soil health. The morning will wrap up with Jeff Andresen, Michigan State University climatologist, providing a weather outlook for the state. The Breakfast Series is live via Zoom every Thursday morning from 7 - 8 AM, March 21 through September 19. Participation is free, with discussions on a wide range of topics pertinent to farming. [link]

Iowa State University will host Sarah Castle from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, on its Iowa Learning Farms (ILF) conservation webinar April 24 to discuss agroforestry on Midwest farms. Castle’s research focuses on advancing knowledge of agroforestry systems, including silvopasture, windbreaks, riparian buffers and alley cropping. Through her work, she aims to illuminate spatial targeting opportunities for agroforestry, understand its potential contributions to conservation and profitability, and examine the broader policy implications to support the adoption of these practices. [link]

Newly awarded grant funding through the federal Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) is boosting support for agroforestry-related projects in Hawaii addressing diverse aspects of urban and community forestry. The Kaulunani Urban and Community Forestry Program, part of the Department of Land and Natural Resources' Division of Forestry and Wildlife (DOFAW), will support three-year projects centered on community tree nurseries, urban forest management plans, intergenerational food forests, new public green spaces, and more, across the state. [link]

Hellmann’s has launched a “Save Our Sandwiches” (S.O.S.) campaign to spread awareness around regenerative farming practices for growing crops like soybeans, a key ingredient in its mayonnaise product, which is often added to sandwiches. The effort connects soil erosion to the looming “extinction” of four sandwiches often filled with mayo —  the BLT, turkey club, Italian sub and egg salad — and includes a microsite that doles out coupons and plushie sandwiches. Campaign print and digital out-of-home (OOH) ads mourn the looming “death date” of mayonnaise and the sandwiches it compliments. The activation, tied to the brand’s $30 million commitment to regenerative farming, follows other purpose-driven marketing plays. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

Earlier this month, Anthropologie announced a partnership with Kiss the Ground to improve awareness and engagement on regenerative agriculture and its contributions to a healthier planet. See more, here.

April 13, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Loop News writes about how Indian farmers are embracing natural farming to fight climate change effects. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – McKinsey highlights results from a recent farm survey with some interesting takeaways for regenerative agriculture. Check it out, here.

Industry Updates

The County of Kaua‘i’s Office of Economic Development in Hawaii has announced the recipients of its Agriculture Farm Expansion Grants (AFEG) for Fiscal Year 2023-2024. This is the first year that the county offered funding for AFEG with the intent to advance Kaua‘i’s agricultural industry through targeted investments in the expansion of farming across the island. A selection committee reviewed and scored all the eligible projects and funded (partially or fully) nine proposals for a total of $429,843. The list of projects includes expanding local organic crops, composting, agroforestry nursery operations, farm equipment, and more. [link]

Southern blight is a deadly soilborne diseases that infects more than 500 plant species worldwide, including in the southern United States. It is increasingly creeping northward and starting to affect apple production in Pennsylvania. The causal organism, Sclerotium (Athelia) rolfsiii, is a fungus that affects the lower part of the tree, killing roots and girdling trees. It most commonly affects young apple trees less than three years old. Chances are that the disease has been present in Pennsylvania soils for a while, however climactic conditions have not been favorable for the fungus until recently. [link]

More than $1.1 million has been awarded to eight organizations to implement key environmental education initiatives in their local communities, under the New South Wales (NSW), Australia Environmental Trust's Environmental Education Grants Program. The Environmental Education program supports projects that help communities to learn, acquire new skills, and be inspired to act in ways that are good for the environment. Examples of projects funded under the Environmental Research Grants Program include money for rebuilding communities and biodiversity after flooding events, helping school communities address climate change by creating an environmental education directory, and collaboration with farmers and landowners to address land degradation and the promotion of regenerative agricultural practices. [link]

New York-based controlled environment agriculture company, Square Roots, has unveiled a program that aims to remove lighting from commercial indoor vertical farming systems to reduce energy demands and costs. Through partnerships and focused research, the company says it is exploring techniques like heterotrophic growing to operate indoor farms in the dark, with the goal of lower production costs and environmental impact while maintaining year-round fresh food production. The program seeks to demonstrate that light can be removed from a commercial indoor vertical farming system; the benefits of indoor farming remain, but the system can now operate with radically reduced energy needs. This translates directly to significantly lower production costs and associated carbon dioxide equivalent, or CO2e. [link]

Applegate, a leading natural and organic meat brand, has announced a new partnership with American Farmland Trust in the form of a $50,000 donation to the Brighter Future Fund, a program that helps farmers and ranchers nationwide improve the protection of their farmland together with the adoption of regenerative agricultural practices. Applegate's donation will fund grants, valued up to $5,000, for livestock farmers or ranchers who are working to become more resilient and viable. [link]

The Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi) announced that it has decided to allow the use of environmental attribute certificates like carbon offsets for abatement purposes on the Scope 3 emissions of corporations, reversing a long-standing position against their usage. SBTi considers this step a way to accelerate the decarbonization of value chains with compensation logic while companies make their way to eliminate carbon emissions at the root through innovation and technology improvements. As part of the Standard revision process, a first draft of basic rules, thresholds, and guardrails for the potential use of environmental attribute certificates for abatement purposes of Scope 3 emissions will be issued by SBTi by July 2024. [link]

The UN International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Land Conservation Organization (OCT) unveiled the new CompensaAÇÃO (CompensACTION) project: Promotion of Payment for Environmental Services (PES) for deforestation-free supply chains in Brazil. CompensAÇÃO will be a joint investment of US$4.9 million by IFAD and the Republic of Germany and will be implemented in the Atlantic Forest biome, one of the areas most threatened by deforestation in the world. The main objective of CompensAÇÃO is to create the conditions for promoting agroforestry transition in cocoa production areas. Payment to producers for ecosystem services will take the form of materials for reforestation and cash compensation. [link]

Food security and biodiversity are both helped by diversified farming techniques, with little negative impact, according to a new paper that includes research from two Washington State University professors. In one study across 30 different locations in four states, researchers found that the more complex and diverse a farm, the wider the diversity of wild birds it supported, and that the birds were a net positive for the farms. Another study reviewed trees on farms showing that food security was enhanced due to trees providing food and income sources for farmers themselves, while maintaining yields of legacy crops in the production system. [link]

Kirin Holdings and its subsidiary, Kirin Beverage, have entered a partnership with the Rainforest Alliance on a project to develop and pilot a regenerative agriculture tea framework, “The Regenerative Tea Scorecard.” The Regenerative Tea Scorecard is based on the Rainforest Alliance’s definition of regenerative agriculture, which takes a conservation and restoration approach to farming by combining environmentally friendly farming practices with integrated systems management strategies to ensure soil health, on-farm biodiversity conservation, ecosystem restoration, and improved farmer livelihoods. The Scorecard is intended to be a tool that farmers and companies can use voluntarily and easily to support tea farms in their transition to regenerative farming. The project will begin in some tea plantations in Sri Lanka, the main producer of the tea leaves used in Kirin Gogo-no-Kocha, and a pilot test is scheduled for 2024. [link]

Hoping to cash in on $4.6 billion in federal grants from the Inflation Reduction Act, the state of Nebraska has put together its first ever Priority Climate Action Plan. Agriculture is a major focus in the plan. Although agriculture contributes to 10% of emissions nationwide, it is a larger part of the economy in Nebraska and therefore a bigger part of the greenhouse gas emissions at 42% of the total in 2021, according to the plan. The climate action plan sets the goal of reducing the amount of carbon Nebraska emits to the atmosphere by 25.7 million metric tons by 2030, with 86% of the cut coming from agriculture. To get to that goal, encouraging farmers to use more regenerative practices and precision equipment is one focus. The plan proposes to create a carbon intensity score registry that would help measure the impact those farming practices are having. [link]

Retail co-op PCC Community Markets recently hosted PCC’s Convening on Regenerative and Organic Food Systems, wherein the retailer worked with roughly 85 food system leaders representing 55 organizations to consider the next steps for regenerative agriculture. The event addressed issues facing growers, producers, and retail outlets that distribute regeneratively-grown crops. PCC said that regenerative agriculture is inconsistently defined and as a result, it and other retailers have seen a spike in unverifiable claims that products are regenerative or produced via regenerative agricultural practices. The lack of industrywide standards means an increasing risk that unverified claims will undermine the integrity of organics or lead to greenwashed marketing and misled consumers, said PCC. [link]

Woolworths grocery chain in New Zealand said that its suppliers are increasingly using drones amid a push for regenerative agriculture and water conservation. Specifically, the group’s suppliers are using drone technology to identify plants under stress, allowing farmers to make data-driven decisions and conserve water resources. Farmers can monitor the health of crops and detect signs of strain by utilizing drones with advanced sensors, allowing for targeted irrigation and resource management. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late March, a group of U.S. Senators introduced the EMIT LESS Act to reduce methane emissions from livestock. See more, here.

April 6, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – IPM News discusses the oldest soil sample archive in the world, located in Illinois. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – The Wall Street Journal gives an update on bird flu spreading across dairy farms in the U.S.; the beef sector is on high alert. Check it out, here.

Industry Updates

Banfi, producer and importer of fine wines, announced that its organic wine label, Natura, will partner with globally recognized environmental organization, 1% For The Planet. By joining the network, Banfi is committing 1% of total Natura sales in the USA being redistributed back to investment in the environment. As a member of 1% For The Planet, Natura is partnering with Rodale Institute to help increase regenerative organic acreage throughout the USA. The 501(c)(3) nonprofit’s mission is to advance groundbreaking research and best-in-class education that enables farms and farmers to transition to regenerative organic agricultural practices, thereby improving the health of the world’s soil and securing the global food supply. [link]

Anthropologie has forged a partnership with Kiss the Ground, a nonprofit promoting regeneration and healthy soil as a viable solution to the wellness, water and climate crisis. Kicking off Earth Month, Anthropologie hopes to improve awareness, education and engagement around regenerative agriculture and how it contributes to a healthier planet. Anthropologie and Kiss the Ground will work together to generate awareness and involvement through collaborative programming. Through the partnership, Anthropologie has committed to an annual donation of $100,000 to Kiss the Ground, as well as offering their customers the opportunity to contribute through roundup at checkout donations in all Anthropologie stores worldwide throughout April. Anthropologie will also introduce its first regenerative cotton capsule collection. The line will reimagine existing customer favorites, now made with third-party certified regenerative cotton. [link]

A person in Texas tested positive for avian influenza after exposure to dairy cattle presumed to be infected with the H5N1 bird flu, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this week. The case marks the second known instance that a person in the U.S. has been infected with H5N1 bird flu. The person reported eye redness, or conjunctivitis, as their only symptom and is being treated with an antiviral drug. The U.S. Agriculture Department reported the avian influenza in dairy cows in Texas and Kansas in late March this year. Unpasteurized milk from sick cattle at two dairy farms in Kansas and one in Texas, as well as a throat swab from a cow in Texas, tested positive for the same strain of the virus that is currently widespread among birds. [link]

Twenty members of the U.S. House of Representatives wrote a letter to House Agriculture Committee Leadership urging them to include a voluntary crop insurance premium incentive program for farmers who plant cover crops in the upcoming Farm Bill. The lawmakers note that drought, rain, and extreme weather have stressed America’s soils and crop insurance payments have risen more than 400% for drought-related losses, and nearly 300% for rain and flooding-related losses between 1995 and 2020. Without mitigating actions, climate change will continue to exacerbate losses and the cost of the Federal Crop Insurance Program (FCIP) could increase anywhere from 10 to 37%. Cover crops are a solution to help farmers mitigate risk. A 2023 study found that higher cover-crop adoption led to lower levels of crop insurance losses due to prevented planting. Another study found that just a 1% increase in cover crop adoption led to nearly $40 million in savings. [link]

New research from Curtin University underscores how rising temperatures threaten to turn Australia’s soil into a net carbon emitter, exacerbating the climate crisis. As temperatures increase, the ability of Australia's soil to continue holding carbon diminishes. Additionally, under certain conditions, it can even begin to release stored carbon back into the atmosphere. Professor Raphael Viscarra Rossel and his team at Curtin University estimate that under a "middle of the road" emissions scenario, soil emissions in Australia could contribute over 14% of the country's total emissions by 2045, increasing significantly more by 2100. This is particularly critical in sensitive coastal areas and the nation’s extensive rangelands, which hold an estimated 70% of the country’s soil carbon reserves. [link]

Nestlé has launched a key environmental performance improvement drive, aiming to deliver two new products alongside suppliers Cargill and development group, ETG | Beyond Beans, as part of existing net zero 2050 commitments. The new five-year initiative is tasked with reducing and removing carbon emissions from Nestle's supply chains by implementing  agroforestry and regenerative agriculture within core cocoa communities. The scheme will involve planting over 2 million shade trees on cocoa land managed by close to 20,000 farmers in Ghana and Ivory Coast, with an ultimate goal of removing over 500,000 metric tons of carbon over a 20-year period. [link]

Fairtrade Africa, Max Havelaar France and the French Development Agency (AFD France) have launched the Ghana Agroforestry for Impact (GAIM) Project at a short ceremony in Goaso, in the Ahafo region of Ghana. Ghana is the second largest cocoa producer in the world and cocoa is the main export crop. Cocoa production in Ghana faces challenges like increasing environmental degradation, deforestation, ageing farmers, pests and diseases and climate change. The project will focus on the intensification of production systems using Dynamic Agroforestry Techniques; gender and youth inclusion; a feasibility study to establish payment for environmental services; market studies for diversified crop distribution, and more. [link]

BASF and Solidaridad have partnered to understand how sustainable farming activities can have an increased effect on biodiversity, environmental conservation and the coexistence of agriculture and pollinators like bees. The project will be conducted within a network of small to mid-sized soybean farmers in Brazil. The partners will be supported by two organizations: GeoApis, to monitor managed bees and facilitate communication between farmers and beekeepers, and Wheatley Young Partners, to assess the feasibility of a nature-market in Brazil, where farmers are paid to deliver and maintain environmental service projects on their land. The first phase of the project started in January 2024 and is set to run for twelve months. [link]

ThriveAgric has launched a strategic partnership with Acorn Rabobank in a project committed to sustainable agroforestry practices and carbon market development in Nigeria. The initiative aims to enable over 30,000+ smallholder farmers to gain carbon credit access while benefiting from the adoption of agroforestry practices. The project seeks to enhance carbon sequestration, promote biodiversity, improve soil health, and provide economic benefits to local communities impacting smallholder farmers across 9 states including Kaduna, Gombe, Adamawa, Taraba, Bauchi, Jigawa, Niger, Nassarawa, and Kano states, affording them the opportunity to receive additional income from carbon credits and other climate-smart benefits on the initiative. [link]

Demand is high for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) new Soil Health Financial Assistance Grant, which recently awarded 81 grants to individual producers, producer groups, and local governments to purchase or retrofit soil health equipment. The grants total over $2.35 million. Interest far outpaced available funding. The MDA received 284 applications for $8.4 million in requests – more than three times the money in this round of grants. The grants will provide up to 50% cost-share for equipment and parts, up to a cap of $50,000. The soil health practices on those acres include cover cropping, no-till planting, strip tillage, incorporation of perennials into cropping systems, low-disturbance nutrient application, and more. The most common types of equipment noted in the grant awards were no-till drills (21) and strip tillage equipment (12). [link]

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced the availability of $1.5 billion in fiscal year 2024 to invest in conservation and climate solutions through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is accepting project proposals now through July 2, 2024, that will help farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners adopt and expand conservation strategies to enhance natural resources while tackling the climate crisis. Additionally, NRCS is announcing progress on its effort to streamline and simplify RCPP and improve processes and implementation. [link]

The U.S. government announced a $6.97 billion investment from the National Clean Investment Fund (NCIF) to Climate United, a national nonprofit focused on delivering the benefits of green technologies to communities across the county. The coalition, composed of Calvert Impact, the Community Preservation Corporation (CPC), and Self-Help, was one of several entities competing to manage a portion of the NCIF, one of three programs under the $27 billion Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF). Agricultural climate solutions that may be financed through this opportunity include renewable energy technologies, farm energy efficiency upgrades, technologies to capture or reduce livestock methane emissions, farming practices that reduce nitrous oxide emissions from fertilizer use on crops, and more. In alignment with the Biden Administration's Justice40 initiative, Climate United has committed to deploy at least 60 percent of funds in low-income and disadvantaged communities, at least 20 percent in rural communities, and at least 10 percent in Native communities. [link]

In observance of Earth Month, New Seasons Market is launching "Building Better Soil for a Healthier Future," an effort in which the neighborhood grocer and select vendor partners are collaborating to contribute to the vitality of the planet. During the month of April, more than 25 brands found at New Seasons Market’s 21 stores will donate ONE PERCENT of their sales to benefit Zero Foodprint, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping farmers and ranchers implement regenerative agricultural practices. In collaboration, New Seasons Market will also contribute one percent of its Partner Brand private label product sales. [link]

Grass-fed beef producer American Farmers Network (AFN) announced that it has established and implemented criteria for regeneratively raised beef standards through its network of family ranchers, and that it stands ready to lead the effort for a viable certification program across the United States. The company said it already received USDA approval to use the Regenerative Agriculture claim on its packaging for products currently distributed through retail chains across the country. The goal is for future certification criteria across the country to encompass various aspects of beef production, including grazing management, soil health, animal welfare and social responsibility. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In January, Boulder County in Colorado announced the launch of the Soil Health Initiative, a new grant program providing $1.1 million to local food producers for projects that foster soil health while advancing sustainable agriculture practices. See more, here.

March 30, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Columbia Climate School writes about the emerging field of sustainable agriculture. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – UC Santa Barbara says that small changes can yield big savings in agricultural water use. Check it out, here.

Industry Updates

North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University is at the forefront of a transformative initiative aiming to democratize access to agricultural research and technology across North Carolina. The Climate-Responsive Opportunities in Plant Science (CROPS) project, powered by a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation’s Regional Innovation Engines, seeks to establish an Agricultural Tech Innovation Corridor stretching from central to eastern North Carolina. The project is poised to lower barriers to market entry for limited-resource farmers and equip them to navigate the challenges posed by climate change. By facilitating access to research-based farming practices and new technologies, CROPS intends to foster entrepreneurial development and sustainable agricultural practices among new, underserved, and small-acreage farmers. [link]

Organizers of the fourth annual Agroforestry Open Weekend are expecting a surge of interest from UK farmers, with agroforestry set to receive targeted payments in England under the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) in 2024. The open weekend takes place from May 17-20, with more than 40 farms in the UK and Ireland expected to open their gates and share knowledge and best practice to those who may be new to agroforestry. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) is promising payments of up to £849/ha for farmers who maintain agroforestry, well above the old Basic Payment Scheme that paid farmers a flat rate of about £250/ha for a wide variety of crops. [link]

Denim manufacturer, Soorty, has launched a regenerative agriculture farming initiative in Pakistan aimed at boosting sustainability practices in the industry. The company's Regenagri Initiative in Pakistan has been developed with the Rural Education & Economic Development Society (REEDS) and is aimed at revitalizing agricultural ecosystems through regenerative farming. With the initiative, Soorty not only seeks to produce cotton in a more environmentally friendly manner that fosters transparency and traceability throughout the supply chain but also aims to uplift local farming communities by providing them with the knowledge and resources needed for sustainable cultivation, creating a sustainable agricultural ecosystem for generations to come. [link]

Microsoft and climate solutions provider, The Next 150, announced that they have signed a 6-year offtake agreement, with Microsoft purchasing 95,000 tons of carbon removal credits generated by a new biochar production facility in Mexico. Biochar, or biological charcoal, is produced by heating biomass, such as forest residue, wood or crop waste, in the absence of oxygen, creating a stable form of carbon, which when buried in soil enables centuries-long carbon sequestration, in addition to leading to improved soil fertility. Founded in 2022, Switzerland-based The Next 150 is a carbon removal venture developer and operator, aimed at investing and scaling climate solutions projects in emerging markets that generate positive environmental and financial outcomes. [link]

New research published in the journal Field Crops Research uncovers how soil fumigation influences soil health across different soil types, with a particular focus on potato fields in Wisconsin, USA. A research team from the University of Wisconsin-Madison collected soil and potato samples from seven commercial potato fields in Wisconsin, with some subjected to fumigation with metam sodium and others left unfumigated. The findings present a nuanced view of soil fumigation’s effects. In central Wisconsin’s sandy soils, fumigated plots not only yielded higher potato outputs but also showcased increased bacterial diversity and microbial-mediated carbon retention compared to their unfumigated counterparts. Conversely, in the northern loamy soils, the results were flipped, with unfumigated plots outperforming the fumigated ones on these fronts. A particularly intriguing discovery was the close association between soil bacterial community diversity and yield responses to fumigation. This suggests that the benefits or drawbacks of fumigation are intricately linked to the microbial life within the soil, highlighting the importance of microbial diversity in agricultural sustainability. [link]

In response to longer and more intense droughts, Indigenous Tolupan farmers in Honduras are turning to agroforestry and agroecology strategies to adapt to the changing climate. The strategies include diversifying their crops, building water storage systems, introducing methods to better conserve water in the soil, and building up banks of native seeds. Although Honduras wasn’t among the 22 countries that declared a drought emergency in 2022 and 2023, severe heat waves and El Niño events are hitting harvests hard, leading to an exodus of young people out of rural areas. Locals participating in the adaptation initiative say it’s starting to bear fruit and give them hope — a precious resource in a dry land. [link]

Farmers in Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia will get new support for conservation practices through two grants awarded to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) as part of a historic investment in Bay restoration and community engagement, EPA announced this week. CBF’s projects are among 82 new Bay conservation grants worth $35 million awarded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), a nonprofit that administers several Chesapeake Bay grant programs. The 82 grants will leverage $32 million in matching contributions for a total conservation impact of $67 million, according to a NFWF release. [link]

U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) introduced the Enteric Methane Innovation Tools for Lower Emissions and Sustainable Stock (EMIT LESS) Act to voluntarily reduce methane emissions from dairy and beef cattle across America’s family farms and ranches. Enteric methane is naturally emitted during the digestive process of most livestock species. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas many times more potent than carbon dioxide. The EMIT LESS Act aims to address enteric methane by expanding research at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for products (e.g. feed additives) and practices that reduce these emissions while creating voluntary incentives through conservation programs to help get those products into the hands of farmers and ranchers. [link]

UPM Biochemicals is entering the agrochemicals market with the launch of a new range of bio-based plant stimulants, UPM Solargo. UPM Solargo biostimulants offer a sustainable solution for agriculture, providing proven benefits for various crops while reducing their environmental footprint. Unlike conventional fertilizers, UPM Solargo biostimulants enhance plant growth by improving soil microbiome quality and increasing water retention. They do not directly supply nutrients to the plant but instead improve nutrient absorption, utilization efficiency, and stress tolerance. They have the potential to help decrease the demand for classical NPK fertilizers, which contribute up to 80% of CO2 emissions in crop production. [link]

The USDA released its 2024 Prospective Plantings report, showing that American farmers will plant more soybean acres and fewer corn and wheat acres for 2024. Corn acreage is pegged at 90 million acres for 2024, down from 94.6 million acres last year and below analyst estimates of 92.5 million acres. Soybean acreage is pegged at 86.5 million acres for 2024, up from 83.6 million acres last year and slightly below analyst estimates of 87 million acres. The report pegged 2024 wheat acreage at 47.5 million acres, down from 49.6 million acres last year and above analyst estimates of 46.5 million acres. [link]

An event to mark the completion of a China-funded agroforestry project in Myanmar was held in Myanmar's capital Nay Pyi Taw this week, according to a release by the Chinese Embassy in Myanmar. Speaking at the event, Myanmar's Union Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation U Khin Maung Yi said that agroforestry will help develop the economy and protect the forest ecological system in the Southeast Asian country. He added that the project, with pilot zones of nearly 700 acres in three villages in Nay Pyi Taw, Yangon and Bago regions, has benefited nearly 200 villagers. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

Earlier this month, Patagonia Provisions announced the introduction of three new varieties of vegan-friendly Regenerative Organic Certified pasta. See more, here.

March 23, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Civil Eats discusses how vineyards are laying the groundwork for a regenerative farm future. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – Modern Farmer notes that soil blocking has many benefits. What is it, and how can you get started? Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – The Wall Street Journal writes about how sustainable agriculture is getting a push from big corporations. Check out the story, here.

Industry Updates

Congressman John Duarte (R-CA-13), a member of the House Ag Committee, says he’s unsure if we will see a new Farm Bill introduced and passed in the U.S. in 2024. Duarte notes that farm programs for conservation will spend a significant amount of money over the next few years and that Republicans would prefer to stretch that money out over 10 years, instead. Unless Republicans and Democrats can make a deal, Duarte believes that Congress will extend the 2018 Farm Bill another year into 2025. [link]

The University of Nebraska-Lincoln (UNL) will host a Nebraska Soil Health School on Wednesday, April 24, at UNL’s High Plains Ag Lab in Sidney. The Nebraska Soil Health Schools are designed to build upon soil-related knowledge and practices for growers, crop consultants, ag professionals, and others. The HPAL event will focus on soil health topics in relation to dryland cropping systems, with the following presentations: soil health; the impacts of tillage, biochar, and cover crops; carbon markets; semi-arid systems management; and more. [link]

Brock University’s cutting-edge research that advances Canada’s grape and wine industry is expanding from lab to field to other areas of agriculture thanks to a $3.5-million grant from the Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI). The funding supports the Clean Agriculture for Sustainable Production (CASP) Field Infrastructure project, which will include the establishment of a Brock-led research farm where scientists from Brock, other institutions and industry will develop agricultural innovations. Specific project workstreams will focus on producing virus-free grapevines for the grape and wine industries; a better understanding of vine interactions with other plants and organisms; and research on precision agriculture. [link]

Invasive species can crowd out native species and damage agricultural production, leading to significant costs over time. While solutions themselves can be costly, a new movement is being created to put them on people's dinner plates. The idea, known as invasivorism, refers to eating invasive species to help control their havoc-wreaking populations. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Invasive Species Information Center estimates invasive species cost Americans at least $26 billion a year due to their impact on local environments and economies. Chefs worldwide have started looking to invasive species as sustainable, and even beneficial, ingredients. Still, the movement has struggled to gain traction in part due to consumer concerns over taste and environmental impact. [link]

Scientists from the EPFL in Switzerland have developed a sustainable method to make high-performance plastics from agricultural leftovers, turning them into valuable materials. A study led by Jeremy Luterbacher's team at EPFL unveils a pioneering approach to producing high-performance plastics from renewable resources, introducing a novel method for creating polyamides - a class of plastics known for their strength and durability, the most famous of which are nylons - using a sugar core derived from agricultural waste. The bio-based polyamides exhibit properties that can compete with their fossil counterparts, offering a promising alternative for various applications. [link]

Canada's Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, along with its Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, have announced an investment of $1.9 million in the Common Ground Canada Network project led by Karen Foster, Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Rural Futures for Atlantic Canada, at Dalhousie University. The investment, made through the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Network on Sustainable Agriculture in a Net-Zero Economy initiative, will focus on the development of a new national research network that works to advance sustainable agricultural sectors and food systems to support a just transition to net-zero in Canada. The Common Ground Canada Network is intended to promote collaboration and partnerships between academic institutions, research institutes, Indigenous communities, non-governmental organizations, industry and producers. [link]

This week, American Farmland Trust announced a major step in its efforts to preserve local food sources in the U.S., creating a "U.S Farmed" certification program. The certification and seal are designed to show a brand sources at least 95 percent of its agricultural ingredients from American farms. AFT announced Anheuser-Busch as the first company to earn the seal. [link]

Specialty finance shop Mad Capital has launched its Perennial Fund II that provides US farmers with loans to help them transition to regenerative and/or organic agriculture. The fund has received early commitments from The Rockefeller Foundation, impact investment platform Builders Vision, the Schmidt Family Foundation, family office Lacebark Investments, and many others. The fund, which is targeting $50 million, has already made two closes and is “actively” deploying capital to farmers, says Mad Capital co-founder and CEO Brandon Welch. [link]

Southern Cross University in Australia has produced an online survey in order to understand grain farmers' perceptions of regenerative agriculture, along with their farming practices and goals. The university is seeking 500 crop farmers around the country, followed by an effort to recruit 75 grain growers for a broader three-year project. The ultimate goal is to establish effective ways to monitor the potential benefits or disadvantages of regenerative agriculture in Australian cropping systems across a range of agronomic, soil health, ecological, social, and economic indicators. [link]

The UK has pledged £6 million to help train Zambian farmers in “climate-smart agriculture” and reduce deforestation, the Government has said. The funding aims to boost Zambia’s efforts to curb rapid agricultural expansion into forests and woodlands, to help protect nature and cut emissions from deforestation that contribute to climate change. The investment is part of the BioCarbon Fund Initiative for Sustainable Forest Landscapes, a global program to support projects that reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainable land use and conservation of forests. [link]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is inviting public comments for 45 days on a draft environmental impact statement (EIS) and draft plant pest risk assessment (PPRA) in response to a petition from Bayer CropScience U.S. seeking to deregulate their MON 87429 corn cultivar. This cultivar was produced through genetic engineering to tolerate the herbicides dicamba, glufosinate, quizalofop, 2,4-D, and tissue-specific glyphosate. Bayer states in their petition that the MON 87429 cultivar is intended for hybrid seed production and is unlikely to pose plant pest risks. The draft EIS examines potential environmental and socioeconomic impacts that may result from approving Bayer’s petition to deregulate their MON 87429 corn cultivar. The draft PPRA examines potential plant pest risks. [link]

Global food and beverage company Nestlé has launched two new projects aimed at reducing and removing carbon emissions from the company’s cocoa supply chain. Developed with suppliers Cargill and ETG | Beyond Beans, the new five-year projects will promote agroforestry, accelerate the transition to regenerative agriculture and support the reforestation of degraded lands around cocoa farming communities. Nestlé, home to leading chocolate brands including Kit Kat and Nesquik, is one the world’s largest corporate cocoa consumers, sourcing roughly 430,000 tons per year, with much of the supply sourced from Ghana and the Ivory Coast. [link]

Farmers in Cornwall, England are planting thousands of trees on their land as part of a government-funded project to create more woodlands and tree cover across the country. More than 4,000 trees have already been planted as part of pilot projects, with an overall target of 32,000 by next winter. Cornwall Council's Forest for Cornwall team supports the agroforestry pilot projects with funding from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' Woodland Creation Partnership Fund. [link]

Bayer has announced a partnership with UK-headquartered company, Trinity Agtech, wishing to leverage its platform "Sandy", which will be instrumental for Bayer's Carbon Initiative to measure and monitor carbon at the farm level in the EMEA region. The cooperation will also enable the customized development of Bayer's solutions to value chain players’ needs and growers based on Trinity's capabilities. Early project results show that growers that are using regenerative practices are emitting on average 15 percent less carbon than conventional farmers. [link]

A new study published in Science this week finds that expanding organic cropland can lead to increased pesticide use in surrounding non-organic fields, offsetting some environmental benefits. These harmful "spillover effects" can be mitigated if organic farms are clustered together and geographically separated from conventional farms, the researchers found. One of the main issues relates to tradeoffs involving beneficial species like birds and spiders that prey on insect pests to farmers and their crop land. Organic fields can harbor more of these beneficial species, however this can drive pests into nearby conventional fields. [link]

Researchers from the University of Bonn and the Swiss Federal Institution of Technology (ETH) Zurich have published a database containing over 6,000 agri-environmental policies, thus enabling their peers as well as policymakers and businesses to seek answers to all manner of different questions. The researchers have used two examples to demonstrate how this can be done: how a country's economic development is linked to its adoption of agri-environmental policies and how such policies impact soil erosion. Their study has now been published in Nature Food. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late February, KIWA Radio (Kansas) did a story on how U.S. farmers were getting concerned about dry soil heading into planting season this year. See more, here. This concern continues to be in place, as evidenced by a recent story from KGFW in Nebraska.

March 16, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Food Business News writes that the global cocoa market is teetering on the brink of chaos. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – Civil Eats says that fungi are helping farmers unlock the secrets of soil carbon. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – The Wall Street Journal discusses the new science that attributes ultra-processed foods to negative impacts on our brains. Check out the story, here.

Industry Updates

Red Tractor, the food chain assurance scheme in the UK, has confirmed that it is dropping plans to launch a green farming assurance standard in April. The British food assurance body sparked uproar from farmers across the UK last year when it announced the Greener Farms Commitment (GFC) – an optional standard for farmers that meet certain environmental criteria. Farmers feared the GFC would eventually evolve into a requirement for market access and would mean they foot the bill for implementing sustainability measures on behalf of supermarkets. Following the backlash, Red Tractor halted the development of the GFC as the National Farmers Union (NFU) carried out a governance review into the organization. [link]

Walmart Inc. plans to build its third milk processing plant in Robinson, Texas. The plant is scheduled to open in 2026. Walmart opened its first milk processing plant in 2018, in Fort Wayne, Ind., and previously announced a $350 million facility in Valdosta, Ga., which is scheduled to open in 2025. Building its own milk processing plants gives the retailer better visibility into the sources of its products and strengthens its supply chain, according to the company. [link]

Extension specialists at the University of California and University of Arizona have teamed up on a prototype steam applicator that injects steam into the soil to kill weeds and control soilborne pathogens. Work for the prototype was funded by the Propane Council. It works on a simple process of injecting steam several inches into the soil to raise the temperature sufficiently to kill the targeted seeds and pests, without sterilizing the soil. Studies have shown that heating the soil to 140 degrees for over 20 minutes at a depth of two inches effectively kills 89% of the weed seeds ahead of planting. [link]

Leaders with University of Idaho’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) dedicated a new laboratory in Parma that promises to advance crop science and technology, helping farmers adapt to a changing world. More than 200 stakeholders attended the grand opening of the 9,600-square-foot Idaho Center for Plant and Soil Health, which contains laboratory space for research in nematology, pomology, plant pathology, microbiology and hops quality. CALS launched the campaign to construct the $12.1 million facility in 2019. Construction was made possible thanks to $3 million in donations from agricultural stakeholders, in addition to investment from the university and the state of Idaho. [link]

First Milk, a prominent UK dairy processor, has introduced a variable regenerative bonus for its suppliers, designed to acknowledge and reward farmers for their dedicated efforts in advancing regenerative farming practices. The variable regenerative bonus is an additional incentive on top of an existing 0.5 pence per liter regenerative bonus already in place, which is tied to the successful completion of a regenerative farming plan each year. This new multi-tiered bonus structure will better demonstrate First Milk's commitment to promoting sustainability and supporting farmers engaged in regenerative practices. [link]

Saskatchewan Minister of Agriculture, David Marit, announced a funding commitment of $15 million over five years to the Global Institute for Food Security (GIFS) at the University of Saskatchewan in Canada. Founded in 2012 as part of the University of Saskatchewan’s world-class agri-science hub, GIFS works with its partners to provide expertise and leadership in the discovery, development and delivery of innovative solutions to produce globally sustainable food. The funding for GIFS will provide $3 million each year from 2023-2027 to support its ongoing operations, contributing to Saskatchewan’s agriculture sector through work such as supporting crop breeding through sequencing, bioinformatics and data analytics services or technology development that facilitates commercialization of new products. [link]

Amsterdam is the latest city to back the citizen-led Plant Based Treaty, which acknowledges that food can't be ignored when it comes to dealing with the climate crisis. The non-binding Plant Based Treaty now has 26 municipalities pledging to take the matter seriously, including Los Angeles; Didim, Turkey; Kyotera, Uganda; Norwich, U.K., and 15 cities in India, where nearly four in 10 people identify as vegetarian, the highest rate in the world. The treaty is modelled after the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty – a global agreement to phase out oil and gas production. Among the Plant Based Treaty’s goals are halting deforestation attributed to animal agriculture, pushing for subsidies that incentivize a plant-based food system, and freeing up land to rewild and reforest the earth. [link]

A $25 million Ecotron project at the University of Idaho is nearly finished and expected to become operational by 2026. An Ecotron is a device that allows scientists to drill into the soil and obtain samples on the microbes, chemicals, minerals and elements present in the ground. There are 13 other Ecotron projects in the world, most of them in Europe, but none of them will go as deep as the one at the University of Idaho. Idaho researchers say most of the soil examination is done to a depth of about a foot, but not much further. Researchers say they expect to make a lot of new discoveries and ultimately find ways to improve soil conditions and help boost farming production. [link]

Brazil's soybean crop is estimated to be down 4% from last year, following a hot and dry growing season. Despite recent rainfall and a break in temperatures, analysts say that more precipitation is still required to recover soil moisture. [link]

The Biden-Harris Administration has released the President’s Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2025 (FY25), requesting $29.2 billion in discretionary budget authority for USDA, roughly $900 million less than the Administration’s FY24 request. Of note, the budget would increase funding for Conservation Technical Assistance (+8.5%) and the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (+77%) compared to the FY2023 enacted level. [link]

Tyson Foods, Inc. is closing a pork processing plant in Perry, Iowa. The closing is scheduled to happen on June 28, according to a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notice filed with the state of Iowa. The company has closed several plants during the past year. In March 2023, Tyson announced it would close its Van Buren, Ark., and Glen Allen, Va., poultry processing facilities. Five months later, the company announced an additional four plant closings, those in North Little Rock, Ark.; Corydon, Ind.; Dexter, Mo.; and Noel, Mo. The closings are part of the company’s efforts to right-size its supply chain as its beef, chicken and pork businesses struggle to address supply/demand imbalances, input cost inflation and shifts in consumer demand. [link]

The governments of Ecuador, India, Kenya, Laos, Philippines, Uruguay, and Vietnam have come together to launch a $379 million initiative to combat pollution from the use of pesticides and plastics in agriculture. Chemicals play a crucial role in farming, with nearly 4 billion tons of pesticides and 12 billion kg of agricultural plastics used every year, however these chemicals pose significant risks to human health and the environment. The Financing Agrochemical Reduction and Management Program – or FARM – led by the UN Environment Program (UNEP) with financial support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), seeks to change that by working with banks and policy-makers to reorient policy and financial resources towards farmers to help them adopt low- and non-chemical alternatives to toxic agrochemicals and facilitate a transition towards better practices. [link]

The European Commission is finalizing a series of legislative proposals that would severely weaken environmental requirements for farmers — flying in the face of advice by its top scientists that agriculture must become more sustainable or it will be decimated by climate change. The proposals would end a requirement to set aside land to promote biodiversity, making it and other measures — such as minimizing tillage to prevent soil erosion — voluntary. The dramatic policy reversal by Ursula von der Leyen’s Commission comes at the urging of national governments desperate to quell protests by farmers who have taken to the streets around Europe, and in Brussels, to vent their fury at the environmental red tape they say is destroying their livelihoods. [link]

Nebraska has submitted its plan to reduce greenhouse gases, financed by a $3 million federal Climate Pollution Reduction Grant. The 76-page “Priority Climate Action Plan,” is part of an effort, via the federal Inflation Reduction Act, to finance state plans and then provide $4.6 billion in competitive grants to implement the state plans. Its priority measures include promoting energy efficiency at nonresidential facilities, incentives for home energy upgrades, incentives for irrigation conversion from diesel to electric, funding for solar projects and regenerative agriculture projects, and incentives for precision agriculture and the use of biochar, among other pursuits. [link]

Ceres Global Ag Corp. has chosen Lavie Bio Ltd. as a supplier in its sustainability programs with grain producers, working to integrate Lavie Bio's bioinoculant, Yalos, into its regenerative agriculture initiatives across the U.S. and Canada. Lavie Bio Ltd. is a subsidiary of Evogene Ltd. and is a leading ag biologicals company that develops microbiome-based, computational-driven bio-stimulant and bio-pesticide novel products. Ceres Global Ag Corp. is a global agricultural, energy and industrial products merchandising and supply chain company. [link]

Scientists are learning more about what sources of meat could serve as more sustainable alternatives to beef, pork and chicken. The answer? Pythons, which produce large slabs of white meat similar to a chicken filet. Python meat could offer a form of meat much less carbon intensive than the current options, according to researchers who studied farms in Southeast Asia for two species of pythons -- reticulated and Burmese -- for 12 months. Farmed python meat may offer a more sustainable alternative to other farmed meat because they can reproduce rapidly, even when food is not abundantly available, according to a study published in Scientific Reports this week. [link]

Planet and Bayer are partnering to shape the future of farming with resilient supply chains and enhanced product development. Combining Planet's satellite imagery products with Bayer's crop and data science expertise, field managers will be able to evaluate field progression on a near real-time basis, making sure growers have the right seed in the right place at the right time. Bayer's business partners will now be able to look at Planet's data feeds across four continents and hundreds of thousands of acres of crop land to evaluate global supply chain readiness. [link]

Global conglomerate, Unilever, has partnered with UK nature intelligence firm, NatureMetrics, to harness environmental DNA (eDNA) technologies in a bid to drive regenerative farming practices across its supply chain. NatureMetrics will provide eDNA sampling technology to measure changes in bacterial and fungal diversity in soil, as well as insect diversity, across thousands of hectares in four key locations of Unilever's supply chain in Argentina, Canada, the UK, and Europe. The data gathered, along with other biodiversity metrics, will inform the assessment of the impact of regenerative farming practices implemented by one of the world's largest consumer goods companies. [link]

The EU-backed food innovation community, EIT Food, and Foodvalley, have unveiled a €30 million (US$32.8 million) Regenerative Innovation Portfolio to leverage regenerative agriculture’s potential in Europe. The move is expected to foster greater collaboration across sectors and value chains to help farmers transition to regenerative agriculture practices, leading to its acceleration and scale-up. The Portfolio — established as a Food Innovation Hub Europe Initiative — will use the cash injection to launch and support landscape initiatives, ecosystem development and inter-landscape learning. It will also help participants apply for external funding. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

Earlier this month, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it was establishing a new office to expand engagement opportunities with agricultural and rural communities. Read more, here.

March 9, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Civil Eats does an expose on the distribution dynamics of regenerative beef. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – GreenBiz writes about the sustainability progress being made by the U.S. beef industry. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Public News Service details a Midwest U.S. network of regenerative farmers and how they are rethinking chicken. Check out the story, here.

Industry Updates

Amidst growing global concern for sustainable agriculture and animal welfare, a groundbreaking study has emerged, promising a new dawn in the way we perceive and manage livestock farming. Spearheaded by researchers at the University of Cambridge, this innovative approach to assessing animal welfare on farms utilizes a new assessment tool that has started by evaluating various UK pig farming systems, revealing a hierarchy in animal welfare standards across different certification labels. Woodland and organic farms topped the list, offering the best conditions for pigs, followed by free-range, RSPCA assured, and Red Tractor certified farms, with uncertified farms ranking lowest. This assessment is pivotal for consumers seeking to make ethical food choices, potentially influencing market demand towards higher welfare products. Additionally, the new welfare assessment system is able to integrate animal welfare scores into a unified life cycle assessment of farming practices, solving the problem of animal welfare concerns not previously being present in life cycle assessments. [link]

A study by researchers at University College London, the University of Edinburgh, and the UK Center for Ecology & Hydrology has discovered a severe imbalance between potassium removal and replenishment within the global farming industry. Potassium plays a significant role in the growing of crops, acting as a vital nutrient for plant growth and helping with photosynthesis and respiration. The study, published in Nature Food, found that approximately 20% of global agricultural soils face severe potassium deficiency, with certain regions suffering worse than others. If nutrient imbalances are not addressed, crop yields are expected to decline, ahead. [link]

University of Minnesota Extension corn and soybean entomologists are initiating a new project to evaluate pests that feed on seeds and seedlings in corn and soybean fields. In areas with severe infestations, these pests can cause significant stand losses or even require replanting of fields. Despite these potential impacts, much remains unknown about these pests in Minnesota corn and soybeans. The entomologists are seeking cooperating farmers to allow their research team to sample corn and soybean fields from April to June 2024, with an eye on fields recently coming out of pasture, no-till, follow-on from cover cropping, high organic matter content, and no insecticide treatments in recent years. All participants will receive a free report on the pests encountered in their fields. [link]

The agrifood sector should build a coalition of groups to take on the task of explaining sustainable farm practices to consumers to build public trust in them, says Michael McCain, Executive Chair of Maple Leaf Foods Inc. The sector needs to focus on assuring consumers that sustainable food production will be good for the environment and food safety, he told the Canadian Agriculture Day conference during a panel discussion on making sustainability profitable for farmers. It is also important for everyone in the sector to realize that for them to be successful, everyone else must be as well. [link]

U.S. farmers investing in soil health practices like cover crops, no-till, diversified crop rotations, and integrated livestock grazing, are invited to participate in two Practical Farmers of Iowa (PFI) on-farm research trials. The first explores whether these practices support using less nitrogen fertilizer. The second trial aims to find out if cover crops give farmers greater access to their fields over a season. Many farmers have observed that using soil health practices long-term improves soil function. But most don’t have scientific data from their own fields. By taking part in these trials, farmers will have a chance to empirically test the impacts of those soil health investments on their own farms. [link]

The Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development has awarded a $1.5 million grant to Kutztown University to support its Regenerative Organic Agriculture track in collaboration with the Rodale Institute. Funding will support student scholarships; internships; renovations to the university teaching greenhouse; professional development for students, faculty, and Rodale Institute employees; farming equipment; and land care. The Rodale Institute is widely recognized as the global leader in regenerative organic agriculture. KU and the Institute signed a five-year agreement of academic cooperation in 2021, establishing a research affiliation for the mutual benefit of both institutions. [link]

Plans to protect and restore the English countryside with a pioneering landscape resilience program have successfully expanded into Yorkshire. The Landscape Enterprise Networks (LENs) program, spear-headed by sustainability consultancy 3Keel and Nestlé Purina Petcare, has completed its first trading initiative. The program has brought together global alcohol business Diageo, Nestlé Purina, and farmers in Yorkshire. Nestlé Purina and Diageo have partnered to invest in measures across almost 700 hectares of arable land in the Selby, Thirsk, Vale of York and Goole areas of the county. The investment will support farmers to introduce a wide range of regenerative agricultural practices, including reduced cultivation systems, improving nutrient use efficiency and introducing grazing livestock into the rotation. Through LENs, the companies work with supply chain partners to enhance on-farm sustainability and production resilience, as well as delivering improvements in biodiversity and water quality. [link]

As consumer interest grows around the health and sustainability benefits of food, the Nutrient Density Alliance has released guidelines for brands looking to substantiate nutrient density claims related to their regenerative agriculture practices. The Nutrient Density Alliance is a pre-competitive effort sponsored by the Soil & Climate Alliance and the Non-GMO Project that focuses on connecting regenerative agriculture practices, soil health and human health outcomes. The guidelines - "Engaging Consumers On Regenerative Agriculture: How Brands Can Integrate Nutrient Density for Top-line Growth" - include actionable information for key departments such as marketing, quality, and legal to follow when developing brand information on nutrient density, identifying potential partnerships and required data, and considering how to message improved nutrition to consumers. [link]

Applegate, a leading natural and organic American meat brand, announced its goal to transition all of its beef hot dogs to beef raised on verified regenerative grasslands by the end of 2025. Implementing this change across its entire beef hot dog portfolio is expected to contribute to the regeneration of six million acres of grasslands, which could increase the current regenerative acreage of Applegate suppliers by more than 2,200%. To transition the 6 million acres of grassland and achieve its goal of improving land health, Applegate will work with its network of more than 250 beef farmers to implement a regenerative standard with third-party verification through certifiers such as Land to Market. Additionally, Applegate will collaborate with umbrella frameworks such as GRASS (Generalized Regenerative Agriculture Sourcing Specification) and the Textile Exchange Regenerative Outcomes Framework to ensure its standards are aligned with industry-accepted metrics for ecological outcomes and animal welfare. [link]

CMI Orchards and Royal Family Farming have partnered to launch The Soil Center, the mission of which is to transform byproducts from orchards, row crops, dairy and beef operations into high-quality soil amendments. At the heart of The Soil Center's mission is the development of the world's largest worm farm and a comprehensive waste processing system, aimed at creating soil amendments that can be used in the network of growers producing apples, pears, cherries and more for CMI and Royal Family Farming. The Soil Center is set to break ground by the second quarter of 2024 and start supplying soil amendment products to the CMI grower network by the third quarter of 2024. [link]

Cuba will host the International Agroforestry Convention “Cuba 2024”, to be held on July 1 to 5 with the participation of some 400 researchers, academics, entrepreneurs, producers and communicators from Colombia, Mexico, Ecuador, Italy and the host country. Discussion topics relate to forests and their relationship with society, biodiversity and ecosystem services, climate change and production, as well as forest protection, integrated pest and disease management, and sustainable agricultural production technologies. There will also be debates about coffee and cocoa production, quality, processing and by-products; plantation, soil and nutrient management; beekeeping development; biodiversity, environment and pollination; healthy food and apitherapy; and international cooperation, among others. [link]

A new project is combining cutting-edge UK ag-tech tools with research and development expertise to help growers learn more about the role roots play in maintaining healthy soils. The TRUTH (Thriving Roots Underpinning Total soil Heath) project is a three-year, £1 million Defra-funded study that will bring together experts in soil and root health, sensor technology and wheat genetics. They will work alongside farmers and growers who conduct trials on their own farms with the goal of identifying the tools they need to assess their crop roots and quantify the impact of their farming system. [link]

Patagonia Provisions has introduced three new varieties of vegan-friendly Regenerative Organic Certified pasta. These nutrient-rich, high-fiber pastas are now available for purchase online and are set to grace the shelves of Whole Foods Market locations and natural grocery stores nationwide this spring. At the heart of these innovative pastas lies Kernza, a wheat-like perennial grain that is Regenerative Organic Certified. Kernza is a perennial plant, firmly rooted in the soil year-round. Its robust root system not only prevents erosion but also enriches the soil, yielding slender grains bursting with a warm, nutty flavor. Packed with fiber and protein, these newly designed 12oz boxes of pasta are crafted from 100% recycled fiber and will retail at $6.49. [link]

A new wheat standard in the UK that aims to encourage regenerative farming practices and cut chemical use is offering a £20/t premium for compliant farmers. Established by the Green Farm Collective in collaboration with Food Integrity Assurance (FIA), the new standard involves the reduced use of synthetic crop protection products, caps on nitrogen and mandatory crop rotations. Farmers must follow a set of criteria such as using strip-till or zero-till and apply no more than 180kg nitrogen/ha. A maximum of two fungicide applications with just one spray of plant growth regulator is permitted. Insecticides and pre-harvest glyphosate are not allowed. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In early February, Olam Agri launched its global regenerative agriculture program across the U.S. Cotton Belt to help meet the growing demand for traceable and sustainably grown cotton. Read more, here.

March 2, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – GreenBiz takes a look at how PepsiCo and ADM work with farmers to cut agricultural emissions. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – Michigan State University publishes a fascinating report on soil microbial community dynamics across Michigan farms. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Nebraska Public Media discovers how one Nebraska farm is using worms to improve soil health. Check out the story, here.

Industry Updates

The Belize Ministry of Agriculture and the University of Belize recently hosted a 2-day training for technical officers focused on regenerative cattle production. The primary objective is the establishment of a model farm under silvopastoral systems, serving as a showcase for sustainable practices. The University of Belize is at the forefront of coordinating this phase, actively collecting data to validate the efficacy of silvopastoral systems in cattle production. [link]

The Ontario and Yates County Soil and Water Conservation Districts in New York State have partnered with the Canandaigua Lake Watershed Association to hold a 2024 Soil Health Workshop focused on soil improvement, crop and livestock management, and water cleanliness on February 27th at the Benton Fire Hall, Penn Yan, NY. This year’s workshop features keynote speaker Eric Fuchs from Understanding Ag, a recognized authority in regenerative agriculture. Fuchs, with his dual expertise as a diversified livestock operator and a source water protection technician, will provide valuable insights into how soil health is intrinsically linked to community water protection efforts. [link]

A new and innovative approach utilized by soil scientists from the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences has helped turn huge swathes of salty soil into fertile farmlands. The experiments were attempted in the Wuyuan county region in the Inner Mongolia region of China. A team of soil scientists used crop stalks of lengths varying between two to six inches (5-15 cm) and buried them flat into the soil at a depth of about one foot (30-40 cm). The ground above was then covered with a plastic sheet to help retain moisture. The crop stalks prevented salts from rising to the surface, reducing the soil’s salt content by as much as 36 percent on average, and creating a 30.5 percent increase in yield. According to estimates from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), as much as nine percent of Earth’s landmass is salinized and unsuitable for agriculture in its present form. [link]

Researcher MarketsandMarkets says that the beneficial insects market - comprising the production and distribution of insects like ladybugs, lacewings, mites and wasps for agricultural purposes - is projected to reach $1.63 billion by 2028 compared to $877 million in 2023. Beneficial insects help to control pests in agricultural crops through biological control methods. This market has grown in significance due to increasing interest in sustainable agriculture and organic farming practices, which aim to reduce reliance on chemical pesticides. Beneficial insects offer a natural and environmentally friendly alternative for pest management, contributing to healthier ecosystems and reducing the environmental impact of agriculture. [link]

RegenFarmCo will work with the Swinto Estate in North Yorkshire, England to create innovative upcycling and agroforestry projects across its 20,000 acres. The cultivation of crops on the same land as trees has numerous environmental benefits, as well as providing habitats for birds, insects and other wildlife. The partnership will also see RegenFarmCo and Swinton Estate working with others to share the knowledge acquired from the implementation of regenerative farming, through knowledge exchanges, training opportunities and encouraging others to get involved. [link]

As spring nears, Iowa farmers are starting to worry about moisture levels based on the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map that shows almost a fifth of the state in extreme drought, with more than half of Iowa in severe drought. Even with several heavy snows in January, February is wrapping up warmer and drier than normal, which is worrisome for farmers. Forecasters say there’s a chance for a mix of rain and snow, but it likely won’t be significant enough to make a dent in the drought. March 19 is the first day of spring. [link]

What began as a group of Byron, Minnesota farmers looking for ways to make their farmland more sustainable has turned into a multimillion dollar county soil health initiative that now goes by the Byron Area Farmers Soil Health Group. The group of farmers have plotted together and implemented conservation practices which evolved into them creating a marketing group for food-grade oats in 2020. Recently, the Byron group held an open forum outside Rochester to discuss water quality in the area. The Byron Area Farmers Soil Health Group is responsible for helping to lay the groundwork for Olmsted County's $5 million groundwater protection and soil health initiative, after county commissioners began looking for solutions to nitrate contamination in the water. [link]

The European Parliament has approved a Nature Restoration Law by a margin of 54 votes. Under the law, member states will have two years to plan how they will restore 20% of the EU's land and sea areas by 2030 and all ecosystems by 2050. Although binding, there are exemptions for member states along with an emergency brake facility, whereby the targets for agricultural ecosystems can be temporarily suspended under exceptional circumstances. According to the European Commission, over 80% of Europe's natural habitats are in poor health. [link]

Simplot Grower Solutions and Innvictis BioScience have introduced a product designed to maximize the utilization of the nutrients found in crop residue. Evaness is a unique blend of nutrients and enzymes that will accelerate the breakdown of crop residues and increase the availability of nutrients contained in the residue left in the field. [link]

This week, Canada's Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food announced funding of $3.1 million to the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI) under the AgriAssurance Program - National Industry Association Component. This funding will be used to make improvements to the National Index on Agri-Food Performance, which acts as a point of reference for companies to declare the sustainability of their practices. CAPI will use the funding to include more partners in refining the tool, fix missing information, and create an upgraded version of the Index. The Index looks at how sustainable Canada's farming and food sector is from food production to retail, covering things like how it affects the environment, the quality of food, and how it helps the economy and society. [link]

Unilever has launched its first regenerative agriculture program in the UK, in a bid to support farms producing mustard seeds and mint leaves for its Colman's condiments. The project will initially trial regenerative agriculture practices at mustard and mint farms around Norwich and Peterborough over the next four years, including some farms which have supplied Colman's for more than 200 years. The projects will see the food giant work with farmers to use low carbon fertilizer, adopt improved crop nutrition strategies, plant cover and companion crops to reduce pesticides use, and install new digital water irrigation scheduling systems. [link]

Researchers at Robert Gordon University in Scotland are contributing to a new study to find out how the UK can expand its trees, hedgerows, woodlands and forests in rural and urban settings. The researchers want to find out more about the social and ecological implications of agroforestry – which is the growing of trees alongside crop and livestock farming on the same land – in rural areas and surrounding towns and cities in the UK. The UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) body has commissioned research to improve its understanding of treescapes in the UK, and their value to people and the planet, and has committed £14.5 million funding to support the studies. [link]

The Soil & Climate Health Initiative (SCI) is launching a new regenerative agriculture label in the U.S., representing a "holistic, science-based commitment to farming systems." The SCI verified label will debut on PACHA bread loaves and Root Chips potato chip products nationwide before more products sporting the label hit grocery stores over the next 12 months. The verification process includes farms demonstrating that they have completed baseline soil tests, developed a three-year farm plan, and provided evidence of implementation of sufficient regenerative practices to meet minimum requirements. [link]

The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) has been selected as the primary recipient of a four-year, $935,000 grant from the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) to establish the Coalition for Regenerative Ecologies and Agriculture (CREA). This coalition, co-located in San Antonio and in Veracruz, Mexico, will train at least 40 undergraduate and graduate students for a wide range of leadership-track careers in regenerative agriculture by developing their skills in global-resource management, community-engaged research and transcultural literacy. [link]

Bayer has announced several enhancements to its Bayer Carbon Program that provide all-new opportunities for more U.S. farmers to earn incentives for implementing regenerative agriculture practices that sequester carbon while promoting soil health. Updates include additional geographies of eligibility, a new Nitrogen Management Program, an expanded list of covered cash crops, historical payments, and more. Unlike some other carbon-based sustainability programs that incentivize farmers, the Bayer Carbon Program bases revenue potential on the practices performed, instead of how many tons of carbon are captured. Farmers who enroll eligible fields, perform their selected regenerative agriculture practices and pass practice verification, have the potential to earn an annual payment of up to $12 per acre. If a farmer participates in the Nitrogen Management Program, that payment could be as high as $16 per acre in years when the enrolled field is planted with corn. Depending on when the selected practices were adopted, farmers could also receive a one-time historical practices payment of up to $48 per acre for implementing cover crops and select reduced tillage practices beginning on or after August 1, 2019. [link]

New York Attorney General, Letitia James, filed a lawsuit against giant meat producer, JBS, accusing the company of making misleading claims about its greenhouse gas emission goals to boost sales among environmentally conscious consumers. The lawsuit filed in a state court in New York City alleges that the company claimed it will achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2040 despite having no viable plan to meet that commitment. The lawsuit names as defendants JBS USA Food Company and JBS USA Food Company Holdings, the American subsidiary of the world-leading producer of beef products based in Brazil. [link]

The agriculture ministry in Japan has begun an initiative to label rice and vegetables that contribute to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and preserve biodiversity during their production. The labels will be prominently featured on product packaging and posters, serving as a visual cue for environmental efforts and aiming to enhance consumer awareness toward fostering a sustainable food system. The label denotes a grade from 1 to 3, represented by stars, reflecting the magnitude of reduction achieved. Higher reduction efforts are granted a greater number of stars. [link]

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced that it is establishing a new office to expand engagement opportunities with agricultural and rural communities. The creation of the first-ever EPA Office of Agriculture and Rural Affairs represents the Biden-Harris Administration’s ongoing commitment to improving environmental stewardship and economic opportunity for America’s farmers and ranchers, as well as strengthening the vitality of small towns and rural communities. In close coordination with EPA’s program offices and regions, the office will forge practical, science-based solutions that protect the environment while ensuring a vibrant and productive agricultural system. Additionally, the new office will facilitate closer coordination with relevant federal and state partners such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and state departments of agriculture. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late January, Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary, Russell Reading, announced $2.2 million in funding for research proposals on issues critical to sustaining and growing the state’s $132.5 billion agriculture industry. Read more, here.

February 24, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – The Seattle Times writes that the world is quietly losing the land it needs to feed itself. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – AgFunderNews releases its 2024 list of agrifood corporates making regenerative agriculture commitments. Check out the story, here.

Industry Updates

A little-heard-of pesticide linked to infertility in animals is showing up in the overwhelming majority of oat-based foods sold in the United States, including popular cereal brands Quaker Oats and Cheerios. The chemical, chlormequat, was detected in 77 of 96 urine samples taken from 2017 and 2023, with levels increasing in the most recent years, a new study by the Environmental Working Group finds. Further, chlormequat was found in 92% of oat-based foods sold in May 2023, including Quaker Oats and Cheerios, according to recently published research in the Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology. Some studies have shown chlormequat can damage the reproductive system and disrupt fetal growth in animals, a cause for concern as to "whether it could also harm humans," EWG stated. Environmental Protection Agency regulations allow chlormequat to be used on ornamental plants only, not food crops, grown the U.S. [link]

An agritech startup in Thailand aims to give agriculture a new lease of life at a time when abandonment of agricultural land in the country has been a major problem due to beliefs that crop cultivation is difficult amid the impacts of climate change and lack of knowledge. Ricult Thailand recently launched its farming-as-a-service to enable people who have no idea how to cultivate to benefit from their lands. The company will generate income for the landowners by using its expertise to grow crops. Powered with cutting-edge technology developed over many years, the company can make effective decisions — which crops should be grown and when the cultivation should begin to ensure maximum crop yield. [link]

North Carolina State University and three partner institutions are leading a new four-year USDA NIFA-funded project to investigate whether living mulches can equally benefit soil health and the farmer’s bottom line as producers evaluate the transition from conventional to organic agriculture. A four-state group plans to compare multiple cover crop species and whether animals grazing cover crops and living mulches can provide a low-cost means of jumpstarting organic soil health and fertility without significant off-farm inputs. NC State’s research site will be hosted at the Center For Environmental Farming Systems (CEFS) in Goldsboro, NC. Other partner institutions are Washington State University, Oregon State University and the Rodale Institute in Pennsylvania. [link]

Around 6.18% and 4.91% of India’s land is highly and moderately suitable for agroforestry, respectively, the Indian Space Research Organization’s (Isro’s) geographical data has revealed. Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Telangana have emerged as the top large-sized states suitable for agroforestry while Jammu and Kashmir, Manipur, and Nagaland ranked highest among the medium-sized states according to the satellite data published on the Bhuvan website. The data is important because it aligns with global and national commitments such as the Paris Agreement, Bonn Challenge, UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), and the Green India Mission. [link]

The Noble Research Institute is on a mission to reshape the future of U.S. pecan farming with a focus on regenerative agriculture. Charles Rohla discussed the institute's upcoming projects at the American Pecan Council meetings, which include creating regenerative pecan courses and engaging in cutting-edge research. The emphasis is on soil health management and leveraging regenerative practices to lower input costs while boosting profitability. For pecan farmers, adopting regenerative practices means prioritizing soil health through reduced tillage, diverse cover cropping, and the integration of livestock, which introduces beneficial microbes to the soil. This approach not only aims at enhancing soil fertility and tree vitality but also promotes diversification and additional income through methods like silvopasture. [link]

Increasing farm profitability through regenerative agriculture is the focus of two free workshops scheduled for Feb. 20 and 22, in Missouri. The two one-day workshops are designed to help Missouri farmers understand and then successfully transition from conventional agricultural practices to more profitable, low-input regenerative practices that improve soil health and water quality. The workshops are conducted by Understanding Ag LLC’s regenerative farmer-consultants through the nonprofit Soil Health Academy. They are partially funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Region 7 through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources under the Clean Water Act’s Section 319. [link]

Trace Genomics, an industry leader in DNA-based soil intelligence, has announced its successful Series B funding round at $10.5 million led by existing investors S2G Ventures and Ajax Strategies, as well as new investor Rabo Ventures. With this additional funding, Trace plans to expand its commercial growth, making its offerings available to more farmers and agronomists. [link]

Catona Climate, a global climate finance company, announced that Microsoft has signed a six-year offtake agreement to purchase 350,000 tonnes of carbon removal credits from an agroforestry project in Kenya. Funded, designed and managed by Catona in collaboration with long-standing nonprofit partner, Trees for the Future, this project supports Microsoft's goal to become carbon negative by 2030. The Lake Victoria Watershed Agroforestry Project located in Homa Bay, Kenya, partners with 15,000 local smallholder farmers to develop forest gardens — multi-tiered mixtures of trees, shrubs, and crops — on their land. [link]

A U.S. soil scientist based in the Upper Midwest sees mostly positive outcomes for crop farmers as an abnormally mild winter continues. Jeff Strock with the University of Minnesota says warmer than normal temperatures have kept frost depths shallow, allowing precipitation to infiltrate the ground and replenish soil moisture. This could lead to early-season planting in 2024. [link]

Produce Now has introduced its revolutionary approach to fresh produce with the launch of "Better than Organic" crops cultivated inside specially developed GrowPods. The company grows its food in GrowPods – repurposed shipping containers, transformed into portable, scalable automated climate-controlled indoor farms. With a commitment to sustainability and food purity, GrowPods are designed to operate without the use of pesticides, harmful chemicals, animal runoff, contaminants, or pathogens, ensuring that all produce is of unparalleled quality that surpasses organic standards. [link]

Inside a nondescript University of Buffalo computer lab, a new tech-savvy style of indoor farming is blossoming. Lettuce and basil are growing inside a phonebooth-sized greenhouse, all under the unflinching eyes of an artificial intelligence (AI) system designed to identify the faintest signs of sickness and distress among the plants. The early detection of nutrient deficiencies, pests and other problems — as well as the opportunity to optimize LED lighting programs that indoor farming operations rely upon — are the crux of a new research project at UB’s Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science. [link]

Walmart said its suppliers have removed 1 billion metric tons of greenhouse-gas emissions from their value chains, six years ahead of the target date. In 2017, the retail giant started an initiative to encourage its suppliers to reduce their carbon footprint, aiming to avoid, reduce or sequester the 1 billion tons of emissions by 2030. This week, the company said that its suppliers have achieved that goal, working on measures such as energy efficiency, packaging redesign, food-waste reduction and trucking-load optimization. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In mid-January, the World Economic Forum released a report proposing a model for achieving sustainable agriculture worldwide. Read more, here.

February 17, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Fast Company says that when trees are planted alongside crops, farms become more sustainable . Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – Grist asks how much carbon farmers can store in their soil. The answer? Nobody’s sure. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 3 – The World Economic Forum notes that extreme weather is driving food prices higher. These 5 crops are facing the biggest impacts. Check out the story, here.

Industry Updates

Texas commodity producers interested in improving the sustainability of their operations can apply to participate in the Texas Climate-Smart Initiative, spearheaded by Texas A&M AgriLife Research. The five-year project is designed to work with Texas producers to adopt climate-smart agriculture and forestry practices, assess the benefits of these practices and develop models for voluntary, market-based climate solutions. The size of the program is $65 million, funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resource Conservation Service. [link]

Cargill is introducing a sustainable agriculture program to help Australian canola growers connect with new and emerging markets with the launch of Cargill SustainConnect. The Cargill SustainConnect program will open new revenue streams for growers in Australia and assist Cargill in catering to the rising demand from domestic and international customers for sustainable Australian canola. Cargill SustainConnect builds on Cargill’s global efforts to make sustainable farming programs commonplace across its global supply chains, including its RegenConnect program in North America and Europe. [link]

Ceres Global Ag Corp. announced an exclusive agreement with Grupo Trimex, Mexico's largest flour miller, to collaboratively develop and execute regenerative agriculture initiatives across Canadian and U.S. hard red spring wheat supply sheds. The primary focus of the collaboration is the adoption of innovative agronomic practices and technologies that deliver positive outcomes at the farm gate, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and positively impacting other sustainability indicators such as biodiversity and water quality. [link]

The Global Environment Facility (GEF) has greenlighted 48 FAO-led projects worth about $2.9 billion – comprised of $294 million in project financing and $2.6 billion in co-financing – that will play a pivotal role in fostering a sustainable agrifood systems transformation to end hunger and conserve the environment. The initiatives, benefitting 4.2 million people in five different regions globally, will restore more than 474,000 hectares of land; improve practices on over 24 million hectares of land and marine habitats; create and improve the management of over 2 million hectares of protected areas on land and sea; mitigate 133 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions; and remove 202 metric tons of hazardous agrochemicals. A total of 46 countries partnered with FAO to access finance from the GEF in this work program, including Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Afira, and Tunisia, among others. [link]

In her annual budget proposal, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has recommended $4 million for a Farm to Family Program, with a goal to support regenerative farming, agriculture supply chains and the promotion of Michigan food products in the home. While the Governor wants to focus on delivering local food to local people and building economic prosperity, Republican State Representative Dave Prestin said that the program should instead focus on the difficulties of distribution, noting that products from the farm to the end consumer need attention. [link]

A U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) study is underway tracking 10,000 Americans eating differentiated diets for six weeks around the country. The goal? Figure out a way to offer personalized diet advice based on a few simple medical tests. If the study succeeds, it could help Americans get healthier and cut through years of confusion about nutrition guidance. Scientists agree broadly on what constitutes a healthy diet—heavy on veggies, fruit, whole grains and lean protein—but more research is showing that different people respond differently to the same foods, such as bread or bananas. The study’s scientists will take the vast amounts of data they are collecting to create algorithms that, they hope, can predict what a particular diet will do for any one of us. [link]

Agricultural communities in Calapan, Philippines, are celebrating a sustainable future with the introduction of a solar-powered water pump project. Spearheaded by Yara Fertilizers Philippines, Inc., in collaboration with the Royal Norwegian Embassy, the initiative aims to revolutionize rice irrigation in Barangay Santa Cruz. The project, funded by a PHP 4 million grant, replaces traditional diesel-powered pumps, reducing costs, ensuring better profitability for farmers, and minimizing CO2 emissions. [link]

NITI Aayog, a public policy think tank in India, has unveiled the Greening and Restoration of Wasteland with Agroforestry (GROW) report and portal, aiming to bolster efforts in environmental conservation and sustainable land use across India. Utilizing cutting-edge remote sensing and GIS technologies, the report offers a comprehensive state-wide and district-wide analysis, providing crucial insights to government departments and industries engaged in greening and restoration projects. At its core, the report aims to evaluate the suitability of agroforestry practices across all districts of India. Additionally, it has introduced an Agroforestry Suitability Index (ASI) for national-level prioritization, utilizing thematic datasets. [link]

The UN Environment Program (UNEP) has announced seven new flagship restoration projects ahead of the 6th UN Environment Assembly, which will be held from Feb. 26 to Mar. 1 in Nairobi, Kenya. The projects - regarded by UNEP as role models for reversing ecosystem degradation at scale - are slated to restore a combined 40 million hectares of land in Africa, Latin America, the Mediterranean, and Southeast Asia. The newly announced World Restoration Flagships focus on restoring mangroves, forests, river basins, and degraded drylands with the support of national governments, UN agencies, and non-for-profit organizations. [link]

The Biden-Harris Administration announced that it made record investments in private lands conservation in fiscal year 2023 thanks to historic resources made available by President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act, the largest investment in climate action in history. In fiscal year 2023, USDA supported more than 45,000 conservation contracts, more than any year in the 89-year history of USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), totaling over $2.8 billion in financial assistance to producers for conservation efforts. NRCS also released updated state-by-state data showing where investments went in FY2023 for resources provided under both the Farm Bill and Inflation Reduction Act. [link]

North Dakota and Minnesota farmers and ranchers may be eligible to participate in a national pilot program that will pay farmers and ranchers $100 an acre or an animal unit to implement conservation practices on their land. The Alliance to Advance Climate-Smart Agriculture will provide payments to producers in certain parts of each state for adopting or maintaining practices that curb greenhouse gas emissions, including no till, minimum till, prescribed grazing or cover crops. The three-year project is funded through a U.S. Department of Agriculture grant through the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities that will pay out $57 million in 2024 and 2025 to roughly 4,000 producers in Arkansas, Minnesota, North Dakota and Virginia. [link]

The UK's Food and Drink Federation (FDF) has set out its green policy priorities for the next Government, calling on all parties to make bolder pledges on the energy transition and regenerative agriculture. These include expanding grants and other incentives for food and drink manufacturers seeking to install innovative green energy technologies and energy efficiency technologies, beyond the Industrial Energy Transformation Fund that is allocated on a competitive basis. The FDF is also imploring Ministers to facilitate the creation of a new ‘Sustainable Food Pact’. It describes the Pact as a “pre-competitive industry collaboration to restore and maintain the natural systems needed for agricultural productivity”. [link]

General Mills and Unilever recently made significant investments in a University of Maryland-led initiative to evaluate the adoption and efficacy of climate-smart farming practices. The Harvest Sustainable and Regenerative Agriculture Initiative, or Harvest SARA, uses satellite measurements to shed light on the suitability of certain land management techniques for producing robust yields that are gentle on the ground from which they came. Unilever and General Mills’ gifts to the Harvest SARA Initiative Fund will be used to build a robust and actionable evidence base for various management practices, and provide science-based, good practices for quantifying environmental, economic and social outcomes associated with their adoption. [link]

Iowa State University is helping to lead a five-year, $16 million project to explore some big, interconnected questions impacting agriculture in the Corn Belt and Great Plains. The project will seek to understand how combinations of crops (corn, soybean, wheat, rye), agronomic management (tillage, fertilizer), diverse soils and water (rainfed, irrigated, subsurface drainage) affect productivity and environmental performance of cropping systems. The expansive study will collect new data from experimental field sites in seven states (Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Mississippi, Nebraska and Ohio) and use simulation modeling to expand the knowledge gained across time and space. [link]

The Missouri Organic Association (MOA) will recruit a total of 80 farms to participate in a project that will test the effects of biochar usage in agriculture. The carbon- and nutrient-dense substance, made from biomass like wood chips or animal manure, is the star player in a new project that MOA is pioneering through the USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Program. Biochar traps microorganisms that can sequester carbon emissions in the soil for long periods of time, lessening farmers’ environmental impact. It can also help farmers by holding things like fertilizer in the soil. [link]

The 2022 U.S. Census of Agriculture was released this week, reporting increased farm profits but decreased farmland in what Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack called “a wakeup call.” The U.S. is now home to about 880 million acres of farmland, down from 900 million at the time of the last census in 2017. Number of farms also declined relative to 2017, down 142,000 to 1.9 million. The last time the country saw numbers this small was 1850. Average farm income has risen, weighing in at $79,790 as of 2022. Growers have continued to adopt technologies and practices that reduce their environmental footprint. No-till has increased to 38% of acres in 2022 compared to 35% in 2012, while cover cropping amounted to 18 million acres in 2022, up 17% compared to 2017 and 75% compared to 2012. From 2017 to 2022, the number of acres of cropland that were fertilized (excluding pasture) fell by 5%. Acres treated to control insects fell by 26% while acres treated to control weeds, grass, or brush fell by 10%. [link][link]

A series of workshops focused on regenerative ranching and adaptive grazing will be held in Texas and surrounding states this year. The courses are offered by the Noble Research Institute, the nation’s largest independent agricultural organization with a commitment to assisting farmers and ranchers in exploring and implementing regenerative management practices. The Noble Land Essentials course teaches farmers and ranchers how to grow more nutritious forage from fertile soils, build drought resilience while mitigating flood risk and boost ranch productivity with long term profitability. The Noble Grazing Essentials course helps farmers and ranchers by equipping them with skills to identify variables and resources to consider in grazing plans. Participants will also learn how to determine the limiting factors of current grazing practices, develop a strategy to address forage production issues and establish goals for enhanced resilience and grazing production. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late January, Kroger announced that it had set a new supplier goal that requires all of its fresh produce suppliers to use Integrated Pest Management practices for all products supplied to the grocery company by 2030. Read more, here.

February 10, 2024

Spotlight Story

Spotlight – ESG Clarity takes a look at how we’re going to feed 10 billion people by 2050. Check out the story, here.

Industry Updates

Agribusiness giant Cargill is giving the University of Minnesota $2.5 million to study a pair of crops that could become transportation fuels of the future. The University of Minnesota said it will use the funds to research two novel oilseed crops known as winter camelina and domesticated winter pennycress. Oil from these two plants could be used to develop “low-carbon transportation fuels” and provide new revenue streams for farmers. The university said that the two crops’ oil could be used as a “drop-in replacement” for jet fuel and diesel. It could be used as food or animal feed, too. Cargill’s donation is specifically going to the school’s “Forever Green Initiative,” a program designed to identify and grow new forms of food, feed, and biomaterials. The Forever Green Initiative is now studying a portfolio of more than 15 perennial and winter-annual crops. [link]

A number of farmland transactions took place across the U.S. Midwest during 2023, with some of the more notable purchases taking place late in the year ranging from $8,800 per acre all the way up to an incredible $23,700 per acre. In Sioux City, Iowa, a 39.4 acre cropland farm sold for $23,700 per acre in November 2023. In Carroll County, Missouri, four different tracts of land totaling 692 acres sold between $8,800/acre to $20,000/acre during the same month. And in Illinois, multiple transactions of farmland ranged from $15,900/acre up to $22,700/acre during November, as well. [link]

The inaugural ReACH Innovation Summit, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at fostering innovation in regenerative agriculture, was held on February 6, 2024, in St. Louis, Missouri. Co-hosted by BioSTL and Bayer, the summit was part of the concerted efforts by the Heartland Regenerative Agri-Food Alliance (ReACH) to address formidable challenges such as diminishing arable land, water, and energy resources. ReACH is a powerful coalition that includes prominent companies and producers such as AB Inbev, ADM, Bayer, Bunge, and Burger King. The alliance's primary objective is to collaborate on devising and implementing regenerative agricultural techniques that can sustain the planet's future. The summit featured pitches from 13 startups from various regions who presented their innovative solutions to real-time challenges in agriculture. The innovations spanned a wide array of areas including artificial intelligence, soil health, carbon credit generation, and more. [link]

The Delmarva Soil convention kicked off this week at the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center in Salisbury, Maryland. The event focused on giving farmers better tools to improve and measure soil health. It also highlighted the impacts that those practices can have on crops, groundwater, and the health of surrounding communities. Farmers say they are learning how to quickly diagnose soil health and learn how to respond. They added that leaving the soil healthy for generations to come is the most important job of a farmer. [link]

5th World, at the forefront of regenerative agricultural innovation, is set to present a talk at the South by Southwest (SXSW) event in Austin, Texas, titled "The Soul & Science of Regenerative Agriculture." The presentation will address urgent topics in sustainable agriculture and propose innovative solutions to the pressing challenges facing our ecosystems and food systems today. The talk will explore how regenerative agriculture, when integrated with cutting-edge technologies, can heal our climate, restore our health, and rejuvenate our soil, thereby securing an abundant future for all. [link]

UK farmers are invited to join a new research project that aims to develop a soil health sensor that measures microbial diversity and fungal-to-bacterial ratio to improve farm productivity. The three-year Thriving Roots Underpinning Total soil Health (Truth) project is looking to involve up to 30 UK farmers to carry out a series of on-farm trials for which they will be paid. The intention is to deliver a platform comprising soil/root health testing tools and a knowledge exchange group that can inform sustainable soil management practices. [link]

Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA), a company empowering growers to implement scalable regenerative agriculture solutions, has launched a data-driven standard for growing regenerative cotton called Integrity Grown. This new standard sets a high bar for regenerative cotton growing practices that increase yields, lower chemical inputs and water usage, and improve soil health. The program’s purpose is to empower and attract more cotton growers to transition to regenerative practices. So far, more than three million pounds of regenerative cotton have been sourced through the initiative. [link]

A new project in the UK links artificial intelligence and indoor farming to improve the sustainability of food production. The Advanced Crop Dynamic Control (ACDC) project led by LettUs Grow, in partnership with Fotenix, Rothamsted Research, Crop Health and Protection, and Vertically Urban, focuses on the application of image-based analysis, artificial intelligence, and bespoke software to create indoor farming systems that are not only energy-efficient but also sustainable. Innovate UK has announced its support for the ambitious ACDC project with £757,151 in funding through the Novel Low Emission Food Production Systems competition. The primary goal of the project is to address and rectify the inefficiencies in temperature controlled environment agriculture (TCEA) operations by harnessing cutting-edge technologies and innovative approaches to enhance energy efficiency across the board significantly. [link]

The Innovation Institute for Food and Health (IIFH) at the University of California, Davis has received a $500,000 grant from The Rockefeller Foundation to evaluate links between food production, nutrition, and personal health. With support from The Rockefeller Foundation, the IIFH and the North American Center of Excellence for the Periodic Table of Food Initiative (PTFI) will leverage newly developed tools and robust life cycle analysis to comprehensively define how agricultural practices (e.g., conventional vs. regenerative) impact the molecular composition of foods, and further, people’s health and well-being. [link]

Olam Agri, a leading agribusiness in food, feed, and fiber, has launched its global regenerative agriculture program across the U.S. Cotton Belt to help meet the growing demand for traceable and sustainably grown cotton. Olam Agri started its regenerative program in cotton in 2020 to provide cotton farmers with the tools, resources, and access to market opportunities to mitigate climate risks, increase soil fertility, sequester carbon, encourage biodiversity, and manage water and energy use. The new program is the culmination of this work and will offer customers cotton products with full chain of custody certification from production, harvesting, ginning, and storage, to shipment. All the farms and ginning facilities under the program are regenagri certified. [link]

Farmers Business Network (FBN), the farmer-to-farmer network, has announced updates to its Gradable platform along with its sustainability partnerships and supply chain programs. Those updates, according to FBN, will allow for regenerative financing offers for farmers for 2024 as part of its efforts to increase grower profitability while enhancing sustainability. FBN and Gradable enable farmers to access voluntary and regulatory rewards within the supply chain through practice and outcome claims created by partners like ADM, POET, and the Environmental Defense Fund. [link]

In the UK, the Coca-Cola Company is conducting a trial where labels will be removed from Sprite and Sprite Zero bottles in an effort to better manage waste. During this experimental phase, bottles will sport an embossed logo on the front in lieu of traditional labels, with product and nutritional information laser-engraved on the back. A significant challenge in recycling lies in material separation, with recyclable materials needing to be separated from contaminants and non-recyclables before then being sorted into their respective material categories, such as metals, plastics, glass, and more. With this perspective in mind, eliminating labels—distinct from bottles despite their recyclability—could theoretically streamline the recycling process by obviating the need for their separation from bottles. This could also lead to a reduction in packaging material usage. Given the millions of soft drink bottles produced and sold annually, such efficiencies could yield significant environmental benefits. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In mid-October last year, General Mills announced a collaboration with Walmart and Sam’s Club to advance the adoption of regenerative agriculture on 600,000 acres in the United States by 2030. Read more, here.

February 3, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – The Conversation notes that Australia’s soils are notoriously poor. Here’s how scientists are working to improve them. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – Food Navigator walks through bee study research that reveals environmental vulnerability and a food production threat. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 3 – Food Dive discusses how to bridge the divide between food companies and farmers when it comes to environmental responsibility. Check out the story, here.

Industry Updates

The Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts has announced new financial support from General Mills for the Conservation Agriculture Reach Everyone (CARE) program – an initiative in partnership with the Oklahoma Black Historical Research Project Inc. The goal of the CARE program is to increase the number of farmers and ranchers in Oklahoma participating in conservation planning and programs to improve soil health, water quality, and the viability of working lands. The CARE program focuses on providing resources and assistance to socially disadvantaged and veteran farmers and ranchers, expanding their knowledge of innovative technology, soil health, and invasive species eradication to sustain their farms, and empowering them to actively participate in all conservation programs. Since its inception in 2017, the CARE program has made significant strides, reaching and positively impacting more than 7,000 producers. [link]

Vanguard Renewables, a national leader in organics-to-renewable energy production, is excited to announce the addition of Foremost Farms USA, one of the largest dairy cooperatives in the United States, to the Farm Powered Strategic Alliance (FPSA). Vanguard Renewables partners with food and beverage manufacturers to recycle their inedible food waste via Farm Powered anaerobic digestion, which converts organic waste into renewable natural gas (RNG). This RNG is then used to generate electricity, heat, and transportation fuel, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. [link]

A new economic analysis involving researchers at the University of Oxford and London School of Economics has found that transforming the global food system could realize benefits of up to $10 trillion per year, and that the costs of achieving this would be relatively small in comparison. The new analysis forecasts that a business as usual approach would mean that by 2050 food insecurity will leave 640 million people underweight in some parts of the world, while obesity will increase by 70% globally. In contrast, an alternative Food System Transformation approach could result in undernutrition being eradicated by 2050, and cumulatively 174 million lives saved from premature death due to diet-related chronic disease. According to the model, these benefits would result in economic gains equivalent to economies being 12% larger on average for 30 years across lower income countries, 3.4% across middle income countries, and 1.7% across high income countries. Furthermore, the cost of achieving this transformation through better policies and practices was estimated to be equivalent to 0.2-0.4% of global GDP per year – much less than the potential multi-trillion-dollar benefits that change could bring. [link]

Kroger announced that it has set a new supplier goal that requires all of its fresh produce suppliers to use Integrated Pest Management practices for all products supplied to the grocery company by 2028 or 2030, based on the grower’s size. The grocer expects medium- to large-sized growers to meet the goal by the end of 2028 and gives small-sized ones until 2030. Kroger said that the change will protect more pollinators and help create a more sustainable produce supply chain. [link]

The Dan Gillespie Soil Health Fund is accepting grant applications that will further the organization’s mission to promote soil health and regenerative agriculture. The Soil Health Fund is an endowment established to make grants that support educational events and programming for youth, current and future farmers and ranchers and others, including women and small stakeholders directly involved in agriculture in Nebraska and surrounding states. The priority for funded projects is to support current and future growers in adopting practices that address water quality and soil health, such as cover crops, reduced tillage, complex crop rotations, and nutrient management to reduce soil erosion, nutrient run-off and greenhouse gas emissions. The next round of competitive funding is open now with a cutoff date of March 1 for an award of up to $1,500. [link]

Bregal Investments is establishing a new strategy dedicated to reducing carbon emissions in agriculture and helping make crops more sustainable while generating salable carbon credits. The Bregal Sphere Nature strategy will invest in so-called agroforestry projects that combine tree- and bush-crops such as cocoa and coffee with plantings of other native trees or bushes. Bregal plans to sell carbon credits generated by the projects it backs, with buyers expected to be businesses looking to compensate for their own emissions. [link]

At least three cargoes of Brazilian soybeans were traded recently to a U.S. East Coast crusher, which is not typical for this time of year, according to industry trade sources. End-users import some Brazilian soybeans to the East Coast during most years, though those shipments are typically for summer delivery. The $1.35 discount to March soybean futures the cargoes were booked at is also not usual for this time of year. Plunging Brazilian soybean prices have made arbitrage trade viable for East Coast destinations. [link]

Although an ever-growing number of Canadian farmers and ranchers are implementing regenerative practices, most Canadians still don't understand how regenerative agriculture contributes to their lives. A new national campaign, Stories of Regeneration, aims to bridge the gap and foster relations between producers and consumers. Created by Regeneration Canada, the campaign evolved from a series of farm-to-table events held this past summer into what has now become a collection of films, podcast conversations, articles, and webinars that shine a light on the many benefits derived from farming in a way that is good for the people and the planet. The Regeneration Canada team, with support from Agriculture and Agri-Foods Canada through the AgriCommunication Program, is now proudly launching these stories featuring ten farmers from eight provinces, each representing operations with diverse production systems. [link]

Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding announced $2.232 million in funding for research proposals on issues critical to sustaining and growing the state's $132.5 billion agriculture industry. Funded projects will address complex challenges ranging from reducing impacts of climate change and measuring soil and water conservation, to tackling emerging animal care issues, and developing plant-based solutions to reduce threats to human health. [link]

Nestlé UK and Ireland has announced a new partnership with The Allerton Project, a research farm in Leicestershire with an award-winning blueprint for future rural landscapes. The partnership is promising for Nestlé UK and Ireland as it provides an opportunity for farmers and suppliers of Nestlé to receive practical, context-based land management advice to deliver positive environmental outcomes on their land. The Allerton Project will also provide a mix of immersive, field-based training with classroom-based content to managers and executive-level staff to further embed perspectives on supply chain resilience within Nestlé’s working culture and the integral part it plays in Nestlé’s operations. [link]

Researchers recently published a study in the journal, Nature, showing that human diets rich in plant-based alternatives substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions (30%-52%), land use (20%-45%), and freshwater use (14%-27%), with vegan diets showing the highest reduction potential. Daily food expenditures for plant-based diets increased by 3%-5%. The study took place in Sweden. [link]

Farmer protests have exploded across the EU in countries like France, Belgium, Portugal, Greece, and Germany as new green rules across the bloc have led to higher taxes and rising costs. Farmers are also upset about the opening of the domestic market to cheap Ukrainian imports to help Kyiv's war effort against Russia. Frustrations came to a head in Brussels late this week, where farmers threw eggs and stones at the European Parliament, and started fires and set off fireworks as they demanded EU leaders at a summit nearby do more to help them. [link]

A new partnership in Michigan between the Plant Coalition (Michigan plant agriculture organizations), the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD), and Michigan State University has been put in place to help the local agriculture industry mitigate and adapt to climate change, while promoting environmental sustainability alongside the protection and efficient use of the state's water resources. The Agricultural Climate Resiliency Program — which operates through MSU AgBioResearch and MSU Extension — was established through the MDARD budget with $1 million in recurring funds to support faculty and Extension positions. A one-time investment of $5 million will go toward a competitive grants program, in which MSU researchers and Extension specialists can apply for three-year grants of up to $1.25 million. Proposals for the first set of projects are due March 1 and will be evaluated by a panel of experts from MSU, MDARD and the plant coalition. [link]

A partnership has been created in Arizona to turn trash into soil. The Arizona Green Guys and Abby Lee Farms have been taking food waste, tree cuttings, and drywall, and processing them into soil products. The entities have been removing 300 tons of garbage per week, with plans to double this rate in the future. Each day, workers tend to nearly 30,000 yards of soil, with the waste taking 9 months to become nutrient-rich soil for fertilizing crops. The ultimate goal is to provide a product that is local, organic, and sustainable to area farmers and gardeners. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In early January, it was reported that King Arthur Flour Company had recently rolled out a new “Climate Blend” whole wheat flour, using wheat from two farms that employ regenerative agriculture techniques. Read more, here.

January 27, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – The Good Men Project writes about how extreme drought in Brazil is pushing farmers into agroforestry. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – Civil Eats reports on how state lawmakers are collaborating on policies to support regenerative agriculture. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 3 – The Financial Times looks at venture capital’s interest in regenerative agriculture. Check out the story, here.

Industry Updates

For the first time since 2001, interest rates are rising faster than farmland values, creating a potential obstacle to land purchasers, said assistant economist Ty Kreitman of the Kansas City Federal Reserve Bank. “With interest costs now above average land value appreciation, farm operating profits will determine the magnitude of returns for financed land,” he said. Meanwhile, ag bankers said in a Federal Reserve survey that the volume of new non-real estate loans was 15% lower during the final quarter of 2023 than during the same period in 2022. [link]

A new high-tech soil lab called the Center for Excellence in Land-Based Research and Knowledge Transfer is being implemented into the Eden Project in Cornwall, UK in order to help spur sustainable and productive land and soil management in the country. The lab will be at the cutting-edge of the analysis of soils, plants and feedstock, supporting the shift towards more environmentally friendly farming, and helping businesses become more productive, competitive, and eligible for future environment-based funding streams. The center comes at a time when the Government begins phasing out direct support payments for the agricultural industry, replacing them with new incentives for environmental land management and sustainable farming. [link]

Researchers from the University of Michigan evaluated farming operations at 73 sites across five countries in North America and Europe and found that urban agriculture is six times more carbon intensive than conventional agriculture per serving of fruit or vegetable. The team ignored traditional urban agriculture operations like vertical farms and instead focused on open-air urban farms. Additionally, the researchers evaluated farm comparisons on a full lifecycle emissions basis as opposed to standard farming activities themselves. The study showed that infrastructure for urban farms leads to outsized carbon emissions relative to conventional farms, however some urban farms in New York, London, and Paris had lower emissions than conventional farms, due to use of recycled materials, types of crops grown, and long-term stability of the operation itself. [link]

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) has established a Regenerative Agriculture Work Group to assist the State Board of Food and Agriculture in defining “Regenerative Agriculture” for State Policies and Programs. The 13-member group represents a diversity of agricultural stakeholders. The Regenerative Agriculture Definition Work Group will consider input from the public and CDFA’s Environmental Farming Act Science Advisory Panel proposed framework to draft a recommendation for a definition of regenerative agriculture. The draft definition is anticipated to be submitted to the State Board for consideration in June 2024. [link]

A new smartphone application is helping smallholder farmers in Eastern Africa become more resilient to the impacts of climate change while improving income and nutritional security. Released by The Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry (CIFOR-ICRAF), the app informs farmers on how to incorporate fruit trees into landscapes best to increase overall farming resistance to the impacts of climate change. The app was developed as part of ongoing ACIAR-funded research to enhance farm-level climate adaptation for smallholders in Kenya and Rwanda by increasing the stocking and strategic siting of fruit trees. [link]

Nearly a century after the mass agricultural disaster known as the Dirty ’30s, drought conditions on the Canadian Prairies are once again raising the risk that farmers’ valuable topsoil will go blowing in the wind. Across southern Alberta, severe erosion events have been increasing in frequency and severity in recent years. In Lethbridge County, dry and windy conditions have been known to stir up dust clouds, obscuring the vision of drivers on local roads and filling irrigation canals to the brim with dirt. The drifting soil also reduces agricultural productivity, both by removing nutrients from the field where it blows from, and by spreading weeds and damaging crops where it lands. Currently, 81 per cent of Canada’s agricultural landscape is classified as either abnormally dry or in moderate-to-severe drought conditions, according to federal government mapping. [link]

The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is pleased to announce the availability of approximately $12 million in grant funding for Healthy Soils Program Incentive Grants. The objectives of the program are to increase statewide implementation of conservation management practices that improve soil health, sequester carbon, and reduce atmospheric greenhouse gases. California farmers, ranchers, business entities, California Native American tribes, and non-profit organizations can apply for awards. Applicants may request up to $100,000 per project. Priority will be given to applicants who are considered Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers. [link]

Boulder County, Colorado has launched the Soil Health Initiative, a new grant program that will provide $1.1 million to local food producers for projects that foster soil health and advance sustainable agricultural practices. Farmers and ranchers who operate on leased Boulder County Parks & Open Space land, private land, or both, can apply for funding until the February 12, 2024 deadline. Grants will be awarded in March. Examples of eligible practices include no- or reduced-tillage, cover crop usage, rotational grazing, and crop rotation. [link]

A Massachusetts state commission tasked with investigating climate challenges and solutions for the agricultural sector is considering tax relief to impacted farmers along with incentives that push for cover crops and improved soil health. The commission has been holding meetings to learn about existing federal and state programs designed to protect farms from the impacts of climate change. It will eventually submit a final report and recommendations to the legislature by the end of the year. [link]

The Antibiotic Resistance Action Center announced that Fischer Farms in Saint Anthony, Indiana will be the first farm in the country to receive its Certified Responsible Antibiotic Use (CRAU) standard for beef. Fischer Farms switched to reduced antibiotics in its cattle feed in 2004, followed by regenerative agriculture practices and the addition of kelp to its feeds, reducing cattle emissions by up to 82%. Under the CRAU standard, farmers can give antibiotics to their cattle if they get sick, but their use will be closely monitored. The standard was developed in 2014 for the poultry sector. [link]

McCain Foods has managed to onboard more than half of its global potato acreage onto its regenerative agriculture framework, with 28% said to be moving up the agenda towards a more comprehensive adoption of such practices. The frozen potato company has set its intentions to implement regenerative agriculture practices across 100% of its potato partner operations by the end of the decade. [link]

A bill making its way through the Illinois legislature would ban the manufacture, sale or distribution of products formulated with brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate or red dye 3. The legislation is similar to a bill that was signed into law in California in October. Illinois Senate Bill SB2637 was proposed on Nov. 7, 2023, and assigned to the state’s Public Health committee for consideration on Jan. 24. It would amend the state’s Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act and take effect on Jan. 1, 2027, if it is signed into law. [link]

An effort by Republican U.S. lawmakers to reallocate $18 billion in climate-friendly agriculture funding under President Joe Biden's signature climate law would shift money away from programs that primarily benefit farmers in Republican-leaning states, a Reuters analysis found. The Inflation Reduction Act money, earmarked for U.S. Department of Agriculture-designated "climate-smart" farm practices, is intended to support Biden's agriculture climate agenda, which relies heavily on storing carbon in the soil and lowering emissions through sustainable farming techniques. About 65% of the new money due to be spent under the law on those climate-friendly practices would go to farmers in states that backed Republican former President Donald Trump in the 2020 election, and about 70% would go to states with a Republican member on the House or Senate farm committees. Republican House of Representatives Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn "GT" Thompson and the Senate Agriculture Committee's top Republican, John Boozman, want to reallocate the Inflation Reduction Act money to all conservation programs without the climate-related requirements. Under Thompson's plan, some money also would be moved to crop supports and other farm programs, a committee aide said. The dispute over the Inflation Reduction Act money could further delay progress on the farm bill. [link]

U.S. Representatives Don Beyer (D-VA), Mike Lawler (R-NY), and Chellie Pingree (D-ME) introduced the Innovative Practices for Soil Health Act, bipartisan legislation to improve soil health on farms and support sustainable alternatives to annual agriculture by improving USDA conservation programs to ensure they are better able to support farmers who incorporate perennial systems and agroforestry into their operations. Annual crops and monoculture cropping, common in farming, require tilling which disrupts the natural soil structure and can lead to increased erosion and a reliance on harmful fertilizers and pesticides. Perennial and agroforestry systems require less soil disturbance – improving soil structure, preventing erosion, increasing ecosystem nutrient retention, and promoting carbon sequestration. The Innovative Practices for Soil Health Act would support these farmers by improving USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) programs, the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) and Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP); increasing technical assistance for farmers installing perennial systems; and designating four national and regional agroforestry centers. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late November, the EU announced that it was providing €19 million to enhance the resilience and sustainability of food systems in the Caribbean. Read more, here.

January 20, 2024

Spotlight Story

Foodtank writes about the 20 books shaping our views on food systems right now. Check out the story, here.

Industry Updates

House Bill 2121 has been introduced in the Arizona legislature and would ban the sale or production of cultivated meat in the state if enacted. Those who violate the legislation would face a penalty of up to $25,000. The text of the bill offers two primary reasons for the legislation — to protect public health and to protect the state’s cattle industry. Arizona’s proposed legislation comes in the wake of similar legislation introduced in Florida. In that state, the bill would ban the manufacturing, sale, holding or distribution of cultivated meat in the state if passed. And on Sept. 1, 2023, a law went into effect in Texas that requires the labels of cultivated meat products sold in the state to say “cell-cultured,” “lab-grown” or have similar language on the packaging. [link]

At the QCCA Expo Center's Farm Show in Rock Island, IL this week, the local soil and water conservation specialist shared a new technique on how to test for soil health: cotton underwear. Farmers were encouraged to bury a pair of underwear on their land in the spring, mark it with a flag, and then check the spot in 60 days. If the soil has a healthy amount of microbes, there will be "virtually no underwear left." Healthy soils limit the need for farming chemicals like fertilizers and herbicides, while also helping to restore topsoil levels over time. [link]

Virginia Tech is helping to pilot a $2.7 million multistate project funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture Specialty Crops Research Initiative to introduce the faba bean as a sustainable fall and winter crop in the mid-Atlantic region. Faba beans are a cool-season legume that fit well into the winter production systems of the mid-Atlantic, creating a good cover crop that helps improve soil health while slowing erosion and controlling pests, disease, and weeds. They are also highly nutritious, with one cup of faba beans offering 13 grams of protein along with plenty of fiber, potassium and iron. [link]

A farm in Union Springs, NY will become the state’s first commercial dairy to take separated solids from digested cow manure and run it through a kiln to create environmentally friendly biochar. Biochar, which is similar to charcoal made from organic residue, including manure, can become a valuable agricultural soil amendment that retains nutrients, decreases manure storage costs, sequesters carbon and reduces odors in the surrounding area. Spruce Haven Farm, which has 2,030 cows and 1,770 heifers, and harvests about 3,800 acres of corn and alfalfa for feed, will lease the kiln from Biomass Controls, a company that provides solutions to sanitation challenges, headquartered in Woodstock, Connecticut. [link]

Propagate and Rodale Institute are pleased to announce a new strategic partnership to promote agroforestry. The goal of the partnership is to increase the adoption of agroforestry and tree crop systems in North America. As part of the agreement, new agroforestry educational hubs will be established at the Institute’s research sites in eastern Pennsylvania. The demonstration farms serve multiple purposes: to raise awareness, provide education on regenerative agriculture practices, and provide opportunities to advance research. Planting is expected to begin in Fall 2024. [link]

ADM announced that it has loaded and shipped its first vessels of verified, fully traceable soybeans from the U.S. to Europe. In anticipation of the new EU deforestation regulations becoming effective at the end of the year, ADM now intends to expand these capabilities to other key locations across North America in the 2024 growing season. ADM’s traceable soybean program is an outgrowth of its International Sustainability & Carbon Certification (ISCC) certified bean program, and utilizes cutting-edge technology – such as FBN’s Gradable digital platform – as well as ADM’s origination and transportation capabilities to verify, trace and segregate participating beans from farms to their final destination. [link]

Precision Planting’s newest product was revealed at the company’s annual Winter Conference: a fully customizable, factory-built planting system called CornerStone. The CornerStone Planting System comes fully built with everything but the planter bar and is integrated with Precision Planting’s technology. Designed as a complete row unit compatible with all standard-height 7x7 planter bars, the system is fully integrated with Precision Planting technologies. Farmers can order exactly which technologies they want and receive a factory-built system with all components already installed. The system is designed to be adaptable as future technologies come onto the market. [link]

A new report from Conservation International and the UN's Green Climate Fund found that farmers implementing climate-smart practices in Madagascar five years ago are realizing greater food security today, while also keeping their land better protected from deforestation. Researchers surveyed more than 1,600 participating farmers to learn more about the quantity and type of food they eat and their ability to pay for essential needs, like housing, clothing and medications. Declines in food insecurity happened in a short time period as farmers used drought-resistant crops, mulching to prevent soil erosion, and native fruit tree plantings to provide shade and additional sources of income. [link]

Researchers from Italy and the U.S. recently published a study in Nature Food that found by replacing some of the energy-intensive crops used as animal feed, such as corn and soybeans, with agricultural by-products, such as straw and bran, they could significantly reduce the consumption of natural resources, such as land and water, and lower the emissions of carbon dioxide and methane. They estimated that by substituting 11-16% of the current animal feed with by-products, they could save up to 13% of cropland area, 9% of water use, and 6% of nitrogen use globally. Moreover, they found that this substitution would also reduce the emissions of carbon dioxide by 7% and methane by 18%, which are the main greenhouse gases produced by the livestock sector. The researchers also pointed out that using by-products as animal feed would not compromise the nutritional quality or safety of the meat and dairy products, as long as they are properly processed and supplemented with vitamins and minerals. [link]

Newly published research from Michigan State University (MSU) shows how evaluating historical crop yields across distinct areas of agricultural fields can provide farmers with essential information on soil health characteristics and carbon sequestration. For this project, researchers sought to determine the relationship between historical crop yields and soil health, with the hypothesis that high-performing regions of fields have higher-quality soil and vice versa. Researchers are aiming to reduce the reliance on traditional soil testing by using historical yield data and a novel analysis metric known as yield stability zones. These zones leverage both yield level and stability — the consistency of yield — over time, offering a more nuanced understanding that accounts for small-scale, in-field variability. Researchers found that yield stability zones successfully identify differences in areas of fields based on statistically distinct relative soil organic carbon and relative soil health. These findings suggest that yield stability zones can identify the feedback relationships between soil formation, soil organic carbon accumulation, soil health and yield potential, particularly in terms of increased water and nutrient holding capacity. [link]

The World Economic Forum, which is meeting in Davos, Switzerland, has released a report proposing a model for achieving sustainable agriculture worldwide. The report says, “To support the adoption of practices and sustain their implementation, a key source of financing should come from the monetization of the full value of all ecosystem services delivered by regenerative practices, including improved resilience and environmental outcomes like healthier soils, carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions avoidance, reduced freshwater use and pollution, and enhanced biodiversity.” In exchange for ecosystem services, all the actors that benefit from regenerative agriculture, including value chain participants (across crop rotations), lenders and insurers, and governments should provide financing. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late December, it was announced that it is “very unlikely” that the EU will reach its target of expanding the share of organic farming to at least 25% of EU agricultural land by 2030, according to a new report from the European Environment Agency (EEA). Read more, here.

January 13, 2024

Spotlight Story

Civil Eats discusses the important idea of farmer cooperatives that share specialized farm equipment. Check out the story, here.

Industry Updates

A new report developed by the University of Minnesota's Forever Green Initiative suggests that the planting of cover crops across the winter could significantly reduce overall nitrogen loss (23%) and soil erosion (35%) on Minnesota farms by 2050. The group highlighted the importance of live roots in the ground year-round to anchor soil and keep excess nutrients from escaping into nearby waters. Additionally, the financial upside for farmers is attractive, with the report projecting a potential 20% increase in on-farm profits come 2050 due to growing more of these crops. [link]

Argentina is poised to bring a seismic shift in its agricultural sector by modernizing its seed patent laws, a move aimed at bolstering the nation’s competitiveness in the global agricultural landscape. These laws, largely untouched since the 1970s, have been a roadblock for the country’s farmers, preventing them from leveraging patented seeds and subsequently leading to lower crop yields. President Javier Milei aims to equip Argentine farmers with the latest genetically modified seeds, in contrast to current legislation that bars seed companies from charging annual fees and thus investing in the country's agricultural sector. [link]

Electronic soil is a groundbreaking technology that has the potential to revolutionize agriculture. This innovative approach involves the integration of electronic soil, also known as eSoil, to boost crop growth by over 50%. The process allows roots to be stimulated with a low-voltage electric current, which can trigger a number of beneficial effects, including increased nutrient uptake, enhanced photosynthesis, and improved root growth. Although still under study, it is believed that the electric current triggers the release of plant hormones that promote growth. The current may also help to break down nutrients into forms that are more readily available to plants. [link]

The Indian state of Gujarat has inked three crucial Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) worth over $266 million of carbon credits from planting mangroves. Deals have also been signed in the area of carbon credits for agroforestry. India has revealed new climate change commitments to reduce emissions intensity of its GDP by 45% by 2030, relative to 2005. As part of this effort, the government is promoting sustainable land use practices to sequester carbon. In a parallel endeavor, beyond the MoUs, the Gujarat government is actively investigating carbon sequestration in wetlands. A study found that wetlands can store 81-216 metric tons of carbon per acre, depending on their type and location. [link]

Indigo Ag Inc., a US startup that helps farmers be more sustainable, appointed a former boss of meat powerhouse Tyson Foods Inc. as its next chief executive officer. Dean Banks will succeed Ron Hovsepian, who will remain a member of the company’s board, Boston-based Indigo said this week in a statement. Indigo sells microbes to farmers to boost crop yields and helps them generate credits for sequestering carbon in the ground using methods such as cover crops. Banks, who served at Google X prior to Tyson, joined Indigo’s board in 2022 and will take over as CEO on Feb. 1 this year. [link]

American agribusiness company, ADM, has expanded its regenerative agriculture program to the UK and Poland, in a continued effort to create a more sustainable food system. ADM's regenerative agriculture program launched in North America in 2022 and provides financial and technical support to farmers who are taking positive steps to reduce their carbon footprint, improve water quality, and promote soil health and biodiversity. [link]

Australian soil carbon specialist Loam Bio has announced its entry to the US market, bringing with it a set of unique solutions for American farmers. The company has developed a unique microbial technology, called CarbonBuilder, which enhances the amount of stable carbon found in the soil without farmers having to make abrupt practice changes to their farming approach. This technology can allow farmers to start generating and selling carbon credits via Loam Bio’s very own carbon program SecondCrop. [link]

As Congress gears up for debate over the next Farm Bill later this year, many of the subsidy programs meant to aid the agriculture industry are under fire from some of the very farmers they are designed to support. In a new policy investigation, Farm Bill Sows Dysfunction for American Agriculture, several farmers across the United States sounded off about how crop insurance subsidies and other aid programs disproportionately benefit wealthier farmers, incentivize environmentally harmful practices, distort planting decisions in ways that ultimately impact our food supply, and discourage innovation amid everchanging weather and market conditions. Subsidized crop insurance is the most expensive program under the current iteration of the Farm Bill, with a total cost of over $17 billion. The government subsidizes about 60% of the premiums for policies that farmers buy from private insurance companies and it also pays these companies about $2 billion per year to cover their administrative costs. Farmers are increasingly pursuing regenerative agriculture practices as a way to quit these subsidy programs, remove government oversight, and build natural resilience into their operations. [link]

Bayer is making changes to the Executive Leadership Team of its Crop Science Division. The new setup will support the company to shape agriculture for farmers, consumers, and the planet, and to deliver against the ambition of becoming the leader in regenerative agriculture. Brian Naber will assume the position as commercial lead for the region North America from Jackie Applegate, who will be retiring from Bayer after 31 years with the company. Amid other resulting changes, the company stated that it wants to deliver innovations to farmers while helping society to achieve food security and fight climate change at the same time. [link]

The Wake County, North Carolina Board of Commissioners has partnered with Triangle Land Conservancy to permanently conserve one of the last remaining large farms in Wendell, marking the single largest dedication of funds for farmland preservation in the county and state and one of the largest in the nation. The Bailey family has voluntarily agreed to place 125 acres of its 129-acre farm into the Wake Soil and Water Conservation District’s Farmland Preservation Program, which will permanently safeguard the property from development. This 125-acre conservation easement is valued at $2.5 million. Wake County used nearly $1.1 million in deferred taxes as part of the newly expanded Farmland Preservation program. The remaining 60% was donated by the landowners. Triangle Land Conservancy will hold and monitor the easement in perpetuity to ensure that this land is truly protected. This is the second time that Wake County worked with Triangle Land Conservancy to use the funds to preserve prime farmland through the Farmland Preservation Program. [link]

Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) announced a collaboration to promote and implement regenerative agricultural and habitat conservation practices in strategic agricultural supply chains, as part of a shared goal to mitigate climate change from food and agricultural production and improve biodiversity and ecosystem services. The collaboration between LDC and TNC will accelerate the shift from commitment to on-the-ground implementation and impact, toward a net-zero, nature-positive role for agri-commodities that encourages practices to improve soil health, restore aquifers, promote biodiversity and mitigate climate change. The collaboration will be global and cross-commodity in nature, focusing initially on grains and oilseeds value chains, as well as coffee and cotton, across two interconnected ‘pillars’ for on-the-ground collaboration: regenerative agriculture and deforestation/conversion-free production. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In mid-December, it was announced that Virginia farmer, David Hula, broke the world corn record with an incredible yield of 623.8 bushels per acre on his Charles City farm. Read more, here.

January 6, 2024

Spotlight Story

Spotlight – Curious about which U.S. states produce the most greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture? Check out the story, here.

Industry Updates

Platinum Equity is acquiring the Horizon Organic and Wallaby businesses from Danone SA. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Danone announced in January 2023 it was exploring strategic options for both businesses. The company will retain a minority stake in them once the transaction is completed. Horizon Organic is a USDA-certified organic dairy brand with a product line that includes milk, creamers, whiteners, yogurt, cheese and butter. Wallaby is a manufacturer of Australian-inspired Greek yogurt. [link]

As lawmakers prepare to begin work on a new farm bill in 2024, farm bill priorities are being voiced by all parties, with some calling for reform to the pesticide labeling process. The EPA is responsible under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) for regulating pesticides. However, Congressman Dan Newhouse (R-WA 4th District) says that some states have gone beyond EPA’s own stringent regulations. Newhouse supports the Agricultural Label Uniformity Act to reaffirm pesticide label uniformity, noting that uncertainty on EPA-approved science-based labels will erode access to critical pesticides. Newhouse concedes, states have authority to regulate pesticides in their jurisdictions, but should not impose labeling requirements on top of or different than the scientific findings of EPA. [link]

The Maryland Department of Agriculture will accept Fiscal Year 2024 grant applications for its Healthy Soils Competitive Fund beginning January 3, 2024. This program provides financial assistance to eligible farmers and organizations to adopt conservation practices that benefit the climate, soil, and water. Practices can include agroforestry, cover crops, conservation tillage, pasture/hay planting, crop rotation, nutrient management, and more. Maryland farmers and organizations with innovative conservation ideas are encouraged to apply for these grants. Successful applicants will receive up to $50,000 to support 3 years of enhanced soil health practices. [link]

A second year of state funding for the Water Quality Program for Agriculture (WQPA) program cleared the way for the Idaho Soil and Water Conservation Commission to allocate another $5 million to 51 conservation projects across the state in fiscal year 2024. Overall, participating producers are working to reduce the amount of farm chemicals being applied to the soil while using alternatives to commercial fertilizer and herbicides. Biostimulants, in particular, have been making a "world of difference" as local farmers see a decrease in nutrient and sediment flows into groundwater alongside a decline of nitrogen and phosphorous being added to fields. [link]

Sinking soybean prices have been the theme to start the new year. One reason behind the price pressure is bearish news of rain returning to key growing areas in South America that had been impacted by severe drought. However, one leading ag meteorologist thinks this rain could do more harm than good at this point in the season, even impacting the planting of the safrinha corn crop. Eric Snodgrass, science fellow and principal atmospheric scientist with Nutrien Ag Solutions, says that the last three months have been incredibly dry in the center-West region of Brazil and that significant rainfall in coming weeks is likely to get recycled in the form of additional moisture that delays harvest and therefore pushes the safrinha corn crop into a late window of the calendar. Snodgrass says El Niño reached its peak at the end of December. Now, what’s called the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) is riding on top of El Niño, which is pumping tropical moisture into Brazil and increasing farmers' chances there for heavy rainfall and continued rain events. [link]

Seven out of 10 farmers expect a U.S. inflation rate below 4% this year, a sharp turn in sentiment from the start of 2023, when half of producers expected inflation to exceed 6%, said a Purdue University poll. One-third of farmers said they expected interest rates to decline this year, and 22% said interest rates would hold steady. When asked what the farm safety net would look like after the 2024 elections, 22% said it would be weaker, 16% said it would be stronger, and 61% said it would be about the same as now. Congress failed to pass a new farm bill in 2023, and there are doubts whether lawmakers will agree on a bill this year. [link]

The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research is awarding a $7,657,633 grant to Kansas State University. Funding will support an expansive study across the U.S. Corn Belt and Great Plains exploring how crop, soil and water management affect the soil microbial communities that drive agroecosystem functions. Bayer Crop Science provided $4,601,244 in matching funds, and Iowa State University, K-State, LandScan, LI-COR, Mississippi State University, The Ohio State University and The University of Kansas also provided funds for a total investment of $16,362,948. Over an initial five-year period, this project will investigate how combinations of cover crops, nitrogen, crop rotation and tillage, and water management under variable soil water conditions influence soil microbial communities that drive nutrient availability and loss. [link]

The oldest flour company in the U.S., King Arthur Flour Co., recently rolled out a new "Climate Blend" whole wheat flour, using wheat from two farms that employ regenerative agriculture techniques. Some of this wheat is perennial, meaning that it doesn't have to be planted season after season. This eliminates tilling, making it easier for soil to resist erosion and soak up moisture and nutrients. King Arthur sells the new product for roughly $3/lb, more than double the price of its regular whole wheat and a shade above the organic version. The company is betting on enough early adopters to pay this premium and boost regenerative agriculture more broadly. Early returns are promising; Climate Blend was King Arthur’s top-selling whole wheat flour last month, according to the company. [link]

In a study published in the Nature journal, scientists from China, France and the United Kingdom say soil worldwide will shed, instead of absorb, billions of tons of carbon by the end of the century, even if global warming is kept low. The results mean that the world’s carbon budget for staying under 1.5°C of global warming – what experts say is a safety limit – could be 66 percent smaller than previously estimated. Some computer models in the past have found soil to be a good storage for man-made carbon emissions. But the results changed drastically when researchers incorporated data from hundreds of long-term soil studies at sites ranging from tropical forests to the deep Arctic. Many of the experiments have found soil to be getting rid of its carbon content faster than thought, especially in the polar regions where plant cover is sparse. As such, where a model would predict global soils trapping about 30 billion tons of carbon by the end of the century with mild climate change, the updated formula returned a 19 billion ton discharge instead. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In early December, the European Commission adopted guidelines for designing sustainability agreements in the agriculture space, excluding restrictive covenants normally in place for anticompetitive purposes. The hope is that this will allow companies the ability to advance sustainability in their value chains without running afoul of consumer protections and antitrust laws. Read more, here.

December 30, 2023

Spotlight Story

Spotlight – The World Economic Forum discusses seven innovative solutions for fighting food waste. Check out the story, here.

Industry Updates

David Hula broke the world corn record with a yield of 623.8 bushels per acre on his Charles City, Virginia, farm. This beat the previous record of 616 bushels per acre he set in 2019. The 2023 record was set with Pioneer's P14830VYHR hybrid. This new hybrid is from a freshman class of corn products from the company. [link]

Russia has no interest in extending the Black Sea grain deal, the RIA news agency reported, citing Russia's agriculture minister Dmitry Patrushev. Russia withdrew in July from the deal which had allowed Ukraine to safely export grain from its ports. Russia says it quit the deal because the arrangement was not delivering grain to the poorest countries, and because it still faces barriers to its own exports of grain and fertilizer. [link]

A research team at the Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) has developed a breakthrough technology that effectively eliminates pests without the use of pesticides and protects farms from soil diseases by using microwave heating, the core mechanism of microwave ovens. Traveling down into the ground, microwaves selectively heat the moisture to 60-100 °C. Given that moisture makes up 10-30% of the soil, and that most pests live near the roots of crops and are heat-vulnerable (60 °C or more), KERI’s technology is expected to be highly effective in sterilization. [link]

The number of U.S. farm acres owned by foreign entities grew more than 8% in 2022, though the 43.4 million acres of foreign-owned forest and farmland is just 3.4% of the country's agricultural land, according to a U.S. government report. Foreign entities bought 3.4 million acres of U.S. farmland in 2022, with the biggest increases in Colorado, Alabama and Michigan. Canada remains the largest foreign investor, accounting for 32% of the acres, much of which are forest in Maine. China's holdings, a primary concern of lawmakers who want to restrict foreign ownership of farms, account for less than 1% of foreign-owned acres at 350,000, a slight decrease from 2021. [link]

Whole Foods Market announced a new pollinator health policy aimed at reducing the use of toxic pesticides in its fruit and vegetable supply chain. The policy seeks to help protect bees and other pollinators that are essential to one in three bites of food. Whole Foods has joined a growing trend in the grocery retail industry addressing threats to biodiversity by becoming the thirteenth company on Friends of the Earth’s Bee-Friendly Retailer Scorecard to establish a pollinator policy addressing toxic pesticides in its supply chain. Whole Foods’ policy requires fresh produce and floral suppliers to adopt Integrated Pest Management (IPM) practices by 2025. Suppliers may work with designated third-party certifications with meaningful IPM criteria or submit a legal attestation confirming that they adhere to the requirements of the policy. [link]

The Food Systems Countdown to 2030 Initiative (FSCI) has published new research that provides the first science-based monitoring to guide decision makers as they seek wholesale transformation of the global agriculture and food system. The research aims to fill data gaps inherent in the UN's Food Systems Summit by identifying an indicator framework composed of 50 metrics that monitor agriculture and food systems at a global level. Following this first global baseline, the FSCI will track agriculture and food systems annually until 2030, updating the framework as needed where new indicators or better data emerge. The overarching objective is that all people – especially the most vulnerable – have equitable access to healthy diets through sustainable and resilient agriculture and food systems. [link]

A new study tests whether hemp is an effective plant for intercropping between wine grapes to increase soil health and potentially add another cash crop to vineyards. Vintners planted hemp with other cover crops on a vineyard in New Zealand, and found that while hemp was a robust grower, it didn’t compete with grape vines for water, even in dry conditions. Surprisingly, the wine made from grapes grown near hemp had a delicious, complex flavor profile, but researchers say more tests are needed to see if hemp was the driving factor. [link]

The California Department of Food and Agriculture's Office of Environmental Farming and Innovation (OEFI) has announced $9.2 million in grant funding to six research projects under the Livestock Enteric Methane Emission Reduction Research Program (LEMER-RP). These funds, allocated by the Budget Act of 2022, support research that evaluates additives and dietary modifications shown to reduce enteric methane emissions in the dairy and livestock sectors. In 2020, dairy and livestock enteric methane emissions accounted for more than 11 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MMTCO2e) emissions per year in California, representing 35 percent of the state’s agriculture and forestry sector greenhouse gases. Enteric methane production is a natural part of the digestive process for ruminant animals like cattle, goats, and sheep, and it is belched into the atmosphere. [link]

The Ohio Department of Agriculture has announced nine land trusts, seven counties or townships, and 25 Soil and Water Conservation Districts will receive funding to help preserve farmland across the state. These organizations will receive allocations from the Clean Ohio Fund to select, close and monitor easements under the Local Agricultural Easement Purchase Program (LAEPP). Ohio landowners interested in selling an agricultural easement on their farms can fill out an application with their LAEPP sponsor organization. A total of $6 million will be made available in this round of funding. [link]

After weeks of hot and dry weather in Mato Grosso, Brazil, analysts are starting to significantly curb soybean yield outlooks. December monsoon rains were to be crucial in replenishing soil moisture but have thus far failed to materialize in any impactful way. Week-over-week, Center-West Brazil has seen temperatures significantly above normal and rainfall significantly below normal. December will end up being one of the hottest and driest Decembers in 30-plus years for Center-West Brazil, including important soybean-growing Mato Grosso. [link]

It is “very unlikely” that the EU will reach its target of expanding the share of organic farming to at least 25% of EU agricultural land by 2030, according to a new report from the European Environment Agency (EEA). The share of EU agricultural land that is farmed organically has been continuously increasing since 2012 and currently stands at 9.9% or 16 million ha. The current policy measures and short and medium-term decrease in demand for organics, due to unfavorable economic conditions, point to a share below 25% in 2030, the EEA said. [link]

A new study released by The Breakthrough Institute on beef operations from 16 countries shows that pasture-finished operations produce 20% more carbon than cattle finished on grain. The findings challenge the prevailing narrative that grass-fed operations are inherently more environmentally friendly. When accounting for soil carbon sequestration and carbon opportunity cost, the total carbon footprint of grass-fed operations is a staggering 42% higher. [link]

A new app created by Farm Journal's Trust in Food and AgWeb helps growers wade through the USDA's Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program and find the right grant projects for their farms and ranches. The new app pilot, the Climate-Smart Opportunity Navigator, seeks to remove the paperwork clutter and match farms and ranches with the right Climate-Smart Commodity grant project in minutes. Harnessing USDA data, producers can input their operation basics — such as location, commodities produced, and production practices and interests — and be matched with one or more of the Climate-Smart Commodities projects that fit their individual specs. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

Broadly, it was a tough year for food and agribusiness stocks in the U.S. Some of the largest packaged food manufacturers were down 20%-30%, on average, in 2023. Fertilizer companies were down across the board, with declines of 15%-40%, on average. Agribusiness and ingredient companies were a mixed bag; ADM declined 22% in 2023 while The Andersons increased by 65% for the year. Commodity prices were a mixed bag as well; lean hogs declined by 28% in 2023 while cocoa prices increased by over 60% this year.

December 16, 2023

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – The New York Times writes that the UN’s annual climate gathering has finally started to focus on greenhouse gas emissions from the global food sector. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – The FAO’s new food security roadmap to keep 1.5C alive. Check it out, in full, here.

Industry Updates

Missouri livestock producers may be eligible for new financial incentives for incorporating climate-smart grazing practices. Enrollment for currently available climate-smart grazing incentives runs through Jan. 31, 2024, according to the University of Missouri’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture. Farmers enrolled in the regenerative grazing program receive $50 per acre for implementing a management-intensive grazing plan on the enrolled pastures. The plan needs to be in writing and can be done in conjunction with attending an MU grazing school or from having participated in one in recent years. [link]

A new roadmap has been developed by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in an attempt to attain global food security by 2050 without breaching the global warming temperature target of 1.5C. The roadmap identifies “ten pivotal domains” which call for immediate “mobilized climate finance.” These include, food loss and waste, forest and wetlands, soil and water, fisheries and aquaculture, crops, clean energy, livestock, and enabling healthy diets for all, as well as “systemic enablers” such as data and inclusive policies. The FAO has set a list of targets for each of these areas which address food security and climate change. [link]

The Soil Health Institute (SHI) announced the release of a free phone application, Slakes, to empower and engage citizens around the world to measure aggregate stability: one of the most common indicators of soil health. Soils with greater aggregate stability are more resistant to wind and water erosion, and are linked to improved water capture, infiltration, and storage, contributing to improved water management and agricultural productivity. The Slakes app uses a smartphone camera to take a picture of three dry soil aggregates before and after exposing them to water for 10 minutes. The app then automatically calculates an aggregate stability value. Weaker aggregates will slake (or break apart) more easily, while stronger aggregates will slake less, indicating better soil aggregation and healthier soil. [link]

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Agriculture Future of America (AFA), formalizing a partnership to promote the common goals of strengthening the future competitiveness and sustainability of the U.S. agriculture industry by preparing more young people for careers in agriculture. USDA and AFA will continue to collaborate on leadership development efforts and link these young leaders with career opportunities in food, agricultural science, natural resources, and related fields. Under the MOU, USDA commits to advancing opportunities for AFA delegates to participate in USDA programs, including internships. AFA will provide occasions for USDA to meet with AFA delegates to share information about these opportunities. [link]

Chipotle Mexican Grill announced that it is making minority investments through its $50 million Cultivate Next venture fund into Greenfield Robotics and Nitricity. Greenfield Robotics aims to make regenerative farming more efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable by leveraging the latest advances in AI, robotics, and sensing technologies, while Nitricity is creating fertilizer products that are better for fields, farmers, and the environment. Cultivate Next makes early stage investments into strategically aligned companies that further Chipotle’s mission to Cultivate a Better World and help accelerate the company’s aggressive growth plans. [link]

Yara announced that it is acquiring the organic-based fertilizer business of Agribios Italiana, the company’s second bolt-on acquisition supporting its organic strategy in Europe. The company noted that it is committed to further expanding its offering in this sector as a complement to its mineral fertilizers to help promote regenerative agriculture and improve soil health. Agribios produced 60,000 metric tons of fertilizer in 2022, giving it a market share of 10% of the organic-based fertilizer market in Italy. The organic fertilizer market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 11.5% in Europe from 2023 to 2030. [link]

A new report by FoodDrinkEurope (FDE) suggests that soil health should act as the key performance indicator measuring the EU’s successful transition to sustainable agriculture. Soil health acts as a common and measurable theme across agriculture, with the FDE report noting that soil is directly or indirectly responsible for 95% of the food produced in the EU. The study found that it will cost around €30 billion [US$32.3 billion] to transition to more sustainable agriculture in the EU, however this pales in significance to the consideration that soil degradation in Europe costs €50 billion [US$53.9 billion] a year due to its impact on things like food production, nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration and water retention. [link]

Oklahoma farmers are now encouraged to apply to a special program to help improve the health of their soil. The state is heading an initiative through the Oklahoma Conservation Commission to look for people wanting to change their farming practices from traditional methods to those that are more focused on soil health. Through the Soil Health Implementation Program, the Commission plans to collect baseline soil health data while also offering a 3-year mentorship program to help find solutions for interested farmers. Farmers selected will be given funding of up to $40,000 to help them with their new practices. The full program totals $1 million. [link]

An ancient soil amendment – biochar – could be a promising tool for future soil health enhancement and maintenance, according to a study by the Texas A&M Department of Horticultural Sciences. The research showed biochar improved the soil microbiome and plant root interactions with a spectrum of beneficial microorganisms found there. [link]

A new study in the journal Nature has found that tree size diversity is the major driver of aboveground carbon storage in dryland agroforestry parklands. The research team assessed the direct and indirect influence of human management, abiotic factors, and species diversity on aboveground carbon (AGC) stocks in 51 parklands in drylands of Benin and found that structural diversity (tree size diversity) had the strongest relationship with AGC stocks, followed by community-weighted mean of maximum height. [link]

The Savanna Institute and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) have joined forces to establish a statewide agroforestry demonstration farm network in Wisconsin. This initiative aims to educate farmers and landowners on the benefits of integrating trees into their agricultural practices for both conservation and economic gains. Through a cooperative agreement with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), a $1.4 million investment will be made to develop demonstration sites and educational resources across Wisconsin. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late November, scientists from Cornell University and Purdue University announced that they have identified a previously undiscovered mechanism triggered by calcium when it’s added to soil, positively benefitting microbial communities underground. Check out the story, here.