November 16, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Oregon Capital Chronicle highlights an Oregon farm incubator that seeks to make it easier for people to become farmers. Read about it, here.

Spotlight 2 – Financial Times discusses how to feed the world via the power of uncommon collaborations in agritech. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 3 – NC State Extension has published a report on the enhancement of animal welfare and productivity at farms using silvopasture in NC and VA. Check it out, here.

Industry Updates

Carlsberg Denmark has entered into an agreement with DLG and Viking Malt to purchase Danish malt barley grown according to regenerative principles. The malt barley will be used for a specially brewed Carlsberg, which will be available in 2025 and be Carlsberg's first beer in Denmark with regenerative raw materials. As part of its sustainability strategy, Together Towards ZERO and Beyond, Carlsberg Group has committed to sourcing all raw materials according to regenerative principles by 2040. This transition will benefit both climate and the environment. [link]

Ecologists at the University of Oregon have been awarded a grant to test what they hope is a win for conservation and a win for hazelnut farmers. The $2 million federal grant allows the UO team to expand their research into improving soil health and climate resilience in hazelnut groves by planting native wildflowers with added crushed basalt under the trees. The funding is from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Conservation Innovation Grants Program, through the Inflation Reduction Act. [link]

Berlin-based agritech startup Klim is working to get farms to switch to regenerative farming more easily, and to help expand its operations internationally, the startup recently secured a $22 million Series A funding round led by Europe’s largest bank BNP Paribas. Notably, the round is one of the largest raised by agritech startups in Europe this year. With Klim, farmers get tools to plan, execute and finance the transition to regenerative practices. This includes data on restoring soil health, biodiversity, capturing carbon and reducing emissions. Farmers can also use Klim’s platform to track the progress of their transition and prove it to supply chain partners, enabling them to earn revenue payouts for sequestered carbon. Klim then takes a commission on the sale of carbon “insets” linked to supply chains, and farmers can generate revenue from these by selling them on Klim’s marketplace. [link]

LandAlive, which takes place on November 22 and 23 at the Bath & West Showground, Somerset, is bringing together expert farmers and speakers to explain how the whole food supply chain can become more resilient, profitable and environmentally sustainable. A new prize fund has just been announced, which will officially launch at LandAlive, offering two farmers or farm advisers in South West England £2,500 each towards a two-year regenerative farming program called Roots to Regeneration (R2R). The prize fund, sponsored by the Worshipful Company of Grocers, aims to stimulate innovation in farm business models in response to climate change, biodiversity loss, soil health, animal welfare, and – importantly – supporting farmer wellbeing. [link]

The Soil Inventory Project (TSIP) has announced a new partnership with EarthOptics, formalizing the two organizations' commitment to share data and expertise to produce the most advanced insights into soil health and sustainability. TSIP, a science-led non-profit, and EarthOptics, a leader in advanced soil sensing and predictive analytics technology, will enhance data exchange to provide robust, trusted, and actionable information on soil carbon storage, greenhouse gas accounting, and farm sustainability for farmers and ranchers. Through this partnership, TSIP will offer participating EarthOptics customers access to its cutting-edge modeling and automated reporting tools. By leveraging EarthOptics’ innovative soil sensing technology, which collects high-resolution physical, chemical, and biological soil data, the collaboration aims to empower agricultural stakeholders with data-driven insights for enhanced productivity and sustainable practices. [link]

Cargill RegenConnect has surpassed one million enrolled acres for the 2025 U.S. planting season, a milestone that underscores Cargill’s ongoing efforts to support farmers in adopting regenerative agriculture practices. Since its launch in 2021, Cargill RegenConnect has provided farmers with the tools, resources, and incentives they need to implement regenerative practices like low till, no-till, and cover cropping. The nearly 1,500 farmers enrolled in the U.S. program receive dedicated agronomist support, one-year contracts, payments for carbon sequestered, and choice of regenerative practices to adopt. This flexible approach helps farmers find the methods that work best for their operation as they transition. [link]

The South Dakota Specialty Producers Association (SDSPA) has entered into a Conservation Collaborative Cooperative Agreement (CCCA) with NRCS to promote regenerative organic practices (ROP) within the state. By joining the Regenerative Agriculture Pathway Program, producers can improve soil health, reduce erosion, and enhance water quality. These practices can also lead to increased biodiversity, improved crop yields, and greater resilience to climate change. SDSPA will provide hands-on technical assistance, educational programs, and resources to help producers implement ROP on their operations. [link]

A new comprehensive study, “Potential for U.S. Agriculture to Be Greenhouse Gas Negative,” says that five major areas exist for carbon footprint reduction to get the sector to net zero, or below. Led by U.S. Farmers & Ranchers in Action and supported by the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research, the study says that soil carbon management, nitrogen fertilizer management, animal production and management, crop yield gap, and efficient energy use will be key to getting U.S. agriculture to a net-negative greenhouse gas emitter. Published by the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology, the analysis suggests aggressive adoption of conservation practices in these areas can more than offset its carbon footprint while increasing farmer profitability and farm resiliency. [link]

CoBank has announced the launch of its first sustainability-linked loan in partnership with its customer, Heartland Co-op. Through this partnership, Heartland Co-op will receive a slight interest rate reduction on its operating line of credit with CoBank if it achieves ambitious goals related to water quality conservation practices and farmer engagement. Environmental Defense Fund supported the development of the loan and advised on the water quality targets. [link]

Agriculture sustainability-focused startup NitroVolt announced that it has raised €3.5 million euros (USD$3.7 million) in seed funding, with proceeds to be used to help to commercialize its system for producing ammonia for farmers with a minimal carbon impact. Ammonia is used extensively in a number of areas, especially agriculture as a key ingredient in nitrogen fertilizers. Production of fertilizers such as nitrogen is an energy intensive process that, when it uses fossil fuels, contributes an estimated 2% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Founded in 2023, Denmark-based NitroVolt aims to solve this challenge with its Nitrolyzer system, which will produce “green ammonia” at the point-of-use...the farm. The company has developed a system that combines air, water, and renewable electricity in an electrocatalytic ammonia synthesis process that totally removes fossil fuels from the production process, making its ammonia 100% renewable, carbon-free, and competitive with current ammonia prices. [link]

Analysis conducted by the Center for Human Nutrition Studies at Utah State University on behalf of Regenified and Diestel Family Ranch, confirms that Diestel turkeys grown with regenerative farming practices are not only better for the land, but can also improve fatty acid ratios and phytochemicals in turkeys. Diestel's regenerative birds were the first to be fed 650-tons of U.S.-grown Certified Regenerative feed that directly improves bird and soil health. In addition, Diestel turkeys have access to open land that was designed to replicate their natural shaded forest habitat. The Diestel brand has higher levels of zinc than a national leading brand. Vitamins B3 and B12 were found to be higher in the Diestel Regenerative samples compared to a national leading brand. The analysis also found that the Regenerative Diestel ground had higher levels of phytochemicals compared to a national leading brand, then transferred into the birds that eat plants from this land. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In mid-October, Sysco and ABP launched a five-year collaborative sustainable farming project in Tipperary, Ireland, aiming to help pioneer regenerative farming methods. See more, here.

November 9, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – The Maryland State Department of Natural Resources details how food forests enable fruit harvests and deeper connections to the land. Read about it, here.

Spotlight 2 – Earth.org says that in order to save our soil, we should invest in smallholder farmers. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 3 – An article in Nature shows us how to climate-proof our crops. Check it out, here.

Industry Updates

A new study from Dartmouth College indicates that farmers are increasingly adopting regenerative agriculture practices to decrease their dependence on agrochemical companies. Although farmers can earn money through carbon credits by doing regenerative agriculture, the study's authors were somewhat surprised to learn that this was not what was moving the needle for them. Instead, the farmers were more motivated by a desire to "get off that treadmill of high-input, high yield commodity agriculture," Susanne Freidberg, a professor of geography at Dartmouth and the study's co-lead author, said. [link]

Kiss the Ground, a leading nonprofit in the Regenerative Movement, launched a monthly subscription service for its certified regenerative coffee, Kiss the Ground Coffee, on November 1, 2024. This initiative follows an overwhelmingly successful donation-based beta launch in the summer of 2024, aiming to support regenerative farming practices and raise awareness about regenerative coffee production. After uncovering the harmful effects of conventional coffee production, Kiss the Ground partnered with Buena Vida Specialty Coffee, a Costa Rican company prioritizing farmer prosperity and soil health. Sourced from La Bella Farm, a small regenerative farm in Costa Rica, Kiss the Ground Coffee promises exceptional quality and flavor while supporting responsible production methods. [link]

The Cherokee County Conservation District is partnering with Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts, the Oklahoma Conservation Commission, Choctaw Nation Conservation District, the Oklahoma Black Historical Research Project, and the Muscogee (Creek) Nation Conservation District to provide $3.2 million in funding to farmers and ranchers to implement conservation practices. Examples of conservation practices that producers may be eligible for include cover cropping, rotational grazing, native grassland planting, brush management, no-till, prescribed grazing and more. Agriculture producers may be eligible for up to $23,000 of financial assistance to help implement conservation practices that create healthy soils, improve rangeland, and protect water quality. [link]

Kenya has launched a new initiative, aimed at promoting the planting of bamboo trees along the Nzoia River basin, in western Busia County. The project is being funded by the Chinese Academy of Sciences through its Sino-Africa Joint Research Center and is designed to control flooding, enhance climate resilience, and improve food security for local communities, as well as restore the ecological health of the Nzoia River, a major tributary of Lake Victoria, Africa's largest freshwater body. The project is being implemented in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Program's affiliated International Ecosystem Management Partnership (UNEP-IEMP). [link]

A new project spearheaded by researchers at Purdue University and Michigan State University is harnessing solar power to make irrigation more efficient and cost-effective for farmers. By integrating solar energy with IoT (Internet of Things) technology, the project aims to help farmers in rural areas manage energy demands, cut costs, and gain better control over irrigation practices. Solar energy will be used to power irrigation pumps and support “peak shaving” — reducing the strain on power grids during high-demand periods. In addition, IoT sensors in the field will allow farmers to monitor soil moisture, energy use, and other critical data in real-time through cloud storage. [link]

UK-based Sapling Spirits has partnered with chef and farmer Julius Roberts to launch a premium Regenerative Vodka. The new release highlights Sapling’s mission to adopt the latest environmental practices and innovative thinking by offering consumers a vodka that helps regenerate soil. Roberts has supported Sapling with his expertise in regenerative agriculture, ensuring every aspect of the vodka’s production aligns with sustainable practices and supports local farmers. Sapling Spirits’ Regenerative Vodka will launch in retail with Jeroboams and online on the brand’s website and Amazon. It is priced at £55 (US$71) per bottle. [link]

Norway, South Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States have officially launched a multi-donor “fund of funds”, known as FASA, whose aim is to address the financing challenges faced by agricultural small and medium-sized enterprises (agri-SMEs) across Africa. Over the next 10 years, the “Financing for Agricultural Small and Medium Enterprises in Africa” Fund, or FASA, aims to support 500 agri-SMEs and 1.5 million smallholder farmers across the continent, which together constitute Africa’s largest employer and economic engine, ultimately benefiting 7.5 million people while bolstering nearly 60,000 jobs. Although they produce 80% of Africa’s locally consumed food and generate a quarter of the continent’s rural employment, agri-SMEs face an estimated $100 billion lending gap, according to a recent analysis. FASA Fund aims to address this gap with an ambitious, targeted approach. [link]

Campbell Soup Company and Kind Snacks announced projects that would advance regenerative agriculture practices for key ingredients with financial support from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Campbell’s received $3.4 million through USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program to increase adoption of sustainable practices and reduce water consumption among tomato growers in California. Separately, Kind, a subsidiary of Mars Inc., said it will unlock more than $300,000 for regenerative agriculture in almonds through USDA’s Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities Program. More major food companies are relying on the USDA and a collaborative network of nonprofits and suppliers as they make a herculean push to transform their supply chains in order to meet company sustainability goals. [link]

An analysis in the International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews emphasizes the role of biodiversity in agriculture, adding to a wide body of science on its importance. The authors, from Western Illinois University in the United States and Rome Business School in Italy, find that biodiversity supports critical ecosystems and organisms needed for sustainable food production. Research shows that higher plant diversity disrupts pest life cycles and promotes beneficial insects, which prevents farmers from relying on chemical inputs. Crop diversity also improves soil health, reducing the need for chemical inputs while also providing habitats for beneficial organisms that help control pests and diseases. This improves yield stability and further contributes to ecosystem services, such as pollination, nutrient cycling, and soil fertility. [link]

Moldovan winemakers and their stakeholders can monitor, in real time, the level and quality of regenerative agriculture taking place in their vineyards through the new Re.Wine platform - the result of collaboration between Czech Big Terra and the Moldovan National Association of Rural Development (ACSA). The Re-Wine platform was developed through the Czech-UNDP Challenge Fund, an initiative implemented by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), with financial support from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic. The platform includes key periodical weather events that are essential for ecological adaptability of grape varieties, crop management and crop modelling. Also, essential data are available on the quality of carbon sequestration in a given vineyard, such as start, peak, and end of season, vegetation state at those times, minimum value (relevant to health of vines and characterization of the year), and also rates of ripening and natural degradation, considering loss of texture, flavor, etc. [link]

New research reveals a significant gap for UK businesses between their awareness and action when it comes to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) targets. The findings from Virgin Money highlight that while 68% of decision makers within SMEs are familiar with the concept of ESG targets, more than half (54%) have not yet set targets for their business. This is despite over two-thirds (71%) of them acknowledging that adopting ESG practices is important to their customers. This disconnect shows the challenges businesses face in translating awareness into actionable strategies. Confidence in understanding the necessary steps to meet ESG targets is holding firms back from making necessary changes, with one in four (25%) decision makers within SMEs not being confident about the specific actions required. Concerns about competitiveness and costs are also prevalent, as one in four (26%) who have set ESG targets for their business believe that meeting these goals could make their business uncompetitive, and one in three (34%) think it's too expensive to implement. However, the primary challenge businesses with ESG targets face in meeting their goals is that 51% are waiting for regulatory or government guidance before making the necessary changes. [link]

New Boston Consulting Group research among over 1,000 US farmers shows that more than three-quarters have a positive attitude toward what the US Department of Agriculture calls “climate-smart agriculture.” Yet, despite this willingness and a general consensus on what sustainable practices look like, farmers lack a clear path forward, mainly because they do not have access to the necessary capital. A big part of the problem is measurement—more specifically, the lack of a practical system for measuring, monitoring, reporting, and verification (MMRV) of sustainable agricultural practices. In BCG’s research, more than 75 experts across the entire agrifood value chain agreed that current measurement practices do not provide sufficient transparency and credibility to enable investments, such as insurance and loans, that incentivize farmers to make the transition to new farming practices. Without better measurement, private investment will not play; and without access to increased private funding, farmers are stuck in the mud. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late-September, U.S. farmers began increasing pressure on the Biden administration to allow vaccinations for chickens, turkeys, and cows to protect them from bird flu infections that have devastated flocks for three years. See more, here.

November 2, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Civil Eats discusses the “soft path” of water for farmers in the parched western U.S. Read about it, here.

Spotlight 2 – Virginia Tech showcases the work of a Ph.D. student harnessing the power of mustard for sustainable pest management. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 3 – Food Tank says that “sustainability” is the freedom to farm how we should be farming. Check it out, here.

Industry Updates

A Hicksville, Ohio, production facility is turning chicken manure into a product that redefines plant nutrition management with the potential to boost farmers’ return on investment and protect the environment. EnviroKure Inc. has pioneered a technology that maximizes the potential of all fertilizers by using a process involving hydrodynamic bioconversion technology to create two products—a solid, less used, fertilizer that can be directly applied to land, and its “foundational Biostim product” that can be blended into a variety of products and utilized as an ingredient in value-added fertilizers. Chicken manure is historically known as “nature’s finest fertilizer,” but it is also known to harbor pathogens such as E. coli and salmonella. EnviroKure’s technology removes pathogens and produces a product that is soil-building and amplifies nutrients in the soil. [link]

A university study which aims to identify ways in which farming in Gloucestershire can be more sustainable has been awarded £30,000 in funding. Led by the University of Gloucestershire (UoG), the new Gloucestershire Food and Farming for Net Zero project will work to identify ways to support positive changes to how people eat and farm across the county. The funding has been awarded by UK Research and Innovation to support the UK’s target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. [link]

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has published its ‘Living Planet Report 2024’, which reveals a “system in peril”, with a global wildlife decline of 73%, up 4% from 2022’s estimation. The report, now in its 15th edition, offers a comprehensive overview of trends in global biodiversity and the health of the planet. It condemned the current food system model, which it deems “inherently illogical”, due to its undermining of society’s capacity to feed its population now and into the future. [link]

Big Picture Ranch has announced the launch of a 100 Million Acres Pledge, an ambitious movement to regenerate 100 million acres of U.S. farmland by 2030. Through a broad coalition of partners, including founding pledge member Maker’s Mark, this initiative serves as a catalyst to mobilize communities across the country. The 100 Million Acres Pledge encourages brands, farmers, and individuals to commit to transitioning 10% of U.S.-sourced acreage into certified regenerative systems by 2030, contributing to healthier soils, more resilient ecosystems, and a sustainable future. Big Picture Ranch is a production company co-founded by filmmakers Josh and Rebecca Tickell, known for their work in environmental activism and sustainability-focused documentaries including “Kiss The Ground,” and “Common Ground”. [link]

Treehouse California Almonds is developing a new biochar manufacturing facility in Delano that will be the first commercial system directly tied to agriculture on the west coast. Treehouse Almonds is partnering with biochar producer Sitos Group on the $9 million slow pyrolysis biochar manufacturing facility that will transform almond shells into biochar. The facility will be funded by private investment from Sitos Group shareholders and New Markets Tax Credits, a federal program that provides tax credits to attract private investment. [link]

The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Crop Improvement, led by Cornell, has been awarded a second five-year, $25 million grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to continue advancing its mission of improving global food security and agricultural resilience. This renewed funding will enable the Innovation Lab for Crop Improvement (ILCI) to strengthen its interdisciplinary efforts to support demand-driven, socially responsive crop improvement programs in key regions around the world. Established in 2019 with an initial $25 million grant from USAID, ILCI supports public plant breeding programs in low-resourced countries. In its initial phase, the lab collaborated with National Agricultural Research Institutions across 11 countries to advance crop improvement initiatives designed to address food security needs in Central America, the Caribbean and sub-Saharan Africa. [link]

Viterra Ltd. is partnering with xFarm Technologies SA to support farmers in the adoption of agricultural practices focused on carbon measurement and regenerative agriculture provided through the latest technological tools and agronomy assistance for sustainable farming. Participating farmers will have access to Viterra Sustainable Farming, a farm management information system (FMIS) developed by xFarm Technologies to facilitate farmer’s day-to-day operations while encouraging more sustainable practices. Viterra also will help farmers adopt regenerative agricultural practices and produce low-carbon crops through its Regenerative Agriculture Program, which is designed to help them identify the most appropriate regenerative agriculture practices for their land and provide them with the most advanced tools from xFarm Technologies to implement these practices. [link]

A Missouri State agriculture professor has received a six-figure grant for a drone-assisted study of pastureland, especially how trees and grasses grow and remain healthy. The U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded a $300,000 grant to Michael Goerndt, associate professor in the university's School of Agricultural Science and Conservation, for the project. Titled “Adaptation of Pasture and Forestland to Silvopasture and Black Walnut Systems in Southern Missouri," this new project will study the integration of pastureland and Black Walnut forests. [link]

Gucci owner Kering, drugmaker GSK and building materials producer Holcim became the first companies to adopt science-based targets to protect nature established by a new group that aims to reduce biodiversity loss resulting from human activity. The measures from the Science Based Targets Network initially are focused on protecting land and reducing freshwater usage. The three companies’ adoption of the nonprofit’s targets comes amid a growing push from businesses to pay more attention to their impact upon the natural world. Established after a year-long pilot program, the targets largely include reducing freshwater usage, often through water recycling and reducing leakages, while Kering in particular is committing to avoiding development or exploitation of natural ecosystems. The move to set science-based targets to project nature comes while negotiations from governments, nonprofits and civic groups take place at the COP16 conference in Cali, Colombia, a global conference aimed at protecting biodiversity and nature. [link]

Regenified, a leader in regenerative agriculture verification, has released a new report - Exploring Consumer Appetite for Regenerative Agriculture - that highlights a growing interest in regenerative agriculture. The in-depth study involved 850 U.S. consumers, segmented into General Consumers and Values Based Shoppers, showing an emergence of a subset of consumers spanning both groups—dubbed the Emerging Regenerative Market—who demonstrate significant interest in regenerative values and a desire to purchase regenerative products. While the data reveals an increasing recognition of regenerative practices, it also highlights the need to increase understanding and access. Consumers preferences for certification, nutrient density, and product availability underpin the opportunity for market expansion. [link]

The OECD will release the latest estimates of government support to agriculture along with monitoring and evaluation of agricultural policy developments on Wednesday, November 6. Agricultural Policy Monitoring and Evaluation 2024: Innovation for Sustainable Productivity Growth is based on the OECD’s comprehensive system for measuring and classifying support to agriculture — the Producer and Consumer Support Estimates (PSE and CSE) and related indicators. The report covers 54 countries, including all OECD members, five non-OECD EU member states and 11 economies. This year’s report focuses on policies fostering sustainable productivity growth in agriculture. [link]

Enrollment for incentive payments for regenerative grazing and climate-smart fieldscapes has begun as of Nov. 1, according to Rob Myers, director of the University of Missouri’s Center for Regenerative Agriculture. The program is part of a $25 million USDA grant to the University of Missouri. The regenerative grazing program offers payments of $50 per acre for Missouri farmers who develop management plans for prescribed grazing on eligible pastures. Support is available for designing grazing plans that can improve pasture productivity and soil health. Another enrollment option focuses on small and underserved farmers who implement three or more climate-smart practices appropriate to their farms; the participants also need to be willing for their farms to serve as demonstration sites for those practices. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In mid-October, Tesco unveiled the nationwide launch of a regeneratively farmed milk product in the UK. See more, here.

October 26, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Civil Eats wonders, if restaurants serve up climate education, will diners pay attention? Read about it, here.

Spotlight 2 – The Guardian says that North Carolina farms face depleted, toxic soil after historic flooding from hurricane Helene. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 3 – Forbes writes that regenerative farming is a business imperative for multinationals. Check it out, here.

Industry Updates

New research released by McKinsey & Company reveals that global farmers are eyeing sustainable practices, innovative technology implementation, and new yield increasing products to boost profits given wider macro environmental pressure. McKinsey’s 2024 Global Farmers Survey, which gathers perspectives from 4,400 farmers, outlines a cautiously optimistic outlook around the ability to capture increased profits in the years to come. However, expectations on rising profit margins differ widely based on region, with North American and European farmers overall expecting profits this year to be lower (64% and 55% respectively) while farmers in Latin America and India anticipate higher profits over the next two years (58% and 76% respectively), up from 42% and 37% in 2022. [link]

Cattle producers can learn more about the benefits of cover crop grazing and practical management strategies to optimize productivity at the 2024 Cover Crop Grazing Conference in North Platte, NE on November 6. The conference is held by the University of Nebraska - Lincoln and will include a trade show, presentations about annual forages for winter grazing, selecting and using temporary fences, planting dates and forage production, and insights from a producer who has effectively incorporated cover crops into his farming and ranching business. [link]

The Climate Collaborative, in partnership with the UNFI Foundation, has announced the launch of the second cohort of its Regenerative Transition Community of Practice (CoP) in November 2024. The CoP brings together leaders from across the grocery industry—CPGs, retailers, food service providers, distributors, suppliers and funders—to increase their capacity to navigate the complexity of regenerative supply chain transition. The inaugural cohort, launched in November 2023, featured 14 leaders from companies at the forefront of the industry, including NSI, Aurora Organic Dairy, Califia, Clif, Sweetgreen, Wildway, Rumiano Cheese, and UNFI. The program provided an immersive learning experience, helping participants navigate the complexities of organic and regenerative transition with expert facilitation, peer collaboration, and leadership capacity building. [link]

South Dakota State University Extension will host its Managing Soil: Maximizing Profit conference for crop producers and industry professionals in Wagner on December 10, 2024. Managing Soil: Maximizing Profit is an annual conference for crop producers and industry professionals. It provides valuable information for everyone who raises crops, forages and livestock. The main themes of this year's meeting are managing the farming system for soil health and profit, and integrating grazing cattle into the crop production system. [link] 

Purdue University researchers are investigating whether mulching Kura clover, a perennial legume, can provide sufficient nitrogen for corn while enhancing soil organic carbon storage. The innovative system could potentially boost the much-needed supply of soil nitrogen in Midwest corn production, according to Yichao Rui, assistant professor in the Department of Agronomy who’s leading the research on the little-studied effects of Kura clover on corn production. Integrating Kura clover into a continuous corn production system offers a possible path toward both high corn productivity and environmental sustainability. As a unique perennial legume that survives all year long, Kura clover also fixes inert nitrogen gas from the air, converting it into plant-useable forms available to corn. [link]

Former Unilever CEO Paul Polman, the Rockefeller Foundation, and healthy nutrition advocates are on a campaign to get big food and beverage companies and retailers to produce and market healthier products. The group recently sent a letter to the leaders of major, global food and beverage companies urging them to create healthier and more sustainably sourced products and to market so-called junk foods high in salt, sugar, and unhealthy fats, more responsibly. According to the letter, “70% of the world’s processed foods do not fit in a healthy diet.” The result of more people globally, particularly in emerging markets, consuming these diets is a rise in diabetes, heart disease, and cancer – a cost they quantified at US$19 trillion when including both consumer health and environmental/economic-related costs of these foods. The signatories to these principles will be made public at a March summit in Paris. [link]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is developing a “research roadmap” to address PFAS in agriculture and prevent so-called “forever chemicals” from contaminating food production. The department’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) held a three-day workshop bringing together more than 150 interagency researchers, universities and state partners to identify key solutions to the emerging threat of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances on farmland. Stakeholders intend to build on the workshop and release documents to communicate solutions to the agricultural research community. New partnerships will also help bring those solutions to life, especially in locations “where PFAS has critical impacts on agriculture,” the ARS said. [link]

Biodiversity is declining more quickly within key protected areas than outside them, according to research that scientists say is a “wake-up call” to global leaders discussing how to stop nature loss at the UN’s Cop16 talks in Colombia. Protecting 30% of land and water for nature by 2030 was one of the key targets settled on by world leaders in a landmark 2022 agreement to save nature – and this month leaders are gathering again at a summit in the Colombian city of Cali to measure progress and negotiate new agreements to stop biodiversity loss. Nearly a quarter of the world’s most biodiversity-rich land is within protected areas, but the quality of these areas is declining faster than it is outside protected areas, according to the analysis by the Natural History Museum (NHM). The authors say there are a few reasons why this might be the case. A lot of protected areas are not designed to preserve the whole ecosystem, but rather certain species that are of interest, which means total “biodiversity intactness” is not a priority. Another reason is that these landscapes could have already been suffering degradation, which is why they were protected in the first place. Researchers say specific local analysis is key to working out why each one is failing. [link]

The Climate Bonds Initiative has announced the launch of its newly developed Agriculture Production (Crop and Livestock) Criteria, now officially available for certification under the Climate Bonds Standard - a labeling scheme for entities, assets and debt instruments. This landmark development represents the culmination of significant collaborative efforts by leading experts and will provide a critical tool for investors to decarbonize one of the most emission-intensive sectors—agriculture production. The Agriculture Production Criteria offer a robust framework to help mitigate crop and livestock emissions, identifying agricultural practices that can align with global sustainability frameworks such as the Paris Agreement and the Kunming-Montreal Biodiversity Framework as well as support the Global Methane Pledge. [link]

The environmental costs of hurricanes Helene and Milton are now becoming clear. The storms damaged or destroyed 200,000 commercial beehives—a vital resource for pollinating U.S. crops—in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. Hundreds of landslides devastated communities throughout Appalachia. And a 40-mile-long toxic red tide hovers just off Florida’s Gulf Coast, threatening fish and humans. Throughout Florida, Milton caused between $1.5 billion and $2.5 billion in agricultural losses, according to a preliminary estimate by the Florida Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services, from beef cows to blueberries. [link]

In a perspective paper published on October 23 in the Cell Press journal, Joule, bioengineers propose a radical new method of food production away from "inefficient" photosynthesis towards what they call “electro-agriculture". The method essentially replaces photosynthesis with a solar-powered chemical reaction that more efficiently converts CO2 into an organic molecule that plants would be genetically engineered to “eat.” The researchers estimate that if all food in the US were produced using electro-agriculture, it would reduce the amount of land needed for agriculture by 94%. The method could also be used to grow food in space. [link]

A definition for regenerative agriculture has been created by the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA). Regen ag is one of the buzzwords of the farming industry right now, but discussion of the topic has been hampered by the lack of a clear definition and understanding of what the broad topic entails. The definition is: “Regenerative agriculture is a holistic farming approach that aims to restore and enhance the natural recipients of agro-eco systems while supporting the long-term health and viability of agricultural businesses and communities. The foundation of this farming system is the integrated management of soil health, biodiversity, water resources, human health and climate.” [link]

Conservation efforts benefiting Tennessee’s Duck River and sustainable farming are among 92 projects to receive new funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the department announced Wednesday. Projects supporting conservation in Tennessee will receive more than $66 million of the total $1.5 billion awarded throughout the country through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program. The funding comes from the Farm Bill and the Inflation Reduction Act. The Duck River Watershed Society was awarded $20 million to support stream restoration in the Duck River, which is among the most diverse freshwater rivers in North America. Agricenter International, a Shelby County-based nonprofit focusing on agricultural research and environmental conservation, will steward almost $25 million to support the “Middle Tennessee Field and Forest Partnership.” The MidSouth Development District, an organization that works in Tennessee, Arkansas and Mississippi, will receive a little over $21 million to fund the MidSouth Regional Conservation Partnership Program. [link]

The University of California, Riverside, has been awarded $1.5 million in grants from the California Department of Food and Agriculture to lead three interconnected projects aimed at transforming California’s specialty crop farming. The initiatives focus on youth engagement, sustainable waste management, and advanced agricultural technologies. Each of the three projects has received about $498,000 in funding and will integrate education, research, and practical application to help shape a sustainable future for global food systems. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late August, farmers in six Asian countries successfully increased their rice yields using nuclear-derived climate-smart agricultural practices with the support of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Food & Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. See more, here.

October 19, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Forbes expects regenerative agriculture to solve big issues in food production but wants to know who will pay for it? Read about it, here.

Spotlight 2 – Fast Company discusses how farmers and businesses are joining together to protect the world’s most precious resource: soil. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 3 – The Columbia Missourian details how community support is a key element to scaling regenerative agriculture. Check it out, here.

Industry Updates

The Soil Association Exchange has partnered with Lloyds Bank to support agricultural farmers, drive sustainable farming & combat soil degradation. Through this partnership, farmers will be offered a direct plan on how they can expand their sustainability efforts, support biodiversity, reduce carbon emissions and improve soil health. Farmers will be given guidance on how they can advance their sustainability plans. They will also be able to cooperate with experts to link them to new avenues that will help fund the move to sustainable farming and receive an action plan based on support from corporate partners in the supply chain. [link]

The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development announced the department is offering a competitive grant program to promote the sustainability of land-based industries and support infrastructure benefiting rural communities in Michigan. The grants are funded by the Nonferrous Metallic Minerals Extraction Severance Tax and are available for projects addressing expansion and sustainability of land-based industries like food and agriculture, forestry, mining, oil and gas production, and tourism. Money will be allocated to practices like worker training related to land-based industries or energy, transportation, housing, communications, water, and wastewater infrastructure to benefit rural communities and micropolitan statistical areas. [link]

Tesco has unveiled the nationwide launch of a regeneratively farmed milk product in the UK. Trewithen Dairy's new product, Regen Milk, showcases its dedication to sustainable and regenerative farming practices. Farmers involved in producing Regen Milk receive an additional 5p per liter compared to conventional milk, demonstrating Trewithen Dairy's dedication to supporting fair and sustainable farming. These farmers rotate their free-grazing dairy cows every five days, providing access to fresh pasture, cultivating diverse plant species, and eliminating artificial fertilizers by incorporating natural solutions like clover planting. [link]

A report by SNS Insider says that the global biofertilizers market is anticipated to grow to $7.1 billion by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 11.4% from 2024 to 2032. One of the key drivers of growth in the biofertilizers market is the world trend of promoting sustainable agriculture, whereby increasing awareness of the issues caused by chemical fertilizers motivates customers to instead choose biofertilizers given that they are natural substances that help soil to become more fertile and plants to grow. [link]

The Hershey Company has announced a five-year agreement with nine cocoa-producing cooperatives in Côte d'Ivoire. The move is part of its "Cocoa For Good" strategy, a 10-year, $500 million investment by the company to address the complex challenges facing cocoa farmers. The agreement aims to build lasting relationships with farmers that enable a more resilient supply. [link]

Regenerative agriculture pioneer Advancing Eco Agriculture (AEA) announced a global partnership with Topraq, a Turkish precision agriculture technology company. Topraq specializes in optimizing inputs such as water, energy, and fertilizers using sensor data to enhance farm profitability across Turkey and surrounding regions. The partnership, which includes an investment from Topraq in AEA, will strengthen both companies' offerings to growers seeking to adopt regenerative practices for their citrus, grape, cotton and other high value crops. Notably, the partnership will bring increased access to regenerative agricultural solutions for growers in southeast Europe and west and central Asia, a crucial area in the global food supply and a region in which Topraq works extensively. [link]

Mars Inc. has announced collaborations to provide financial incentives to farmers as they implement regenerative agriculture practices in North America. These partnerships aim to encourage wheat, corn and rice farmers in select regions to implement regenerative agriculture practices, contributing to Scope 3 carbon reductions as part of the Mars Net Zero Roadmap. Multi-year partnerships have begun with partners and suppliers including ADM, The Andersons Inc., Riceland Foods, and Soil and Water Outcomes Fund, led by Royal Canin USA and Mars Petcare US Inc. Key agricultural regions covered are in Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Michigan and Ontario. Farmers will be supported as they implement cover crops, reduced tillage and extended crop rotations, with an aim to deliver benefits such as increased yields, lower greenhouse gas emissions through reduction and carbon sequestration, improved water quality, enhanced soil health, and greater biodiversity in the implementation regions. [link]

BASF is expanding its BioSolutions offering through a partnership with Acadian Plant Health, a renowned marine plant harvesting, cultivation, and extraction company based in Dartmouth, Canada. BASF will leverage Acadian's seaweed biostimulant technology to complement its biological portfolio and expand the availability of products in new markets while increasing solutions that grow more sustainable crops. Biostimulants are substances or microorganisms that, when applied to plants or the surrounding soil, have the ability to enhance crop growth, improve stress tolerance, and maintain marketable yield. [link]

Foodservice specialist Sysco and meat processor ABP have launched a five-year collaborative sustainable farming project with the aim of pioneering regenerative farming methods in Tipperary, Ireland. Throughout the duration of the project, Tipperary farmers will learn from industry experts and apply regenerative farming practices and works to improve soil and water quality, biodiversity, animal health and crop diversity. The ‘Regen beef’ initiative aims to share the learnings of the project with the wider farming industry. [link]

A new Deloitte survey says that 79% of agrifood executives report revenue growth from their sustainability investments. Additionally, 74% said that they achieved at least 2% cost reductions through sustainability investments. Nearly all of the 350 food and agriculture executives surveyed by Deloitte and NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business (CSB) acknowledged the financial value of sustainability investments, with 60% of executives expecting the value from sustainability strategies to increase over the next two years. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late September, a new study said that 75% of farmers are already being impacted by climate change or worried about its impacts. See more, here.

October 5, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – The Missouri Independent writes about how perennial crops can breathe new life into depleted soil. Read about it, here.

Spotlight 2 – The Hill says that lawmakers are racing to avoid a Farm Bill disaster. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 3 – Civil Eats looks into how restaurants are surviving supply disruptions on key ingredients. Check it out, here.

Industry Updates

Ibrahim Ishaka, a Food System/Nutrition Specialist at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations, recently revealed that Nigeria loses around 50 percent of its agricultural products along the food supply chain. He explained that food waste posed significant challenges to Nigeria’s agricultural sector, impacting food security, economic growth, and environmental sustainability. Ishaka further highlighted additional factors contributing to post-harvest losses, including: inadequate storage facilities, poor handling practices and poor transportation infrastructure. He also noted that inefficient food processing methods, improper packaging, inadequate storage, and unhealthy consumption habits further exacerbate food waste. [link]

Zoetis and Danone recently announced a joint business development plan to drive sustainable practices on today’s dairy farms through the power of genetics for healthier cows. Combining Danone’s commitment to environmental stewardship with Zoetis’ expertise in animal genetics, the partnership aims to innovate the dairy industry’s approach to breeding for sustainability. The focus is on integrating sustainable practices into dairy genetics and selection, emphasizing animal well-being, reducing environmental impact, and promoting long-term resilience in dairy farming. [link]

PepsiCo is buying Mexican American food company Siete Foods for $1.2 billion, marking the company’s first food acquisition in roughly five years. Like many food companies, Pepsi has been trying to shift its portfolio to include healthier options in recent years, usually through acquisitions. Recent additions include Bare Snacks, Health Warrior and PopCorners. Siete founder, Veronica Garza, started the company in 2014 when she began selling grain-free tortillas. Since then, its portfolio has grown to include tortilla chips, taco shells, salsas and seasonings, often designed to accommodate different dietary restrictions. The deal is expected to close in the first half of 2025, assuming it receives regulatory approval. [link]

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Montana is accepting applications for the St. Mary Initiative, focusing on key conservation practices to mitigate resource concerns that could be caused by the loss of irrigation water in the St. Mary Canal and Milk River system. Producers in the region may not be able to plant annual crops, irrigate forage, or provide adequate stockwater due to the St. Mary Canal siphon failure. Conservation practices in the initiative include cover crops, fence, livestock water systems, and upland wildlife habitat management. The St. Mary Initiative will be funded through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) using the Act Now application process. [link]

The Land Group announced its formal launch, after several years of operating in stealth. The Land Group acquires, transforms, and operates farmland - employing regenerative approaches to deliver consistent, financially compelling, and environmentally sustainable investment returns and asset appreciation. Founded in 2016 by Francisco Roque de Pinho and Joaquín Labella, The Land Group currently operates 40,000 hectares of farmland across eight properties in Uruguay and Paraguay, with plans for expansion beyond South America in 2025. [link]

The South Dakota Soil Health Coalition launched a new website aimed at increasing access to local food resources by connecting consumers with local food producers in their area. The new website, known as South Dakota Fresh Connect, allows producers and farmers markets to create free accounts and public profiles to list their available products on a map. Consumers, restaurants, markets, and other organizations can also create free accounts to locate the nearest sources for the goods they need and directly contact the producers. [link]

The Markets Institute at World Wildlife Fund (WWF) proposed a new framework to support the growing demand for globally traded food while reducing the worst environmental consequences of food production. The framework, known as Codex Planetarius, is a proposed system of performance standards for global food production, focusing on the world’s least efficient producers. It aims to identify the key environmental impacts of global food production and trade, establish metrics that are globally standardized, and inform guidelines to foster international agreement. [link]

CropX, a global leader in digital agricultural solutions, has announced the launch of an enhanced variable rate application (VRA) planning capability for growers to use to improve the precision of their in-field operations. This new feature empowers users to optimize seeding, irrigation water, and fertilizer based on in-field variations, maximizing the productivity and efficiency of a field. The latest VRA capability allows users to create detailed seeding and fertilizer application maps for their fields and easily export the maps to machinery for immediate implementation. [link]

Washington State University (WSU) scientists have successfully tested a novel method to produce jet fuel from lignin-based agricultural waste. This breakthrough could revolutionize aviation fuel production, helping the industry reduce its carbon footprint and reliance on fossil-derived fuels. Published in Fuel Processing Technology, the research presents a continuous process for transforming lignin polymers, a key component of plant cells, into a sustainable form of jet fuel. [link]

Grow Ahead, a digital crowdfunding platform that supports farmer-led climate resiliency projects around the world, is launching a Week of Action from October 7-11. The Week of Action will raise awareness and funds for environmentally and socially responsible agroforestry projects, highlighting the importance of farmer-led initiatives to address the dual crises of climate change and global poverty. By partnering with fair trade organizations and mission-driven business partners, Grow Ahead aims to educate, inspire, and mobilize advocates, consumers, and businesses to combat climate change through radical shifts in community development. [link]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has awarded a $1 million, four-year grant to a Penn State-led team of plant scientists and an economist to explore anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD), a microbial-driven process aimed at weed management to support the transition from conventional to organic farming systems. The ASD process promotes the decomposition of organic matter through soil saturation, creating anaerobic conditions that build up volatile fatty acids and other organic acids that are toxic to weeds. The project’s primary goal is to improve the profitability and sustainability of organic vegetable and specialty crop production while facilitating the transition to organic farming. [link]

On October 10 and 11, the Crops that Nourish Convening will bring together agriculture, food security, and environmental health experts to discuss a global agenda for crops that support the health of humans and the planet.  Taking place at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C., the event is organized by CIMMYT, Johns Hopkins University, CGIAR, the Institute for Planetary Health, and Food Tank. Panel discussions and keynote remarks will address crops that contribute to sustainable agrifood systems, improvements to crops and soils that can build resilience for farmers, and what the future of food and agriculture systems should look like. [link]

A new cover crop survey by the Conservation Technology Information Center (CTIC), USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, and American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) is gathering insights on cover crops from crop consultants, seed dealers, ag retailers, conservation planners, and others who help guide farmers in their decision-making. Seven previous cover crop surveys by CTIC, SARE, and ASTA have provided farmers’ perspectives on the benefits and challenges of cover crops. This is the first of the organizations’ cover crop survey series to explore the opinions and experiences of people who advise farmers. CTIC/SARE/ASTA cover crop surveys help seed producers evaluate market demand and fluctuations, trending species and regional needs to supply the growing market for cover crop seed. [link]

The California Water Institute at Fresno State announced its first formal partnership with Sustainable Conservation on a $498,423 grant-funded project from the California Department of Food and Agriculture aimed at enhancing aquifer replenishment in the San Joaquin Valley. Sustainable Conservation, a nonprofit organization focused on solving California’s land, air, and water challenges, and the California Water Institute will implement six on-farm recharge pilots specifically in pistachio orchards to study nitrate leaching, soil health and function, and crop yield. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In mid-September, The Lactalis Group announced that it will purchase General Mills’ U.S. yogurt brands and facilities. See more, here.

September 28, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – The United Nations writes that in this “triple COP year”, leaders must align efforts to ensure planetary health. Read about it, here.

Spotlight 2 – KOSU discusses why more farmers are planting native landscapes in their crop fields. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 3 – The New Climate Institute offers a report on how to navigate regenerative agriculture in corporate climate strategies. Check it out, here.

Industry Updates

Lehigh University researchers are developing biodegradable mulch films that deliver nutrients to crops, offering an eco-friendly alternative to traditional plastics in agriculture. Mulch films are a common tool in agriculture, helping suppress weeds, retain soil moisture, and regulate soil temperature to boost crop yields. However, traditional plastic mulch films present environmental concerns, as they do not decompose and contribute to plastic pollution. The research team is working on incorporating biodegradable polymers with nutrients that benefit crops while breaking down naturally in the soil. [link]

Varda, an agtech data service provider, has announced that it has joined a four-year €6 million ‘DeepHorizon’ project, funded by Horizon Europe, to conduct extensive subsoil sampling across European countries. Varda, founded by Yara, a global leader for nutrient production, has developed SoilHive, an innovative platform to facilitate access to public and private soil data, on a global scale. The DeepHorizon work will involve extending existing ontologies to include subsoil domains and functions, enabling data sharing across different stakeholders, creating the first European-level subsoil dataset, and enhancing SoilHive to improve the discovery of subsoil data, including the ability to search data at the horizon level. [link]

Agrifood corporates are making some progress on reducing scope 1 and 2 emissions but lagging when it comes to scope 3, according to a new report from sustainability advocate and nonprofit Ceres. “Taking stock: the state of climate action and disclosure in the food sector” examines the climate disclosures of 50 major agrifood corporates with the aim to “provide investors with clarity around the numbers and lay out best practices companies can take to drive progress forward.” Of these companies, 60% are making progress on scope 1 and scope 2 emissions but are behind on reducing Scope 3 emissions, which can make up 65%-95% of a company's total emissions, according to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). [link]

Indianapolis-based Corteva Agriscience has announced a collaboration with Pairwise, a food and ag technology company based in Durham, North Carolina, to share gene-editing research to improve plant breeding of crops, including corn and soybeans. Anchoring the collaboration is Corteva’s $25 million equity investment in Pairwise, made under the umbrella of Corteva Catalyst, the company’s new investment and partnership platform focused on accessing agricultural innovation to drive value creation. In addition, Corteva and Pairwise have formed a joint venture to accelerate and expand the delivery of advanced gene edited technologies aimed at increasing crop yield for food, fuel and fiber production. [link]

A new UC Riverside study on California agriculture and climate proposes a plan for new water capture, storage, and distribution systems throughout California that will sustain agriculture and keep up with climate trajectories. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, finds that groundwater aquifers have more storage potential than surface water reservoirs. So, instead of devoting decades to build more dams and reservoirs that are subject to evaporation and overflow, water should be diverted into these depleted aquifers below the Central Valley and the coastal plains. Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is an intentional method of recharging aquifers, especially those at low levels. Already commonly implemented in California, MAR infrastructure includes conveyance structures that redistribute water to dehydrated locations, and injection—spraying water on land or, the more costly option, directly infusing water in wells. [link]

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations recently added three unique agricultural systems to its Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS) program, highlighting their cultural and environmental significance. These new additions include Austria’s carp pond farming system, Indonesia’s salak agroforestry system, and São Tomé and Príncipe’s cocoa agroforestry system. These newly recognized systems, the first from Indonesia and São Tomé and Príncipe, and the second from Austria, demonstrate the FAO’s ongoing efforts to spotlight agricultural practices that contribute to food security, sustainability, and cultural preservation. Now comprising 89 systems across 28 countries, the GIAHS program promotes agro-biodiversity, traditional knowledge, and sustainable farming practices that are vital to the global fight against climate change. [link]

Shifting to a plant-rich food system represents 'spectacular pay-off' as climate benefits per dollar far outstrip those on offer from renewables and EV projects, a new study claims. Investing in the development of plant-rich food systems could offer more than five-times the emissions cuts provided by the same investment in renewable energy, and four times the reduction on offer from electric vehicles (EVs). That is the striking conclusion of a new report published by the Tilt Collective and tech firm Systemiq. The joint analysis also calculated that an initial investment of between $250m and $500m in advancing a plant-rich food system could ultimately catalyze $7bn of public and private finance and create multiplier impacts and new market opportunities. [link]

Gen Z consumers are placing an overwhelming emphasis on both sustainability and quality in their grocery products, and many are willing to spend more to support brands that reflect these values, according to a recent YouGov survey. The study reveals that 70% of Gen Z supports climate-smart agricultural practices. Additionally, 55% are willing to pay more for environmentally sustainable products, and over half of Gen Z consumers prefer brands that prioritize lower environmental impacts or locally sourced foods. Quality is also important for this younger generation. Eighty percent of Gen-Z said they prioritize food quality in purchasing decisions, and 70% are willing to spend more on high-quality food. [link]

Bayer Crop Science is testing a short variety of corn on about 30,000 acres (12,141 hectares) in the U.S. Midwest with the promise of offering farmers a variety that can withstand powerful windstorms that could become more frequent due to climate change. The corn’s smaller stature and sturdier base enable it to withstand winds of up to 50 mph. The smaller plants also let farmers plant at greater density, so they can grow more corn on the same amount of land, increasing their profits. The smaller stalks could also lead to less water use at a time of growing drought concerns. [link]

The Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) and partners throughout the state are working with the Gulf Hypoxia Program (GHP) to develop a free soil sampling program to increase knowledge around nutrient management practices that benefit farm operations. ISDA promotes the importance of nutrient management and the principle of the 4R Nutrient Stewardship framework. The 4R framework incorporates using the “Right Source, Right Rate, Right Time, and Right Place” to achieve cropping system goals. This program includes row crop, pasture, hay and specialty crop fields located within Indiana’s portion of the Mississippi River Basin. Eligible landowners will be prioritized by acreage enrolled (i.e., 100 acres or less), fields that have never been soil sampled, and fields that haven’t been sampled regularly (i.e., within the last 4 years). Sign-ups began Monday, Sept. 23, 2024, and ISDA is accepting registrations until Friday, Nov. 1, 2024. [link]

Farmers in the United States who raise livestock in large industrial operations could get funding from President Joe Biden's signature climate law to transition to more environmentally friendly practices under bills introduced in the House and Senate this week. About 1.7 billion animals are raised on U.S. industrial livestock farms, and they produce twice as much waste as the country's human population, according to the environmental group Food & Water Watch. The facilities can produce significant air and water pollution. The bill introduced by Alma Adams in the House and Cory Booker in the Senate would use IRA funds to help industrial livestock farmers reduce their environmental impact by moving animals to pasture or converting to organic crop production. The effort could face resistance from Republicans who want the IRA funds made available for other programs in the long-delayed farm spending bill being drafted by Congress. [link]

A team of Penn State agricultural scientists conducted a new study on dairy manure management strategies for ecosystem services in no-till crop systems, resulting in a new strategy that achieves multiple conservation goals while maintaining corn yields. The findings were recently published in Agronomy Journal and note that applying manure early in the spring synchronized with a growing cover crop, when temperatures are cooler, can reduce ammonia and nitrous oxide emissions compared to later in the spring when temperatures are warmer and the cover crop has been terminated. This practice offers a potential strategy to simultaneously achieve multiple conservation and agronomic goals. The surest way to prevent nitrogen loss as ammonia gas and nitrogen-laden runoff is to inject liquid manure below the surface of the ground, as this approach is considered a best management practice to lessen agricultural pollution in the troubled Chesapeake Bay watershed, to which Pennsylvania belongs. [link]

A new study says that 75 percent of farmers are already impacted by climate change or worried about its impacts, and 71 percent of them report reduced yields as a major concern. It goes on to say that 6 out of 10 have already experienced significant revenue loss due to weather events out of the norm recently and that 75 percent are open to implementing new technologies to better cope with climate change. The 2024 Farmer Voice survey spoke with 2,000 farmers across Australia, Brazil, China, Germany, India, Kenya, Ukraine, and the United States, and was conducted by global market research firm Kynetec on behalf of Bayer. [link]

U.S. farmers are increasing pressure on the Biden administration to allow vaccinations for chickens, turkeys and cows to protect them from bird flu infections that have devastated flocks for three years. Bird flu, which is lethal for poultry and reduces milk output in dairy cows, has eliminated more than 100 million chickens and turkeys since 2022 in the biggest U.S. outbreak ever. A USDA spokesperson said the agency has been collaborating with state and federal agencies and researchers to protect livestock, farmers and farm workers and is researching animal vaccinations. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

Earlier this month, Natural Grocers announced a new partnership with the Rodale Institute to expand awareness of regenerative agriculture and enable grocery customers to provide financial support for the organic food movement. See more, here.

September 21, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Forbes shares the big problems with big livestock farms. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – Grist asks if we can eat our way out of the climate crisis. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Just Food does a deep dive on food companies and their water usage. Read about it, here.

Industry Updates

The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing an additional $9 million in the Ontario Agricultural Sustainability Initiative through the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership to help farmers enhance the sustainability and competitiveness of their farms. Funding will be used to help with the adoption of new technologies and best management practices to support soil health, water quality, and energy efficiency while increasing on-farm productivity. The initiative will also help Ontario farmers improve the long-term environmental resilience of their farms. Farmers will be able to submit up to two applications to the program, depending on their needs, with successful recipients receiving up to $90,000 depending on the project category. [link]

The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has awarded $3.5 million to a UF/IFAS scientist and his team to study microbial life in the soil and share research findings to promote crop productivity and sustainable soil health management. Samuel Martins, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of plant pathology, is leading eight researchers from six institutions: the University of Florida; Pennsylvania State University; the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station; the University of California, Davis; William Paterson University in Wayne, New Jersey; and the USDA Agricultural Research Service. The team will collect soil before and after harvest at 12 organic tomato farms in California, Connecticut, Florida, and Pennsylvania. After extracting DNA from samples, they will conduct computational analyses to identify the soil's microbial and viral composition and determine associations between predators and prey. The researchers propose to test the effects of various organic amendments like worm casings and chicken manure on micro-predators and pathogens in the ground. They want to learn whether micro-predator predation can be enhanced in the soil with amendments to better protect plants. [link]

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is now accepting applications for grants to support innovative sustainability-focused research or demonstration projects on Minnesota farms. The Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation (AGRI) Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grant funds projects that explore the energy efficiency, environmental benefit, and profitability of sustainable ag techniques, from the production through marketing processes. Eligible projects must test and demonstrate on-farm practices that will benefit a broad range of farmers. Past grants have explored topics such as cover crops and crop rotation; conservation tillage; pest management techniques; input reduction strategies; and alternative energies such as wind, methane, and biomass. The MDA will award approximately $350,000 in this round of grant funding, and applicants may request up to $50,000 per project. No cash match is required for requests below $25,000. However, for requests between $25,000 and $50,000, applicants must provide a dollar-for-dollar match. [link]

Rodale Institute has received $1M from Holdfast Collective, Patagonia’s non-profit shareholder, with the grant serving as a catalyst in funding the Institute’s work providing technical assistance, business planning services, and equipment stipends to historically underserved farmers and ranchers in Ventura County, CA. The California Department of Food and Agriculture will provide an additional $1.5M to total a $2.5M investment as the organization continues to raise funds for these and other critical projects across the country. The California Organic Center in Camarillo will serve as the hub for demonstrations of regenerative organic practices in Ventura County. Rodale Institute agronomists will be consulting directly with farmers to help with crop selection, marketing coordination, as well as Organic and Regenerative Organic Certifications. [link]

The COP29 Azerbaijan Presidency revealed outcomes on its Action Agenda, including updates related to the Declaration on Reducing Methane from Organic Waste as well as the Baku Harmoniya Initiative for Farmers, a new initiative that will unite the disparate landscape of existing programs, coalitions and networks designed to empower farmers. The Baku Harmoniya Initiative for Farmers aims to create a portal to clarify the landscape of existing programs designed to empower farmers along with catalyzing investment in climate-resilient agrifood systems by matching needs with available funds. The Declaration Reducing Methane from Organic Waste is being developed in partnership with the Global Methane Pledge (GMP) Secretariat and UNEP’s Climate and Clean Air Coalition and seeks to enhance ambition with more governments signing the GMP. [link]

A surge of pollen in spring can affect the formation of clouds and rainfall, according to a new study. The authors say that, as the planet warms, pollen counts are expected to grow, potentially giving rise to more springtime rainfall. For the new study, scientists analyzed pollen counts from 50 sites across the U.S. over a decade, finding that a boom in springtime pollen led to an uptick in cloud ice, which was linked to more frequent rainfall. The study was published in Environmental Research Letters. In light of the findings, the researchers call for incorporating the effect of pollen into climate models. As the planet warms and springs grow longer, pollen counts are edging upwards. More airborne pollen could lead to more frequent and intense rainfall in the decades to come. [link]

The One Planet Business for Biodiversity (OP2B) coalition, one of the first private sector regenerative agriculture initiatives, convened by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), reached a major impact milestones as it celebrates its five-year anniversary in September. Comprising 26 corporate members with a collective market value of $893 billion, OP2B has worked since its launch in 2019 to incentivize regenerative agriculture, a holistic approach to transform agricultural models, taking environmental and socioeconomic dimensions into account. According to its five-year progress report released this week, investments in transition finance for regenerative agriculture totaled $3.6 billion between 2019 and 2023. The coalition aims to impact over 12 million hectares of land, equivalent to over 29 million acres, by 2030. [link]

Purdue University and Bayer announced the creation of the Coalition for Sustainable and Regenerative Agriculture, a public-private partnership designed to help improve the soil health of farmland while also increasing food production for a growing population. The coalition’s mission is to generate robust, real-world data in support of regenerative agriculture practices to help farmers restore soil health and biomass, increase biodiversity, and improve the resiliency of ecosystems over time. The coalition’s new framework will also support education and outreach programs to enhance sustainable and regenerative agriculture. [link]

CPG General Mills and food retailer Ahold Delhaize USA (ADUSA) are partnering to transition more acreage within their shared supply chain to regenerative agriculture. The two companies will co-invest in “priority supply sheds” — geographic regions where they source ingredients — by helping farmers in those areas transition to regenerative agriculture. Farmers will receive technical and financial support to implement regenerative agriculture practices such as cover cropping and nutrient management. The goal of the partnership is to transition more than 70,000 acres of farmland in the state of Kansas and in Canadian province Saskatchewan by the end of 2025, which is “the approximate number of acres” from which General Mills sources ingredients for products sold at Ahold Delhaize USA brands. [link]

Farm data from the UK Government's recent comprehensive review of 685 farms and 235,000 hectares shows that soil carbon varies greatly, depending on a number of factors. The review was delivered through the Soil Association’s Exchange program in partnership with Lloyds Banking Group which has provided finance for 84% of participating farms. Overall, soil carbon varied greatly from 32 to 267 tonnes of carbon/hectare, reflecting the diversity of farm types, landscapes and geographical locations of the businesses involved. Farms that included livestock scored well for diversity of plant life, had higher levels of carbon stored in their soil and produced manure which reduced the need for artificial fertilizer, but scored poorly on carbon emissions. The review focused on six key areas: soil health, carbon, biodiversity, animal welfare, water, and people & society. It found stark differences between farm types, both in terms of their current footprint and the measures they could feasibly adopt to improve their environmental performance. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late-August, the USDA said that it had infused $82.3 million into the American specialty crop sector to bolster the competitiveness of fruit, vegetable, and tree nut producers. See more, here.

September 14, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Yale Environment 360 discusses how agroforestry could help revitalize America’s Corn Belt. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – Bain & Company looks at new models for financing the food transition. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – JD Supra reviews the new frontier of regenerative agriculture certifications. Read about it, here.

Industry Updates

Scientists at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) recently released a study highlighting the role of geospatial maps and satellite data in shaping the future of food security. The study covering an area of 477 million hectares spanning across India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, identified and mapped 27 major cropping systems across an entire year, as opposed to the more traditional single harvest measurement. This time series data provides a new perspective on rethinking and redesigning cropping systems, addressing food security and climate resilience challenges in the near future. Geospatial mapping can inform policies that ensure the efficient distribution of resources like water, fertilizer, and seeds, based on the specific needs of different cropping systems. Additionally, these maps can be integrated into disaster management strategies, helping to identify areas vulnerable to agricultural stress, such as droughts or floods, and allowing for more targeted and effective responses. [link]

The Michigan Farm Bureau Carbon Credits Task Force has completed its work to construct guidelines for carbon credits in the state. Requested by delegates at the 2023 State Annual Meeting and later appointed by the MFB Board of Directors, the task force crafted more than a dozen recommendations for consideration by MFB's State Policy Development Committee at its Oct. 9-10 meeting. The chair of the group noted that the Task Force was focused on making recommendations that ensure growers are the ones being compensated for the credits that are being generated by the practices they’re implementing on their operations. [link]

Mars Incorporated has joined forces with IDH, a global foundation focused on transforming Agri commodities’ markets, and other private sector partners to expand a program aimed at supporting small-scale cattle ranchers in Brazil through good farming practices that contribute to regenerative agriculture. Mars’ Pet Nutrition business will invest €600,000, building on a €80,000 investment from IDH, to further develop the program and expand support to an additional 120 ranchers by the end of 2026. The Sustainable Production of Calves Program, which has been running since 2019 and currently supports 700 small-scale cattle ranchers in three different biomes in Mato Grosso and Pará states of Brazil, aims to improve the sustainability, resilience, and incomes of small-scale cattle production. [link]

Ensuring global food security with a focus on sustainability was the central theme of discussions at the International Agricultural Forum (FIAP), held this past week in Brazil. During the ceremony, the Brazilian Agriculture Minister announced the reopening of beef exports to Canada and new market opportunities for Brazilian DDG (Dried Distillers Grains) in Morocco and Colombia. Mauro Mendes, the governor of Mato Grosso, outlined three major challenges facing Brazilian agribusiness: combating illegal deforestation, developing an effective agricultural insurance system to address climate change, and strengthening Brazil's response to global demands. Helder Barbalho, governor of Pará, a state that preserves 75% of its territory as native forest, stressed the importance of bioeconomy investments and the urgency of regulating the carbon market. [link]

A sweeping global research review published in Science, co-written by professors at the University of Minnesota with more than 20 experts around the world, has examined the links between climate and agriculture. The study revealed the likelihood of an emergent feedback loop in which, as climate change puts more pressure on the global food supply, agriculture adopts practices that further accelerate climate change. The authors also identified new agricultural practices that have the potential to greatly reduce climate impacts, increase efficiency and stabilize our food supply in the decades to come, to include precision farming, perennial crop integration, agrivoltaics, nitrogen fixation, and novel genome editing. [link]

The North Central Region-Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (NCR-SARE) program currently has four open grant programs to fund research and education projects that advance sustainable agricultural practices in the region. These grant programs are for farmers, ranchers, scientists, educators, institutions, organizations, and others exploring sustainable agriculture in the 12 states in the North Central region (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin). Since 1988, NCR-SARE’s competitive grants have advanced agricultural innovation that promotes economic viability, stewardship of the land, air, and water, and quality of life for farmers, ranchers, and their communities. [link]

Over $20 million in grant funding is available for farmers to promote climate friendly practices through Pasa Sustainable Agriculture. These Climate-Smart Farming and Marketing grants, spanning across 15 states, are designed to directly support farmers studying and implementing climate-smart practices. Among those practices are cover cropping and minimal tillage and establishing trees and shrubs. Pasa is currently seeking applicants and hopes to support 2,000 farmers in all. The grant program runs through 2028. [link]

Farmland LP announced an investment from Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund to develop Soil Carbon Credits on its 18,500-acre farm portfolio and expand the market for regenerative soil carbon credits. This work will also include preparing the necessary protocols, a critical step towards increasing regenerative agriculture practices globally to sequester vast amounts of atmospheric CO2 as mineralized soil carbon. Farmland LP will package carbon credits from diverse regenerative agriculture practices, which it expects to generate using Verra’s Verified Carbon Standard, the foremost carbon program in the world. [link]

Bayer has launched its global initiative, ‘Bayer ForwardFarming’, in India - the newest of 29 ForwardFarms worldwide. Each ForwardFarm serves as a beacon of sustainable agricultural practices, providing a platform for farmers, researchers, and stakeholders to collaborate and share knowledge. The Bayer ForwardFarm in India will demonstrate innovative farming techniques tailored to the needs of 150~ million smallholder farmers in the country, with a particular focus on sustainable rice cultivation, thus promoting the transition towards regenerative agriculture. [link]

Consumers like the goals of regenerative agriculture, but they don’t want to pay more for food produced with the climate-friendly practices, said a Purdue University survey released this past week. Seven out of ten consumers taking part in the poll said they supported regenerative agriculture — once it was explained to them — but fewer than half said they would pay an additional 50¢ for a bag of snacks produced using regenerative practices. Most of the 1,200 consumers in the survey said they were not familiar or only slightly familiar with regenerative agriculture. [link]

In a recently published report, BASF has shared the first results from its multi-year Global Carbon Field Trials. The results demonstrate that a reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of up to 30% in agriculture is possible compared to standard farming practices, when tailoring climate-smart approaches by crop and region. BASF committed to the same target reduction in 2020 to help farmers reduce their GHG emissions per ton of crop produced. [link]

The Lactalis Group announced that it will expand its yogurt business in the United States by purchasing General Mills’ US yogurt brands and facilities. The French dairy cooperative will acquire such yogurt brands as Mountain High and :Ratio from General Mills as well as brands under license like Yoplait, Go-Gurt, Oui and others. In addition, the company will add manufacturing facilities in Murfreesboro, Tenn., and Reed City, Mich. General Mills’ US yogurt business had sales of approximately $1.2 billion in fiscal 2024, according to Lactalis. The price to be received by General Mills for its US and Canadian assets is approximately $2.1 billion. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late-August, a new study was published in Nature Food, showcasing a scalable, cost-effective model for producing cultivated meat. See more, here.

September 7, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Country Living does a spotlight on the man pioneering a soil-centric farm and its Michelin restaurant. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – Carbon Pulse says that the doubling of carbon removal credit prices is essential to sustaining regenerative agriculture in the U.S. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – The World Economic Forum discusses how food security needs to be a collective effort. Read about it, here.

Industry Updates

Farmers in six Asian countries have successfully increased their rice yields using nuclear-derived climate-smart agricultural practices, with the support of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Scientists from the Joint FAO/IAEA Centre of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture have focused on optimizing fertilizer and water use to increase agricultural efficiency while maintaining soil health. Particularly notable successes were observed in Bangladesh, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, and Vietnam, where rice production increased from 1 to 2.5 tonnes per hectare. [link]

A team of faculty at the Auburn University College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment (CFWE) are pursuing more sustainable forms of agroforestry thanks to a new grant awarded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). Their research will focus on the genetics of trees and their domestication for wood pulp production — ultimately maximizing economic gains and reducing environmental impacts. Assistant Professor of Forest Genomics, Hao Chen, and Assistant Professor of Forest Ecophysiology, Chen Ding, are focusing their research on greenhouse-grown varieties of poplar trees, a species that has the potential to revolutionize pulp mills by increasing their yield of sustainable fibers up to 40% while reducing carbon emissions. [link]

As part of the government of Canada's commitment to meet climate mitigation targets, it announced a $87.5 million investment over four years to support 16 collaborative research projects involving 165 researchers from 30 different academic institutions across Canada, that will contribute to a sustainable, profitable and resilient agriculture and agri-food sector. Building research partnerships among Canadian post-secondary researchers and farmers, producers, and private, public and not-for-profit organizations is key to tackle climate change and build resilience in the agriculture sector. These research partnerships will initiate and accelerate the development of solutions to support a sustainable agriculture and agri-food sector in a net-zero economy, according to a recent press release from the Canadian government. [link]

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has rolled out a program in Kenya aimed at promoting sustainable farming practices towards reducing carbon emissions that are leading to global warming and climate change. Methane emissions from livestock, nitrous oxide from fertilizers, deforestation for expanding farmland and reliance on fossil fuels in modern agricultural machinery have significant consequences on climate change. The initiative - which is also being supported by United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and International Organization for Migration (IOM) - is promoting a circular economy in agribusiness by encouraging farmers to use food waste to produce new products. [link]

It takes a long time, up to several decades, before the benefits of organic farming take full effect on land that was previously cultivated conventionally, a new study from Lund University suggests. A research team from Lund University investigated 88 different fields in southern Sweden, on 30 different farms. The results show that after thirty years of organic farming, the number of arable plant species had more than doubled in the fields of the organic farms, from an average of 15 to 35 plant species. The fact that it took so long for the recovery, and that the improvement in biodiversity continued gradually over several decades, is something that must be kept in mind when evaluating the benefits of organic farming, say the researchers. [link]

A special purpose acquisition company led by Impact Ag Partners co-founder Bert Glover is set to form a business combination with Australian Food and Agriculture Company (AFA) in a deal that values AFA at A$780 million ($531 million). The merged entity, Agriculture and Natural Solutions Company, plans to list on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). The SPAC, Agriculture and Natural Solutions Acquisition Corporation (ANSC), is a joint venture between Impact Ag and US asset management firm Riverstone Holdings, and aims to use AFA's operations as a vehicle for agricultural decarbonization and production. AFA is a major agricultural player in New South Wales, managing 225,405 hectares of grazing and cropping land and about 54,693 ML of water licenses in the Murrumbidgee and Murray irrigation areas. [link]

Natural Grocers has announced a new partnership with Rodale Institute, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to growing the regenerative organic agricultural movement through rigorous research, farmer training and education. During Organic Month, customers will have an opportunity to support the retailer's goal of raising $100,000 for Rodale Institute with donations at the register and a portion of proceeds from the sales of themed reusable shopping bags. Additionally, Natural Grocers will focus its monthly community educational efforts, discounts, recipes and giveaways on the organic food movement and regenerative agriculture. [link]

University of Manitoba researcher and project lead, Dr. Martin Entz, Jarislowsky Chair in Natural Systems Agriculture for Climate Solutions, and team have received a NSERC-SSHRC Sustainable Agriculture Initiative Grant to study net-zero farming systems. The grant will provide $7.6 million over four years to support the Canadian agriculture sector by identifying strategies to enhance economic competitiveness, promote food security, environmental stewardship and innovation in a net-zero economy. The project will bring together stakeholders in agriculture, environmental stewardship, First Nations and academia to amplify their collective efforts and meet the sustainable agriculture production targets in Canada. [link]

Agmatix, an agricultural data and AI-powered technology company, announced the launch of RegenIQ at the Regenerative Agriculture Summit in Europe. RegenIQ is designed to drive the adoption of regenerative agriculture by offering a structured approach to assessing the impact of field-level efforts, supporting both environmental health and productivity. Aligned with regenerative agriculture's leading global definitions and frameworks, RegenIQ aims to address one of the most pressing challenges: the lack of a consistent and acceptable measurement system at scale. By connecting agrifood companies to real-time field-level activities, RegenIQ enables them to tailor regenerative practices to specific crops and conditions through a standardized, data-driven approach. [link]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is awarding $380,000 to support four new cooperative agreements with Tribal partners through the National Animal Disease Preparedness and Response Program (NADPRP). Earlier this year, APHIS awarded $830,000 to support two additional NADPRP projects that are collaboratively led by Universities and Tribes, bringing the total NADPRP funding for Tribal-related projects to $1.2 million. The selected projects include education and training on the use of effective and practical biosecurity measures to protect domestic livestock; the development of animal disease emergency response plans; improved animal disease traceability capabilities; enhanced poultry health, biosecurity and flock management; methods to improve virus containment for swine owners; and the development and delivery of community-based outreach and education on animal disease prevention, early disease detection, and response to animal disease outbreaks. [link]

A new report from The Strategic Dialogue on the Future of EU Agriculture outlines the steps needed to ensure the sustainability and resilience of farming in the bloc. As the publication highlights, the cost of inaction is rising, and it is critical for the Commission, the EU Parliament, member states, and stakeholders to swiftly adopt its recommendations. Announced by president von der Leyen in her State of the Union address in September 2023 and launched in January 2024, the Strategic Dialogue brought together key stakeholders from across the whole agri-food chain, including farmers, co-operatives, agri-food businesses, and rural communities; as well as NGOs and civil society representatives, financial institutions and academia. The report makes 14 key suggestions for EU agriculture moving forward. [link]

Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) Director, Tim Boring, announced a $4 million research grant with the University of Michigan as part of Governor Whitmer's Healthy Climate Initiative. The funds will focus on soil health research to address water quality challenges and improve outcomes within Michigan's portion of the Western Lake Erie Basin (WLEB). The grant also funds work to increase adoption of climate-smart regenerative agriculture practices and conduct water quality monitoring studies in the WLEB. [link]

Researchers from Kansas State University have been exploring how farming practices affect the amount of carbon stored in soil and recently published results in the Soil Science Society of America Journal that show soil enhanced with manure or compost fertilizer stores more carbon than soil receiving chemical fertilizers or no fertilizers at all. The team also found that the soil treated with manure or compost contained more microbial carbon, an indication that these enhancements support more microorganisms and their activities in the soil. In addition, they identified special minerals in the soil, evidence that the treatments contribute to active chemical and biological processes. [link]

Ceres Global Ag Corp., a global agricultural, energy and industrial products merchandising and supply chain company, announced the continuation and expansion of their regenerative agriculture partnership with Miller Milling, one of the largest wheat millers in the U.S. Ceres' regenerative agriculture program delivers local, scalable solutions to wheat growers in North Dakota. By implementing advanced nutrient practices, the program improves both agronomic and environmental outcomes, enabling the adoption of sustainable practices that enhance nutrient use efficiency. Miller says that as part of its partnership with Ceres, it has expanded enrolled acres in its program from 4,500 acres across 5 growers to 16,800 acres across 15 growers. [link]

The Oklahoma Association of Conservation Districts (OACD) has received a Climate Smart Commodities grant to advance the adoption of regenerative farming practices, ensure the fiscal sustainability of our farmers and protect our most valuable natural resources including our people. OACD has partnered with the Oklahoma Black Historical Research Project, the Oklahoma Conservation Commission, Choctaw Nation Conservation District, the Muskogee Creek Conservation District and 25 individual conservation districts to provide $4.9 million in funding to local Oklahoma farmers and ranchers. Agriculture producers may be eligible for up to $25,000 of financial assistance to implement conservation practices that create healthy soils, improve rangeland and protect water quality. [link]

The Transfarmation Project has announced the launch of its North Carolina demonstration hub, transforming a commercial poultry barn into a state-of-the-art 15,000 square foot greenhouse. The revitalized hub will be a vibrant vegetable farm and research center dedicated to developing and showcasing sustainable alternatives for former chicken farmers. The demonstration hub's opening marks a significant milestone for The Transfarmation Project. The team has worked tirelessly for over three years to bring their vision to life and facilitate transitions from factory animal farming to specialty-crop production. [link]  

In Case You Missed It…

In mid-July, Lloyds Banking Group said that it was reinforcing its commitment to UK farmers by providing fee-free lending, financial support and resources for agroforestry projects over £25,000. See more, here.

August 30, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – SciTechDaily warns that we’ve “disrupted evolutionary processes” and that modern seeds aren’t ready for climate change. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – Carbon Pulse discusses “the next big frontier” - the development of nature insurance…and its ability to protect biodiversity. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Equities.com says that the decarbonization of agriculture is the next frontier in impact investing. Read about it, here.

Industry Updates

A new study showcases a scalable, cost-effective method for producing cultivated meat, marking a significant step towards sustainable and ethical food production. The study, published in Nature Food, demonstrates the use of tangential flow filtration (TFF) for the continuous manufacturing of cultivated meat. The new bioreactor assembly permits biomass expansion to 130 billion cells per liter, achieving yields of 43% weight per volume. The process was carried out continuously over 20 days, enabling daily biomass harvests. Additionally, the research introduces an animal component-free culture medium, priced at just $0.63 per liter, which supports the long-term, high-density culture of chicken cells. This continuous manufacturing method could significantly reduce the cost and complexity of cultivated meat production, potentially bringing it closer to everyday consumers. [link]

New research into rural small-scale farms in South Africa’s North West province has found that climate-smart farming techniques lead to a better maize yield, a more regular supply of food for the farmers, and a wider variety of crops. The study interviewed more than 300 small-scale maize farmers from 30 rural communities across the North West province, bordering Botswana, and found that 86% of these farmers had adopted climate-smart agriculture techniques in recent years. The farmers who adopted climate-smart agriculture had more maize to consume than farmers who had stuck to ordinary farming methods. They harvested 6.2 tonnes of maize per hectare per year and earned R15,000 (US$824) per hectare from selling their maize. The farmers who stuck to ordinary farming methods harvested 3.9 tonnes per hectare and earned R11,500 (US$632) per year. [link]

PepsiCo Pakistan hosted ‘Seeds to Smiles’, a thought leadership event underscoring the company’s unwavering commitment to supporting Pakistan’s farmers, growing the agricultural ecosystem, and investing in Pakistan’s food systems security. The company engaged in interactive dialogue centered on a commitment to regenerative agriculture and fostering a positive value chain, brought to life through digital exhibits and a panel discussion, culminating in a ceremony to honor the success of the She Feeds the World (SFtW) Pakistan program. SFtW is a multi-country partnership between the PepsiCo Foundation and CARE which aims to improve food security and nutrition of rural households while supporting small-scale women agricultural producers by providing local support to help them adopt regenerative agricultural practices, increase their yields and ultimately increase their income. So far, 173,000 members of rural communities have been positively impacted through the provision of training programs, economic inclusion of smallholder farmers, health & hygiene interventions, and financial literacy workshops. [link]

Populus, America's first carbon positive hotel, is proud to introduce its One Night, One Tree program. Coinciding with the opening of the hotel in Denver on September 18 and in partnership with the National Forest Foundation (NFF), Populus will plant one tree for every night’s stay, representing up to 20,000 newly planted trees in 2024. One Night, One Tree is a part of the hotel’s overarching approach to sustainability; other efforts to offset its operational carbon footprint include collaborations with local farms to promote regenerative practices, committing to 100 percent renewable electricity, and turning all food waste into compost to be returned to local farmers. [link]

Target Corp. sees plenty of runway for its burgeoning food and beverage business, with the company's CEO saying that it is still in the early days of building out its food business. Target’s food and beverage sales have increased nearly $9 billion over the past four years to become a $24 billion business. Food and beverages represented about 23% of Target’s fiscal 2023 sales. Recently, Target has been reducing prices on thousands of food items. The company has also paid more attention to seasonal product assortments as a way to drive foot traffic in-store. [link]

Arable, a leading innovator in climate-smart agriculture, announced a collaboration with Google aimed at accelerating the adoption of agricultural technology that promotes water conservation and crop productivity simultaneously. The collaboration will equip farmers in southwest Nebraska with Arable's innovative crop intelligence solution to facilitate data-driven decision-making that enhances irrigation precision. To enable this innovative initiative, Google provided funding to support the widespread deployment of the Arable system across 25,000 acres in the Twin Platte Natural Resources District (TPNRD). Participating farmers were identified by the team at the TPNRD and Arable executed the deployments of its award-winning technology throughout the region. Arable will also provide training and ongoing support to ensure growers maximize value and will monitor the overall program’s progress against its objectives. [link]

The latest findings from Pro Farmer's annual crop tour have agricultural markets buzzing with optimism, particularly for corn in Iowa, which is showing record yield potential. The tour, which meticulously assesses crop conditions across major U.S. states, has placed Iowa's corn yield at an impressive 192.79 bushels per acre, significantly above past averages. Conversely, Minnesota's corn has suffered due to excessive rains, impacting fertilizer absorption and bringing yields down to 164.90 bushels per acre, the lowest since 2012. While some areas face setbacks, others are poised to meet or exceed expectations, particularly with soybeans which are on track for a successful harvest barring any major weather disruptions. [link]

There’s an opportunity to get a free soil health test with Michigan State University Extension through a newly funded research project. The project seeks to understand how climate change and extreme weather events impact crop yields, soil health and the economic well-being of farmers across Michigan while facilitating opportunities for Michigan farms to contribute to climate change solutions. This project is currently looking to enroll row-crop growers (corn, soybean, wheat, etc.) that are using conservation practices such as cover crops, no-till, 3+ crop rotation, manure, CRP or biodiversity strips, or have an interest in implementing conservation practices. Any row-crop farmer in Michigan is eligible to participate. Once enrolled, select two fields of your choice. A member of the team will visit your fields and soil sample post-harvest 2024. Results will be shared back through a report and an optional consultation. [link]

Research led by a team at the University of Reading claims greater education about sustainable agriculture in the UK is needed in order to support farmers. This includes clearing up the confusion between ‘organic’ and ‘regenerative’ farming, it says, noting that the issue has troubled farm owner and TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson on his Amazon Prime show Clarkson’s Farm. Published in Nature Communications Earth and Environment, the study used an innovative modelling approach to map out the complex web of factors influencing and hindering the uptake of organic farming in the UK. By tapping into the expertise of 18 farming experts, the researchers created a “mental model” of 55 factors driving organic adoption. The results revealed that farmers are less concerned about the cost of growing organic veg or a lack of subsidies from the government – instead, it is the lack of long-term thinking from shoppers, landowners and policymakers about the benefits of sustainable farming that is preventing an organic revolution. [link]

EarthOptics and Pattern Ag have merged, creating a category leader in soil digitization to power advanced crop management and climate sustainability. The newly combined soil intelligence company will be the authoritative source of soil insights and the leader in Predictive Agronomy. Its comprehensive data will enable farmers, ranchers and their advisors to know their soil’s exact physical, chemical, and biological properties, helping them plan their most impactful input and management decisions to maximize profitability and sustainability goals. [link]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the availability of an updated guideline that makes recommendations to strengthen the documentation that supports animal-raising or environment-related claims on meat or poultry product labeling. In the updated guideline, FSIS strongly encourages the use of third-party certification to substantiate animal-raising or environment-related claims. Additionally, the updated guideline recommends that establishments using “negative” antibiotic claims (e.g., “Raised Without Antibiotics” or “No Antibiotics Ever”) implement routine sampling and testing programs to detect antibiotic use in animals prior to slaughter or obtain third-party certification that includes testing. [link]

Mad Markets, Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) has formally launched with the acquisition of Timeless Seeds, Inc., a renowned lentil and chickpea processing company founded in 1987, and a pioneer in the organic agriculture movement. Mad Markets' mission is to reverse the trend of monoculture commodity production and trading by accelerating the adoption of regenerative organic agriculture across the USA. The goal of the company is to become a go-to source of regenerative organic ingredients for a wide range of clients, from consumer-packaged goods to wholesale buyers. The strategy aims to build the 'missing middle' of regenerative supply chains by investing in legacy infrastructure companies that can directly connect communities of growers and buyers. Anchor Investors for Mad Markets PBC and Timeless Seeds, INC include Terra Regenerative Capital and Builders Vision, with support from Blueberry Capital PARTNERS. [link]

A team of scientists, led by Professor Jean-Michel Ané at the University of Wisconsin, is transforming agriculture with corn capable of fixing its own nitrogen. This groundbreaking research began with the study of a maize variety in Sierra Mixe, Mexico, which naturally fixes nitrogen through aerial roots. The maize, along with sorghum found in Africa exhibiting similar traits, holds promise for dramatically reducing the need for nitrogen fertilizers—a major environmental and economic concern. [link]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has infused $82.3 million into the specialty crop sector to bolster the competitiveness of fruits, vegetables, and tree nuts producers. Grants totaling $73 million were distributed through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, with an additional $9.4 million via the Specialty Crop Multi-State Program. These grants will fund over 520 diverse projects ranging from marketing initiatives to cutting-edge university research and technical support for growers. [link]

Starting next year, Assiniboine Community College in Brandon, Canada will deliver training to certified crop advisers (CCAs) in Manitoba and Saskatchewan about soil health and conservation agriculture. The program is branded as the Canadian Prairies Trusted Advisor Partnership and will aim to fill the continued gap in technical assistance for science-driven soil health management in the Prairies. General Mills, PepsiCo, Bimbo Canada, Nature United and the South East Research Farm in Redvers, Sask., are supporting the program. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In early August, Brazilian pork and chicken processor, BRF, said that it would pay a 2% premium over market prices for soybeans produced through regenerative agricultural practices. See more, here.

August 17, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – The New York Times discusses an Australian start-up’s unusual approach to slowing climate change via work in the farm sector. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – An article in Nature looks at unintended food safety impacts of agricultural circular economies. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Technology Networks discovers new farming nutrition strategies that could slash methane emissions by 60% in coming years. Read about it, here.

Industry Updates

Louis Dreyfus Company (LDC) announced the launch of a collaborative regenerative agriculture program in Argentina, involving various agricultural value chain stakeholders with a common goal to help reduce carbon emissions, conserve natural ecosystems and resources, and boost climate resilience in agricultural communities, while continuing to meet growing demand for sustainably produced agricultural goods. Focusing on soy, corn and camelina crops, the regenerative agriculture program aims to cover 205,000 hectares and involve 400 farmers in the country by 2030. Among other partners, The Nature Conservancy will provide technical support for the design and implementation of the program. Syngenta will help organize producers in the program. And Nestle will help drive demand for these products. [link]

The University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) continues to spearhead environmental sustainability in agriculture with recent federal grants totaling $1.7 million aimed at advancing sugar beet nitrogen management and agroforestry practices. These funds are part of the wider $90 million Conservation Innovation Grants from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service aimed at innovative agricultural practices. UNL's project on sugar beet nitrogen management is on developing best practices for nitrogen application that enhance sugar yield while promoting environmental sustainability. The grant includes incentive payments to growers, encouraging the adoption of these practices with less financial risk. Money has also been allocated to explore alley cropping in the Midwest, focusing on integrating trees and shrubs with crop production to improve resilience against climate threats like drought and wildfires. [link]

Farmers looking to try cover crops can get a helping hand with cost and technical assistance through the recently established Farmers for Soil Health (FSH) initiative. Operating in 20 states, FSH facilitates financial incentives and technical assistance to farmers planting cover crops for the first time. The initiative results from a partnership between the United Soybean Board (USB), the National Pork Board, and the National Corn Growers Association, alongside the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Soil Health Institute, and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Funding comes from a grant awarded by USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program. The 20 states covered by the FSH initiative include Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin. [link]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), in partnership with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), is reaching out to farmers, ranchers, and agricultural landowners to gather in-depth information about the conservation practices they use. Nearly 12,000 operators nationwide will receive the 2024 Conservation Effects Assessment Project survey. Data obtained will support the third set of national and regional cropland assessments delivered by USDA’s Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP), a multi-agency effort led by NRCS to quantify the effects of conservation practices across the nation’s working lands. CEAP Cropland Assessments quantify the environmental outcomes associated with implementation and installation of conservation practices on agricultural lands. Findings are used to guide conservation program development and support conservationists, agricultural producers, and partners in making informed management decisions backed by data and science. [link]

Boosting the power of crops and soils on U.S. farms and ranches to absorb and store more greenhouse gas emissions is one of many tools that state and federal leaders are investing in to combat climate change, but the amount of planet-warming carbon dioxide that can be naturally removed from the atmosphere by soils and their crops is vastly overinflated, according to new research in the journal, Earth's Future. The researchers found that if cover cropping occurred across the U.S. on all suitable farmland – about 30% of all cropland in the U.S. – it could double the carbon dioxide that these lands currently absorb from the atmosphere. But this would reduce annual carbon dioxide emissions from agriculture in the U.S. by just 3%. This is one-third of the 10% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions the USDA has claimed cover cropping could cut. Agriculture is responsible for about 10% of the U.S.’s overall annual greenhouse gas emissions. The findings question whether investments in carbon removal, or carbon sequestration, on “natural and working” farmlands would be better spent on other actions to reduce emissions and mitigate climate change. [link]

Canadian regenerative ingredients specialist, Above Food, will acquire The Redwood Group's specialty crop food ingredients division for $34 million. Based in Montana, U.S., Redwood's ingredients business supplies grains, pulses and specialty crops to customers in over 35 countries across high-growth product categories in both the human and pet food markets. Its vertically integrated model spans from the farm to the consumer, encompassing origination, merchandising, processing and value-added finishing. [link]

Sens. Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Roger Marshall (R-KS) wrote to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack expressing concerns about the ongoing drought in Kansas and Colorado that could threaten US farmers and ranchers’ livelihoods, asking for assistance in the new Farm Bill. The senators called out four programs in particular that they believe could be improved to support producers: the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Watershed and Flood Prevention Program (PL-566). Additionally, the senators recommended increased investment in water conservation research and the scaling of innovative and voluntary water conservation approaches, such as the creation of a voluntary groundwater conservation pilot program. [link]

Two innovative University of Saskatchewan (USask) research projects have received funding from the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to use satellite technology for detailed mapping and analysis of the Earth’s surface. USask researchers are using state-of-the-art satellite imaging techniques to map agricultural emissions and to plan emission reduction strategies. By using machine learning to incorporate data information from satellite imaging and factors like soil moisture content, the team hopes to identify areas of potential high emissions early so they can be mitigated. [link]

Scientists in the US are aiming to reduce farmers’ reliance on pesticides by developing four new long bean varieties that are resistant to the attack of aphids and nematodes that commonly infest the legume. The aphid-resistant varieties can be substituted for current local lines to minimize insecticide use, and the nematode-resistant varieties can serve as “climate-smart green beans” used in mechanical harvest systems, according to the researchers. The California Department of Food and Agriculture provided the University of California, Riverside with funds of over $400,000 to develop the new varieties over 32 months in collaboration with the University of California’s Cooperative Extension and farmers in Fresno County, California. [link]

Farm Advisors has formally launched a new conservation mentor program that will help farmers implement soil health practices on their operation. The program is currently operating under the Conservation Cropping Systems Initiative and will focus on advisory work with farmers, letting producers themselves ultimately make the best conservation decisions for their land. [link]

Candy giant, Mars, is buying Cheez-It maker, Kellanova, in a nearly $36 billion deal, bringing together brands from M&M’s and Snickers to Pringles and Pop-Tarts in the year’s biggest deal to date. The deal is a bet on consumers continuing to indulge in branded snacks and comes as packaged food companies face stalling growth after years of price hikes to cover sky-rocketing inflation. [link]

Researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign are exploring the impact of cover crops on soil health and corn production to improve agriculture sustainability. The research findings will be used to develop tools to help farmers make decisions about when, where and what type of cover crops could be beneficial. A $650,000 award grant from the National Institutes for Food and Agriculture will support the research project. The research team will conduct multi-year field trials of 12 cover crop species that integrate with corn production, and use root phenomics, cutting-edge sensing technologies, and machine-learning enabled agroecosystem modeling to gain an improved understanding of the variation for root traits that exists among diverse cover crop species and their influence on soil and cash crops. [link]

Two investors announced an Australian partnership focused on ecosystem services and regenerative agriculture. The Australian arm of family office, Macdoch, and US-based agricultural investor, Impact Ag Partners, have launched a vehicle called Impact Ag Australia, according to a press release. The new entity will aim to demonstrate how investing in natural capital and adopting regenerative agricultural practices can increase farm productivity and profitability, rebuild the resilience of agricultural land, and decarbonize the agriculture industry. [link]

In Chippewa County, Wisconsin, the annual Wisconsin Farm Technology Days event is wrapping up, and a 70-foot-long soil pit is creating an immersive experience in conservation. The pit is 70 feet long, with ramps almost 100 feet long. Once people get down inside, they can see the different soil layers - commonly referred to as horizons. Participants are also educated on how to properly preserve soil, such as growing cover crops, leaving residue in the field, using minimal tillage, and adding manure or cattle to the land. [link]

Land O'Lakes affiliate, Truterra, has announced its first-ever programs specifically for dairy producers. The 2024 Truterra dairy soils carbon program rewards pre-qualified dairy producers who adopt sustainable farming practices on the crops they use for dairy feed — including silage and alfalfa. Sustainable practices include the use of cover crops, strip-till or no-till to improve soil health and increase soil carbon levels. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In early August, a report from University of California-Riverside (UCR) researchers called for urgent and innovative measures to address declining water availability from climate change. See more, here.

August 10, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Civil Eats publishes 17 food and ag approaches to tackling the climate crisis. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – An article in Nature looks at the impact of climate-smart agriculture practices on multidimensional poverty among coastal farmers in Bangladesh. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Vox shines a light on how the most powerful environmental groups help greenwash Big Meat’s climate impact. Decide for yourself, here.

Industry Updates

Candy giant Mars Inc. is in advanced talks to acquire snack-maker Kellanova in a deal that could approach $30 billion in value, according to people familiar with the matter. Kellanova, which was spun off from Kellogg last year, has a market value of around $22 billion. It sells brands including Pringles, Cheez-It, Pop-Tarts, Eggo waffles, MorningStar Farms and some international cereal banners. Privately held Mars sells brands including M&Ms, Snickers and Skittles. The McLean, Va.-based company is family owned and also runs a substantial pet-food business. [link]

The Pet Sustainability Coalition (PSC) was selected as a sub-awardee of Growing GRASS, a US Department of Agriculture (USDA) Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities Grant project. The Growing GRASS project is led by the American Sustainable Business Network and Other Half Processing and aims to establish high-value supply chains for meat processing byproducts of regeneratively raised beef and bison, providing more climate-friendly materials for pet food, textile and ingredients markets. Being awarded this grant supports PSC’s ongoing mission to advance sustainable ingredient sourcing practices within the pet food industry, according to the association. [link]

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Agriculture (ODA) Director Brian Baldridge announced an additional 500,000 acres of cropland are now enrolled into H2Ohio, bringing the total enrollment to 2.2 million acres statewide. Newly enrolled H2Ohio producers will develop and implement a Voluntary Nutrient Management Plan (VNMP), which help assess and reduce the risks of agricultural nutrient runoff associated with nutrient application that contributes to poor water quality. H2Ohio is Governor DeWine’s statewide water quality initiative designed to address complex issues impacting Ohio’s waters. Launched in 2019, H2Ohio uses a comprehensive approach guided by science and data to reduce algal blooms, stop pollution, and improve access to clean drinking water by supporting best farming practices, road salt runoff reduction, litter cleanup, dam removal, land conservation, and water infrastructure revitalization. [link]

Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding invited state farmers to apply for $13 million in tax credits available to support their efforts to improve soil health and water quality. Tax credits through Pennsylvania’s innovative conservation financing program, Resource Enhancement and Protection (REAP), can be combined with other state funding, including the Agriculture Conservation Assistance Program, and Conservation Excellence Grants, as well as federal funding to help pay for farm enhancements that protect the environment and boost farm sustainability. Farmers may receive REAP tax credits of 50 to 75 percent of a project’s eligible out-of-pocket costs. Farmers whose operation is in a watershed with an EPA-mandated Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) can receive REAP tax credits of 90 percent of out-of-pocket costs for some projects. Examples of funded projects include no-till and precision ag equipment, waste storage facilities, conservation plans, and Nutrient Management Plans. Also eligible for tax credits are measures that limit run-off from high animal-traffic areas, as well as cover crops and stream buffers that prevent erosion, keeping nutrients in the soil and out of the water. [link]

The University of Illinois Extension program will host a field day event entitled, "Farming for the Future: Digital and Regenerative Agriculture Field Day", on August 15th. The event will be held at the University of Illinois Energy Farm in Urbana, IL, and will aim to showcase how digital agriculture and regenerative agriculture can coexist and complement each other. Field day topics will include an update on cover crop practices, robotic on-farm systems for both crops and livestock, insight into making in-field broadband a priority, an update on air quality efforts, and discussions about greenhouse emissions and carbon sequestration. [link]

Brazilian pork and chicken processor BRF will pay a 2% premium from market prices for soybeans produced through regenerative agricultural practices. The initiative is being organized by a consortium, which BRF is part of together with Germany's Bayer AG and other Brazilian companies, as well as a local research group. Produzindo Certo, a firm that sets up sustainable agriculture supply chains and is part of the consortium, expects the project to include 30 soy farms within a year, producing over 200,000 metric tons of verified regenerative soy. [link]

Ever.Ag, a leader in digital solutions for agriculture, announced the official launch of their new Sustainability platform, specifically designed to support the dairy industry in providing sustainable and low carbon dairy ingredients to their customers. Ever.Ag’s Sustainability platform harnesses auditable and reliable data to empower the dairy industry, enabling them to meet rigorous environmental standards and consumer expectations for sustainable products. [link]

Washington state is launching its second year of a program to encourage on-farm compost use by reimbursing growers for some costs. All commercial Washington farmers – including those in agriculture, silviculture and aquaculture – are eligible for the program. Participating farms are eligible for 50% reimbursement on qualifying costs for compost purchases and associated transportation, equipment, and labor costs. Participants must agree to conduct soil sampling before and for several years following the application of compost. Additionally, the compost must be purchased from an approved compost facility. [link]

Mandatory front-of-pack (FOP) labeling rules for added sugars, expected from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in October, are just the beginning of government efforts to reduce sugar consumption and prompt product reformulation away from sugar in the U.S. The FDA is trying to reach “nutritionally illiterate” consumers, or those with low nutrition literacy who aren’t going to flip the product over to the back panel that contains additional information. Since Mexico mandated FOP labeling along with warning signs in 2020, sugar consumption has declined, but diabetes and obesity rates have continued to increase. [link]

The South East Research Farm (SERF) in southern Saskatchewan, Canada has landed a research contract from food giant, PepsiCo, and the U.S. Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR). SERF is running trials with cover cropping and other management practices to discover what their environmental and crop production impacts might be in western Canadian conditions. PepsiCo is interested in boosting canola and oat production’s positive environmental impact because it is a major consumer of oats and provider of oat products such as Quaker oatmeal, while it also uses large amounts of canola oil in its other food products. [link]

A groundbreaking study by Conservation International has unveiled the substantial potential of agricultural lands to capture carbon dioxide (CO2) without compromising food production. By integrating trees into farming systems, the study published in Carbon Balance and Management suggests it’s possible to improve soil health, biodiversity, and water quality while mitigating climate change. The study reveals that tropical and subtropical regions offer the greatest potential for carbon sequestration through increased tree cover on agricultural lands. Implementing these practices across 2.6 billion hectares could remove over 3 billion tons of CO2 annually, which is the equivalent to the total annual emissions from all of the world’s cars. [link]

Nespresso USA is introducing Nespresso Bloom, the brand's first range of honey products, harvested from the same coffee plants as some of the company's coffee products. Harvested from the same flowers as the coffee of Nespresso Master Origins Colombia capsule, the first two products from the Nespresso Bloom range offer endless possibilities for pairing with coffee, pastries, breakfast bites and more. For 20 years, the Nespresso AAA Sustainable Quality Program has been working directly with coffee farmers to improve the quality of their coffee and protect their land for the future through sustainable agriculture practices to help ensure they have a fair income for years to come. [link]

The Illinois Department of Agriculture (IDOA) in partnership with Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a $111 million investment in the ag sector through a U.S. EPA Climate Pollution Reduction Grant. Through this program, IDOA will receive $73 million for climate-smart ag practices and IEPA $38 million for electrification of small engines. The funding will be distributed over a five-year period for projects that improve soil health, reduce erosion and improve air quality. [link]

Stephen F. Austin State University’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture was awarded a Conservation Innovation Grant from the United States Department of Agriculture to assist in the creation of a demonstration area for climate-smart agricultural practices. The $417,493 grant will support the implementation of beneficial agricultural practices involving silvopasture, the deliberate integration of trees and grazing livestock operations on the same land, and biochar, a substance made from the burning of wood in an oxygen-limited environment. SFA’s project is one of 53 projects that the USDA is supporting in an effort to improve the environment and agricultural production. In total, the USDA is investing $90 million in Conservation Innovation Grants. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In mid-May, the Noble Research Institute was given a 2024 Regenerative Agriculture Research Grant from the Greenacres Foundation to advance its ongoing pecan-focused silvopasture research. See more, here.

August 3, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Bloomberg writes that U.S. farmers want to adapt to climate change, but Federal Crop Insurance programs won’t let them. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – Vermont’s WCAX says that local farmers are seeking out new flood mitigation strategies…to include purposely growing weeds. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Farm Progress reports that high land prices are squeezing farmers, large and small. Give it a read, here.

Industry Updates

Verra launched its new ABACUS market label, a new seal of approval indicating exceptional quality for carbon credits generated by ecosystem restoration and reforestation projects that go above and beyond what is required under Verra’s methodology for Afforestation, Reforestation, and Revegetation (ARR) projects, known as VM0047, in the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program. Verra developed the ABACUS label with input from a consensus-based working group that included experts from Amazon, Carbon Direct, Conservation International, The Nature Conservancy, Pachama, TerraCarbon, Stanford University, SCS Global Services, and the University of California, Berkeley. Ecosystem restoration projects wishing to apply the ABACUS label to their carbon credits must go above and beyond VM0047 by matching and observing control areas to measure project additionality in real time, publishing all inventory measurements and disturbance monitorings annually, restoring to diverse ecologically appropriate ecosystems, and maintaining or enhancing agricultural production in the project area and surrounding landscape. [link]

UFA Co-operative Ltd. and MyLand, a pioneering soil health company based in Phoenix, AZ, announced a three-year collaboration on a commercial pilot with various growers in Alberta to create responsible farming practices and soil health management, leveraging advanced microbial technologies to benefit farmers and the environment. The commercial pilot will be integrating MyLand’s proprietary technology and soil as a service to enhance the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the soil. This integration aims to result in enhanced soil fertility, optimized crop yields and the promotion of eco-friendly farming practices through the MyLand service. [link]

Nutrien has joined the Rice Stewardship Program, committing $1 million over four years to encourage sustainable rice production in six U.S. states: Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Texas, and California. For over a decade, the Rice Stewardship Program has helped growers adopt and improve sustainable agricultural practices on over 1,000 rice farms, collectively totaling over 800,000 acres. Jeff Tarsi, president of Global Retail for Nutrien, said the company has a wide selection of proprietary products that will work hand in hand to promote the conservation and sustainability efforts of the Rice Stewardship Program. [link]

Ralston Family Farms, a women-owned rice farming company, has achieved certification from Regenified, a leading third-party regenerative verification and supply chain solution company. Demonstrating its commitment to regenerative agriculture practices across all 6,000 acres, the Arkansas family farm works diligently to improve soil health, enhance biodiversity, water conservation, and foster ecosystem resiliency through regenerative practices such as cover cropping, crop rotation, and no-till planting. As demand for transparency in food sources continues to rise, achieving regenerative certification — marked on the shelf by the Certified Regenified seal — will help assure consumers that the rice they purchase from Ralston Family Farms supports a movement to drive positive change for the planet. [link]

An increased use of agricultural drainage tile is one reason a 2025 deadline to reduce nitrate and phosphorus entering the Gulf of Mexico by 20% is unlikely. Drainage tile, a system farmers use to drain water from croplands, is also a contributor to the historic loss of up to about 100 million acres of wetlands in the U.S., researchers say. This hidden underground pipe system stretches over more than 50 million acres in the U.S., with about 84% of those acres in the upper Midwest. It has become essential to modern agriculture, but it brings devastating environmental consequences. About 98% of drainage tile in the nation is located in watersheds with excess nitrate and phosphorus levels. Tile changes the natural movement of water, serving as a conduit for pollution that is flushed quickly into nearby waterways. [link]

A $2.4 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture will provide a substantial boost to an artificial intelligence project led by the University of Hawaii at Manoa that can assist those in Hawaii’s agricultural sector to use water sustainably. The variable nature of Hawaii’s seasons often leaves crops without adequate water throughout the year, despite abundant rainfall in some areas. The project will incorporate data from a network of weather stations across the islands feeding it into an innovative AI-enhanced irrigation management system. Farmers in Hawaii would be able to effectively and efficiently reduce irrigation water and enhance yields by adopting an AI-enhanced irrigation scheduling software tool, CropManage. [link]

Two South Dakota State University researchers are partnering with 20 eastern South Dakota farming operations and GEVO to pursue practices that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase farm profitability. In these projects, Moradi is using statistical models and machine learning/artificial intelligence techniques to  convert information from satellites and drones, combines, soil test results, weather reports, soil surveys and farmer practices into recommendations that will reduce costs and improve profitability. SDSU has two other academic partners in what overall is a $30-million project financed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities program. Iowa State and Colorado State have similar projects underway. [link]

Applied Carbon, a technology company designing automated biochar production machines that convert in-field agricultural crop waste into biochar, announced that it has raised a $21.5 million Series A round. The funding round was led by TO VC, with participation from Congruent Ventures, Grantham Foundation, Microsoft Climate Innovation Fund, S2G Ventures, Overture.vc, Wireframe Ventures, Autodesk Foundation, Anglo American, Susquehanna Foundation, US Endowment for Forestry and Communities, TELUS Pollinator Fund for Good, and Elemental Excelerator. The funding will be used to deploy a fleet of biochar machines across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Louisiana, delivering high durability carbon removal and agricultural services. [link]

In its latest Market Impact Report, retailer Whole Foods highlighted its support for sustainable farming and regenerative agriculture through both legislative and financial means. The U.S.-based retailer highlighted that over 57% of fresh produce sold at its stores was organic and that 154 products were labeled as regenerative organic certified. In 2023, the Whole Foods Market Foundation loaned more than $7 million to partners and donated more than $6 million to nonprofit organizations through "community giving programs." As for its legislative and policy support, Whole Foods clearly states that it is "actively engaging" in the 2023-24 farm bill to drive more sustainable agriculture and has worked with various farming and organic research coalitions and foundations to endorse different legislation. [link]

A report from University of California-Riverside (UCR) researchers calls for urgent and innovative measures to address declining water availability due to climate change. In a UCR release the researchers said California should take urgent and bold measures to adapt its $59 billion agriculture sector to climate change as the amount of water available for crops declines. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the report provides a roadmap for more water capture, storage, and distribution systems that align with climate projections and ecosystems. It further explores how runoff and groundwater can be reused as it generally flows from mountainsides to coastal lands. [link]

Landowners and landholders of Appalachian Ohio counties interested in agroforestry practices such as forest farming and silvopasture, and other methods of sustainable forestry management can get a free site visit through Rural Action’s Sustainable Forestry Program. The goal of this project is to help landowners develop goals that support the implementation of agroforestry practices and sustainable forest management. During the site visit process, landowners will have the opportunity to walk their property with Rural Action Sustainable Forestry Staff to evaluate potential agroforestry and silvopasture sites, along with opportunities for sustainable forest management such as tree plantings and invasive species removal. Rural Action is a regional community development organization working with members and community leaders on a range of quality of life, environmental, and economic projects across rural Appalachian Ohio. [link]

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) organized a meeting in Chile to promote an integrative perspective for a systemic approach to the health of people, animals, plants, and the environment. The discussion was organized around the idea of "One Health", which is an integrated unifying approach that seeks to balance and sustainably optimize the health of people, animals, and ecosystems, safeguarding the interrelation of activities related to sustainable agriculture, animal, plant, forest, and aquatic health, food safety, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), nutrition, and livelihoods. In this discussion, specialists from livestock, aquaculture, agriculture, and forestry discussed the opportunities and challenges of addressing agrifood systems in a coordinated manner with a focus on sustainability, intergenerational responsibility, and the protection of natural resources and the environment. [link]

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the University of Chicago’s Development Innovation Lab (DIL) have signed a knowledge exchange arrangement that facilitates the scale-up of innovations to reduce the impacts of climate change on agriculture and promote climate adaptation in low- and middle-income countries in Asia and the Pacific. The overall objective is to inform the scale-up of climate-resilient, evidence-based investments in the field of agriculture; improve farmers’ access to accurate climate services and weather forecasts; and raise global awareness on digital innovation in climate services to improve food security. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

This time last year, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released draft guidance of the federal government’s first-ever recommendations for U.S. government agencies on accounting for ecosystem services in benefit-cost analysis when evaluating investment decisions. See more, here.

July 27, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Civil Eats reviews Project 2025’s wish list for how to change the U.S. agriculture industry. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – AP News writes a story on African farmers and their worries that their soil is dying from chemical fertilizers. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Forbes conducts an interview with Kiss the Ground on how the organization wants to change our food system. Give it a read, here.

Industry Updates

Subsaharan Africa is estimated to record an annual soil nutrient loss worth up to $4 billion, according to the latest findings by a pan-African organization Biovision Africa Trust (BvAT) in collaboration with the Regional Multi-Actor Network (RMRN). Roughly 65% of arable land in Subsaharan Africa is degraded with soil nutrients rapidly being depleted and soil health deteriorating to the disadvantage of food security across the continent. Findings further disclose that Africa's population is poised to increase 2.5x by 2050, tripling cereal demand and putting soil health at a critical point. [link]

ADM has transitioned more than 2.8 million of its acres to regenerative agriculture in partnership with more than 28,000 growers, the company said in its newly released 2024 regenerative agriculture report. It has also set its 2024 target to 3.5 million acres and increased its 2025 goal from 4 million to 5 million. 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]

A grant of $307 million has been awarded to Nebraska by the EPA, going towards sustainability practices for agriculture and energy in the state. The EPA is awarding a total of $4.3 billion in grants to 30 states, all in an effort to reduce climate pollution. The Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy will use the funds from the grant for voluntary programs, such as “efficiency measures to reduce energy costs, incentives for sustainable agriculture practices, advanced livestock waste management, among others.” [link]

A Midwest program manager with American Farmland Trust says new farmer led, regional groups focused on conservation are sprouting up in Illinois. Dr. Staci McGill says “Farmers for Watersheds” groups are focused on farmers sharing experiences, given that farmers tend to learn best from other farmers. Funding can be used for a variety of different things, be that creating a field day, incentivizing farmers directly to institute some of these practices, and capitalizing on how society can create mentorships and peer programs within farmer groups. McGill says five million dollars in Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) funding has been set aside to establish the Illinois “Farmers for Watersheds” program. [link]

India gained 2,660,000 hectares of forest annually from 2010 to 2020, securing the third spot globally behind China and Australia, according to FAO. The UN agency commended India for its efforts in restoring degraded lands and expanding agroforestry through innovative approaches, including developing a national policy to better support agroforestry initiatives. However, the FAO also highlighted challenges posed by climate change, such as increased wildfire intensity and pest outbreaks, affecting forest sustainability globally. [link]

The Navarra 360º project will grant 80 farmers in Navarre, northern Spain, a €3 million (US$3.3 million) investment from EIT Food, Foodvalley and Food Innovation Hub (FIH) Europe to support their crop rotation system. The project aims to boost sustainable practices in the Spanish province. The aim of the project is to reduce the use of phytosanitary products by 20% and mineral fertilization by 49%, and it will be carried out by 2026. The implementation is expected to inform the design and delivery of further landscape projects in other parts of Europe. [link]

A class of nanoscale particles called “nanocarriers” could make crop agriculture more sustainable and resilient to climate change, according to a group of specialists at Purdue University. Based on a 2022 workshop focused on nanomethods for drug delivery in plants, researchers have now published their conclusions in Nature Nanotechnology. Their article, titled “Towards realizing nano-enabled precision delivery in plants,” reviews the possibility nanocarriers could make crop agriculture more sustainable and resilient to climate change. The recent article says that nano-enabled precision delivery of active agents in plants will transform agriculture, but there are critical technical challenges that we must first overcome to realize the full range of its benefits. [link]

Dairy company, FrieslandCampina, has launched a pilot to accelerate regenerative agriculture. The pilot brings together a diverse group of 20 FrieslandCampina member dairy farmers from the Netherlands, Belgium and Germany in a study group. Based on practical experience, they will develop knowledge, experience and insight about the effects of regenerative farming practices over the next few years. This will also focus on practical and financial feasibility of measures. [link]

The Government of South Sudan, in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Bank, is enhancing its support for smallholder farmers to build resilience against climate-related challenges, including recurring floods and extreme weather conditions. A significant $30 million grant from the World Bank's International Development Association aims to support sustainable agricultural practices, agroforestry, and natural resource management for farmers, fisherfolks, and livestock herders. South Sudan, one of the most climate-vulnerable nations, has experienced severe climate change impacts, with excessive flooding over the past four years destroying livelihoods and exacerbating food insecurity. [link]

Regenerative ag pioneer Colin Seis, a producer from New South Wales, Australia, will present a workshop on Aug. 6 in Fort Pierre, SD. Seis didn’t set out to help reinvent agriculture. Instead, he changed the way he farmed in 1979 because he had no choice…with wildfire ravaging most of his operation at that time. He adopted low input agriculture as a way to survive without much income over the near-term and has evolved to now only using limited fertilizer inputs alongside rotationally grazed livestock and the production of multi-species crops on 2,000 acres. Today, his operation is the most profitable it has ever been. [link]

Applications will soon open for the latest round of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Soil Health Financial Assistance Program grants. The grants are available to individual producers, producer groups, and tribal and local governments to purchase or retrofit soil health equipment. Grant awards will provide up to 50% cost-share, with a minimum award of $500 and a maximum award of $45,000. Examples of eligible new or used equipment include, but are not limited to, no-till drills, air seeders, strip tillage units, and more. [link]

A new report from The Organic Center details the nutritional difference in organic produce relative to conventional produce, along with the environmental, human health and socioeconomic benefits of organic produce production and farming. The report’s findings are based on a review of 85 scientific studies throughout the world conducted over the last three decades on the health and environmental impacts of organic produce and agriculture, according to a news release. The Organic Center says organic produce is more nutritious and tastier than non-organic produce and contains more antioxidants and nutrients. Eating organic produce reduces dietary exposure to pesticides, while farming organically drastically improves the health of those growing food by limiting chemical exposure from pesticide application. [link]

Researchers at Harper Adams University and the University of Leeds have launched a short survey on regenerative agriculture for anyone who is over 18 and involved in farming. The survey aims to find out more about its participants’ perceptions and use of regenerative agriculture practices. As farmers fill in the survey, the team is hoping it will discover what practices farmers consider regenerative agriculture, which of these practices have been implemented, and the perceived impacts they have had. Results from the survey will also be used to create maps of regenerative agriculture practice in the UK – and to highlight knowledge gaps and where changes in practice and targeted policy interventions might be needed. [link]

A research project at The University of Southern Mississippi (USM) aiming to advance the Mississippi farming industry in sustainability and economic growth has earned a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Dr. Fan Zhang, associate professor in the School of Construction Management, and Dr. Zhe Qiang, associate professor in the School of Polymer Science and Engineering, are the recipients of a $139,000 USDA Solid Waste Management Grant for their yearlong project titled “Empowering Rural Communities by Implementing Plastic Waste Management Trainings for Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana Farmers.” This initiative includes establishment of a plastic waste management training program for farmers in rural areas designed to stimulate economic gains, address climate pollution, and increase community and business resilience. [link]

ALUS and General Mills are expanding the regenerative agriculture pilot program, Growing Roots, after exceeding several targets set for the initial two-year pilot period. General Mills has committed to incremental funding to further the goals of Growing Roots through 2026. From 2022–24, ALUS enrolled 115 producers who are managing 234 regenerative agriculture projects across more than 12,000 acres of farmland. ALUS and General Mills launched Growing Roots in 2022 in response to interest in regenerative agriculture from producers, consumers, corporations, and governments. Through the pilot program, over 60 percent of participants learned or tried a new practice. Participants also noted that Growing Roots created unique opportunities for networking and knowledge sharing among producers. [link]

Results from a 2023 study on regenerative agriculture were recently published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), finding that the integration of crop and livestock systems was successful as long-term carbon storage solutions and increased soil fertility. The study was conducted by Colorado State University's Department of Soil and Crop Sciences together with the Graduate Degree Program in Ecology. The main practices reviewed were no-till, cropping system intensification like cover cropping, double crops, and intercrops, perennial plant integration, and silvopasture. [link]

PepsiCo Foods North America has unveiled an initiative to expand opportunities in the agriculture industry for young people, who make up just 9% of U.S. farming. The effort, called the Planting Pathways Initiative, will start with pilot partnerships that provide job pathways both on the farm and within the agriculture sector at large. Initial partners include Practical Farmers of Iowa and the Farm Foundation. The initiative is part of the company’s PepsiCo Positive (pep+), a plan announced in 2021 to transform the CPG giant’s supply chain and put environmental and social progress at the forefront. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late May, farm machinery companies, DeLaval and John Deere, co-launched a digital ecosystem to help dairy farmers become more sustainable and efficient. See more, here.

July 20, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Sur in English writes about the brigades of cows, sheep and goats helping to fight forest fires in Spain. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – CBS News hosts a video on how regenerative agriculture can help farmers. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – ABC Melbourne’s “The Conversation Hour” hosts a 53-minute conversation on regenerative agriculture and how it helps soil. Give it a listen, here.

Industry Updates

As the 2024 crop season moves forward, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will contact producers nationwide to determine the effects of conservation on working lands. The USDA’s Conservation Effects Assessment Project (CEAP) is an expanded effort to help the farming community better understand the environmental impacts of conservation practices. NASS representatives will visit farms between August 2024 and February 2025 to collect information such as on-farm production practices; chemical, fertilizer and manure applications; integrated pest management activities; and installed conservation practices. The survey data will be published in the Crop Production report in 2025. [link]

In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Animal Welfare and Agro National Corporation (AgroNAT), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in the Maldives continues to support good agricultural practices through the ongoing Project for Developing the Agriculture Economy (PDSAE). Supported by the Government of Japan, this initiative aims to fortify food security and livelihoods by ensuring access to affordable, safe, high-quality, and nutritious food, the latest venture of which was a hands-on training program in Good Agricultural Practices. The opening ceremony of the Agri-Training Program for AgroNat commenced on July 1, 2024, at the Hanimaadhoo Social Center, with over 14 farmers from across the Maldives participating. Spanning from July 1 to June 25, this program is tailored to build the capacity of farmers with essential skills to improve plant propagation, nursery management, soil fertility, pest and disease management, and other essential techniques. [link]

UK supermarket chain, Morrisons, has announced a new collaboration with The Institute for Agriculture and Horticulture (TIAH) to assist its farmers in enhancing their skills and achieving net-zero carbon emissions. The partnership involves piloting TIAH’s digital platform, which receives partial funding from Defra, aiming to address skills gaps in agriculture. In collaboration with the School of Sustainable Food and Farming at Harper Adams University, TIAH has created four educational modules. These modules offer farmers a structured approach to learning essential topics, including calving best practices, common beef diseases, measuring and improving growth, and efficient forage usage. [link]

Lloyds Banking Group has reinforced its commitment to UK farmers by providing fee-free lending, financial support and resources for agroforestry projects over £25,000. The banking group offers financing for agroforestry costs through its Clean Growth Financing Initiative (CGFI), which features a zero per cent set-up fee for term lending on sustainable farming investments. This loan helps UK farmers reduce their ecological impact while enhancing the financial and environmental resilience of their businesses. [link]

The regenerative kelp farm and skincare company, Cold Current Kelp, has been awarded $175,000 by the US Department of Agriculture to support the company’s research and development for the use of kelp extracts in skincare and other non-food applications. Cold Current Kelp is a women-owned, vertically-integrated regenerative kelp farm on the coast of Maine. The company not only farms its own kelp, but also specializes in the development of innovative uses for its seaweed extracts, such as in skin care products. With the significant funding injection provided by the USDA, Cold Current Kelp will carry out research to determine the feasibility of using a relatively novel green extraction method to obtain bioactive compounds from Maine-grown sugar kelp. Unlike conventional methods, this method of extraction does not require the use of toxic solvents and is expected to result in higher extraction yields. [link]

Some 132 businesses and financial institutions with combined annual revenues of $1.1 trillion have called for the governments of the world to strengthen their nature policies in the build up to biodiversity conference COP 16. The call comes over 18 months after the adoption of the Global Biodiversity Framework at COP 15 in Montreal, as businesses asked governments to move faster on nature policy before the COP 16 conference begins in Cali, Colombia in just under 100 days. The group is calling on governments to ensure that businesses and financial actors protect nature and restore degraded ecosystems, in part by managing resources sustainably, embedding nature into their disclosures, aligning their financial flows towards being nature positive, and strengthening global agreements. [link]

Biome Makers, a leading global agtech company on a mission to recover soil health and improve farmer profitability, has announced the latest evolution of BeCrop technology. This innovative solution evaluates over 1,000 parameters, including complex biological data and environmental factors, to provide precise input recommendations and tailored agronomic insights on soil health, disease risk, and management practices. Key features of Biome Makers' BeCrop Farm technology include tailored product recommendations, high-definition maps, clear agronomic insights, and a user-friendly digital experience. [link]

According to the latest results from the Conservation Tillage Transect survey, 1.7 million acres of farmland are now under living cover across all crops in Indiana. This significant milestone underscores the increasing adoption of cover crops by farmers, driven by their multiple benefits for soil health, water management and overall farm productivity. Apart from corn and soybeans, cover crops are planted on more acres than any other commodity crop in Indiana. Cover crops are typically planted in the fall after harvest and designed to protect the soil and keep roots in the ground throughout the winter, which improves soil health and helps filter water runoff. The conservation survey also showed that about 69% of row crop acres were not tilled and about 17% had employed reduced tillage over winter, after the 2023 harvest. [link]

A new study finds that the proportional allocation of water, and not additional taxes on the resource, is more effective from the point of view of those engaged in agriculture. The study was produced by the WEARE group within the University of Cordoba and has been published in the Water Resources Management journal. Climate change, increasing drought, population growth and consumption habits have spotlighted the scarcity of water available for agriculture in Spain, making it necessary to adopt measures that help reduce consumption and better manage water for crops. [link]

“Regenerative agriculture” may be quite a buzzword these days, but the agrifood industry still has a lot of work to do when it comes to generating consumer demand, says a new study from EIT Food Consumer Observatory. Critically, more consumers need a better understanding of what regenerative agriculture actually is and its benefits to both the food system and planetary health. Called “Cultivating Resilience: Regenerative Agriculture,” the study surveyed consumers across 17 European countries to gather data on awareness around regenerative agriculture as well as drivers and hurdles to consuming products produced through regen practices. While many consumers say they recognize the term “regenerative agriculture,” a much smaller group “accurately know[s] what regenerative agriculture is,” according to the study. [link]

Lancaster County, PA is a priority planting area for the nonprofit Pasa Sustainable Agriculture as it seeks to support the Ten Million Trees project, with the window for ordering the first round of free trees closing this past week. The Ten Million Trees project, backed by the nonprofit Chesapeake Bay Foundation, aims to plant 10 million trees across Pennsylvania by the end of 2025. Due to the impact of agriculture on local waterways, Lancaster County is a priority area for planting. County residents can go to lanc.news/PASAtrees to find the order form. Trees will be available for pickup in late September to mid-October. Three pickup sites are available: Columbia, Dauphin or Westmoreland counties. [link]

Diestel Family Ranch, the family-owned U.S.-based producer of sustainably raised turkeys, announced it has become the first turkey producer to achieve Regenified™ certification, a global leader in regenerative agriculture verification. Regenified’s seal is the first third-party regenerative program to be recognized and accepted by USDA Food Safety and Inspection Services for single and multi-ingredient products. As part of this certification, Diestel sourced more than 650 tons of Certified Regenified™ corn earlier this spring. To achieve certification, Diestel met Regenified’s rigorous 6-3-4™ Standards which include soil health, adaptive stewardship, and ecosystem processes. [link]

WhistlePig Whiskey and Brother’s Bond Bourbon have teamed up with their latest releases to support regenerative agriculture in the US. The two brands have recently launched sustainably made whiskeys: Brother’s Bond Regenerative Grain Straight Bourbon and WhistlePig FarmStock Beyond Bonded Rye Whiskey. For a limited time, the expressions are available as an online bundle for US$189.99, with a portion of the sales earmarked for Regenerate America, the regenerative agriculture coalition stewarded by the Kiss the Ground documentary. [link]

The UK and Belize governments launched the Resilient and Biodiverse Landscapes of Northern Mesoamerica project to restore and conserve the Selva Maya Forest through sustainable practices. In Belize, the Biodiverse Landscapes Fund will invest approximately $3.2 million between September 2023 to October 2029. Activities in country are being implemented through a consortium of organizations including the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), Belize Maya Forest Trust (BMFT), Program for Belize, Friends for Conservation and Development (FCD), and the Julian Cho Society. BLF will be supporting these organizations in the protection and conservation of Selva Maya Forest in Belize, one of the great forests of the Mesoamerica Landscape. [link]

Nine years of data analysis from Illinois farms found the most profitable acres were one-pass light tillage for corn and no-till soybeans. Precision Conservation Management released its summary of in-field conservation practices data that compares various tillage systems and analyzes the profitability of each corn and soybean field enrolled in the program. According to PCM’s 2015-2023 data, the most frequently observed tillage systems on the most profitable acres were one-pass light tillage for corn — one pass with low-disturbance tillage — and no-till for soybeans. More than two tillage passes were never more profitable. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In early June, the Canadian Senate Committee on Agriculture released a new study on Soil Health in Canada, evaluating the current status of soils in the country and putting forward 25 recommendations for improving and maintaining those soils. See more, here.

July 13, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – WTOP News writes that Kenya’s dramatic flooding is sweeping away a central part of its economy: its farms. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – UNEP discusses five ways that innovators are making farming easier on the planet. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Earth.org reviews how meat and dairy subsidies are driving climate change. Read the article, here.

Industry Updates

Italy sealed a regenerative agriculture deal with Algeria as part of its ambitious Mattei Plan, which seeks to create a new partnership with African countries to address the root causes of irregular migration. The office of Premier Giorgia Meloni said the accord entailed "the largest investment in sustainable agriculture made so far by Italy in North Africa". The agreement provides for a strategic concession by the Algerian government of 36,000 hectares, which the company Bonifiche Ferraresi S.p.A. will recover for agricultural use, creating an entire production chain. Activities will start as early as 2024 through the creation of wells and an initial sowing of cereals. [link]

A Norfolk, England firm's "revolutionary" soil analysis tool is set to play a leading role in a new farming project which digs down into the roots of crop performance. PES Technologies, based in Diss, has developed a sensor system which can "smell" a soil's biological signature, allowing farmers and agronomists to carry out quick, cost-effective tests in the field without the need to send samples to a laboratory. This can help them choose which crops to grow, and how to treat them. [link]

A record amount of Connecticut's farmland was protected in 2023, which comes at a time when the state is hemorrhaging farmland and seeing a handful of farms go up for sale. The Department of Agriculture said that the 23 farm parcels protected last year were the most in a single calendar year since the Farmland Preservation Program was established in 1978, with those 23 farm parcels spanning a total of 1,560 acres. A total of $10 million was spent to acquire the conservation easements – 51 percent from the state, 47 percent from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and 2 percent from local nonprofits and community land trusts. [link]

Syngenta Biologicals and Intrinsyx Bio announced a collaboration to bring a novel biological solution to agricultural markets globally. The collaboration will boost farmers’ access to a custom selection of Intrinsyx Bio’s proprietary endophyte formulations. Endophytes – small microorganisms that colonize in plants – fix atmospheric nitrogen directly into the plant, increasing the availability and uptake of key nutrients such as phosphorus and micronutrients that are important for plant health. This reduces the need for synthetic fertilizers, offering farmers greater flexibility in their nutrient management strategies while lowering the environmental impact of farming. Formulations will be offered as seed treatment and foliar application in key agricultural crops. [link]

The UNDP and the government of Switzerland have commenced the third phase of their Green Commodities Program, which instigates transformative changes in the sustainability of agriculture production around the world. Building upon the success of the two precedent phases, the renewed partnership between UNDP and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) aims to further enhance sustainable agricultural commodity production in five countries: Peru, Indonesia, Malaysia, Ghana, and Brazil. The project's emphasis on multi-stakeholder collaboration seeks to overcome an intertwined web of economic, ecological, and political challenges, engaging national and local governments, private sectors, and global stakeholders. [link]

The University of Manitoba has signed four new partnership agreements with institutions across Morocco to advance shared research priorities on green ammonia while supporting cutting-edge innovation, sustainable development, health, and Indigenous economic reconciliation. By working together, the hope is that collaboration and exchange can magnify the impacts of research to the mutual benefit of institutions and provide a model for environmentally sustainable food production across Africa and around the world. A key priority for this initiative is to reduce the environmental impact of agriculture through the development of new sustainable fertilizers, such as green ammonia. [link]

Major funding cuts to Illinois soil and water conservation district's staffing in the new state budget has the potential to hamper these efforts going forward. The new state budget slashes the district's administrative funding that goes toward office staffing and other costs, from $8.5 million to $4.5 million. Losing those employees will limit the number of projects districts can complete each year, creating a gap in Illinois conservation efforts. [link]

The vice president of sustainability with Better Earth says the company’s new compostable foodservice packaging is the first to be made exclusively with materials grown using regenerative agriculture methods. Native perennial grasses like miscanthus, switchgrass and sorghum are being grown in the southeastern United States on what would otherwise be underutilized land. After harvest, this grass creates the company's compostable packaging. Aside from cutting down on plastics and other packaging in landfills, these products also offer carbon benefits. [link]

University of New Hampshire researchers are working on a new project that studies integrating crop and animal farming in forested areas for enhanced food production, carbon sequestration and climate resilience. The five-year project, called Promoting Climate-Smart Sustainable Agriculture in New England through Regionally Adapted Agroforestry Systems (ADAPT), is funded with a $10 million grant from the United States Department of Agriculture. New England is one of the nation's most forested regions, offering challenges and opportunities for producing food more sustainably. [link]

Tidal Grow AgriScience, a division of Tidal Vision Products Inc., has been awarded a Fertilizer Production Expansion Program (FPEP) grant by the USDA, helping to significantly increase production of its popular seafood hydrolysate liquid fertilizers, Oceanic and SeaPhos. Tidal Grow AgriScience manufactures novel plant nutrition and crop protection solutions. With this grant, a new facility breaks ground in Texas and expands production in Washington, tripling the capacity of these bioactive carbon-based fertilizers and accelerating the adoption of regenerative agriculture solutions. [link]

Growing interest in sustainably-raised meats, including grass-fed beef, is challenging meat alternatives, which continue to struggle with adoption and repeat purchases among their primary consumer base – flexitarians. Among U.S. households, 72 million identify as flexitarian and nearly half are buying plant-based foods, according to data from Numerator. Furthermore, 98% of consumers who buy plant-based protein alternatives also buy animal meat. Sustainable meat production is rising across the food industry, as products with Regenerative Organic Certification experience significant growth. [link]

A transdisciplinary team of researchers, educators and extension experts led by The Ohio State University has received a $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to advance and co-create solutions to climate resilience of farmers in the Midwest. In addition to empowering farmers to lead the design and innovation of practical approaches to climate-smart farming, the project will provide opportunities to train the next generation of students in the use of on-farm research and community stakeholder collaborations as strategies to address future farming system challenges. Alongside Ohio State, the project will involve close partnerships with researchers, extension staff and students at Central State University, the University of Missouri, Lincoln University Missouri and Solutions from the Land. [link]

The general public has limited knowledge of the U.S. farm bill that politicians are debating on Capitol Hill, according to the June 2024 Consumer Food Insights (CFI) Report from Purdue University. Around one-third of American adults have never heard of the bill, while a similar proportion has heard of the bill but do not know what programs it supports. [link]

A new Responsible Agricultural Investment (RAI) Tool for Agribusiness has been developed by IISD, Cerise+SPTF, and other partner organizations with support from the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation to offer a practical framework for business leaders to understand what sustainable food practices look like, along with how to identify gaps and prioritize improvements. Intended to be used by a wide range of stakeholders engaged in promoting sustainable agricultural investments—such as agribusinesses, financial investors, and industry associations—the tool shows how to create a clear, actionable plan. It has been tested by agribusinesses in Africa and Asia and refined based on their feedback and is designed to be compliant with internationally recognized best practices of sustainable business conduct, such as the principles on responsible investment in the agricultural and food systems (CFS-RAI Principles) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Performance Standards. [link]

UK retailer, Co-op, is supporting on-farm projects designed to improve sustainability and efficiencies through its new Future Farming Fund. It will help fund projects related to soil health, genetics, brassica crops, data management, and nature on farms. The projects are due to begin in August and are being led by the Co-op’s Beef and Lamb Farming Group with financial support and resources provided by major meat processor, Dunbia. [link]

Researchers in South Australia are digging deep into history of soil biology in the state to gain a better understanding of how the soil microbiome functions to ensure sustainable broadacre farming into the future. A new article in Advances in Agronomy aims to increase awareness of the importance of soil biology in farming systems, particularly in light of past practices. A core aim of the study is to determine whether the diversity and composition of soil communities from past farming systems differ from those of present farming systems, along with a goal of assessing changes in the soil microbiome and the evolution of broadacre cropping management practices in the Southern Australian farming zone. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late June, it was reported that the U.S. had urged the EU to delay its Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) - set to come into force in December this year - because the new rules would hurt U.S. producers of cocoa products, timber, and other forest-risk commodities. See more, here.

July 6, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Agri Investor writes that discontent among farmers continues to grow. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – AgWeb offers a crop insurance provider’s advice for adding sustainable practices on-farm. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Flatland KC says that with conservation action lagging, so does progress in slashing the Gulf’s “dead zone.” Read the article, here.

Industry Updates

FoodDrinkEurope has unveiled its Food Investment and Resilience Plan, aimed at bolstering the competitiveness and sustainability of the European food and drink industry comprising 291,000 companies with a collective turnover of €1.1 trillion. The plan calls for a more targeted Common Agriculture Policy (CAP) and the development of a comprehensive food investment strategy, which includes securing at least €30 billion in the first year for sustainable agriculture, along with €7 billion for plastic recycling targets and €5.5 billion for the current loan gap in the agri-food space. The plan also calls for the simplification of regulations, the creation of a food policy coordination unit, the removal of trade barriers and enhanced international cooperation, and faster procedures for the risk assessment and approval of sustainable food solutions. [link]

Potato breeder, Tuberosum Technologies, has announced the successful registration of four True Potato Seed (TPS) varieties, marking the first time TPS varieties have been officially registered in Canada, heralding a new era of innovation and sustainability in potato farming. The newly registered tetraploid TPS varieties are the first step in enhancing the global potato industry, offering producers a more efficient, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly method of cultivation. Unlike traditional tuber-based potato propagation, True Potato Seeds offer numerous advantages including improved disease resilience, easier storage, reduced transportation/phytosanitary constraints, and a more flexible supply chain. [link]

New figures from Zero Carbon Forum and Wildfarmed say that 3.6 million tonnes of carbon could be saved by 2030 if every operator across the UK hospitality and brewing sector switched to regenerative flour and barley. Roughly 35% of the UK's emissions come from the food and drink sector, with Zero Carbon Forum's benchmark data finding that flour and barley production is responsible for 2.5% of the hospitality and brewing sector's emissions. The news comes at a time when extreme weather and record-breaking rain are putting our food systems at risk, with crops underwater, depleted harvests and higher costs for farmers, operators and consumers. [link]

The Cooperative Research Centre for High Performance Soils (Soil CRC) in Australia is investing a further $4.1 million in new research with another eight projects over the next three years, aiming to increase growers' knowledge of soil issues and investigate new options to improve soil conditions. The latest investment brings the total cash spending on projects to more than $40 million since the CRC commenced in 2017. Soil CRC chief executive officer Michael Crawford said these projects build on previous Soil CRC research into soil data and performance metrics, novel products and technology to increase soil function, and farmer engagement and adoption. [link]

The Kansas Association of Conservation Districts (KACD) is partnering again with Archer-Daniels-Midland Company (ADM), to offer their program to reward producers across Kansas for planting cover crops and implementing other regenerative practices. Cover crop payments range from $10 - $25 per acre depending on when the acres were first planted to a cover crop. This is the third year this program has been offered across the state. In 2023 Kansas farmers and ranchers planted and enrolled 189,000 acres of cover crops as well as other practice activities for producers that had wheat in their rotation.  The 2024 program is very similar to what was offered in 2023 through ADM. [link]

Amazon will devise a new standard for verifying the quality of carbon offsets that it needs in order to hit its net-zero targets, with the new standard covering reforestation and agroforestry, according to Reuters. Amazon has quit carbon offset standards that its founder Jeff Bezos helped to fund, opting instead for a new standard. The company is now working on Abacus, which would be an alternative to the standards developed by another organization that Amazon has been funding: the Integrity Council for the Voluntary Carbon Market. [link]

A new publication from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) sets out how coffee produced through agroforestry can improve resilience and ensure livelihoods in the face of climate change. The publication explains how agroforestry practices – essentially farming with trees - can be used as a climate risk reduction strategy that preserves ecosystems, improves production, generates higher incomes, enhances ecosystem sustainability and fosters resilient livelihoods. It presents a pilot project to promote coffee produced through agroforestry among producers in Malawi and Uganda, designed and implemented by FAO and the Slow Food Coffee Coalition, an international network that promotes sustainable coffee value chains, with funding from the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and supported by the Mountain Partnership Secretariat. [link]

RPTU University of Kaiserslautern-Landau has shown for the first time, in a joint study with BOKU University, that permaculture brings about a significant improvement in biodiversity, soil quality and carbon storage, based on studies in Germany and Luxembourg. Permaculture uses natural cycles and ecosystems as a blueprint. Food is produced in an agricultural ecosystem that is as self-regulating, natural and diverse as possible. The study, published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, comprehensively investigated the effects of this planning and management concept on the environment, finding three times the number of plant species on permaculture areas relative to conventional sites. [link]

A new research project led by the University of Copenhagen will receive around €78 million over a period of seven years and focus on the development of climate-resilient crops. The program leverages environmental DNA (eDNA) to pioneer sustainable agriculture. It seeks to decode how ecosystems and crops responded and adapted to past environmental changes, aiming to enhance crop resilience and agroecosystem sustainability for a more sustainable future. [link]

A new $1.5 million program in New Brunswick, Canada aims to offset the cost of feasibility studies for agriculture-focused anaerobic digester development within the farm sector and reduce greenhouse gases while fostering farm sustainability. The sequence of anaerobic digestion involves breaking down biodegradable materials by bacteria without oxygen. Agriculture Minister, Margaret Johnson, said that anaerobic digesters provide an innovative way to reduce waste and generate energy. The Anaerobic Digester Feasibility Studies Funding Program will help farmers plan how they can use this important technology. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In early June, Heineken announced that it had received its first harvest of barley produced on land where regenerative agriculture practices have been adopted at scale. See more, here.

June 28, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Food Navigator writes about AI’s impact on crop development. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – South Dakota State University explores farmers’ interest in carbon markets. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – Mongabay says that chocolate lovers should also come to love agroforestry. Read the article, here.

Industry Updates

American Farmland Trust is holding Advanced Soil Health Training, a series of courses focused on adaptive soil health management funded by the USDA through the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program. Partnering with Truterra/Land-O’ Lakes, AFT will sponsor and train soil health mentors who will share their knowledge and expertise with their communities. This program is designed to deepen soil health understanding of corn, soybean, wheat, and dairy farmers and farm advisors who have an interest in improving soil health and who will share their expertise with their clients, communities, and the next generation of farmers. The hands-on curriculum combines one day of classroom time with a half-day visit to innovative local demonstration farms to see soil health practices in action. [link]

The US has reportedly urged the EU to delay its Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which is set to come into force in December, because the new rules would hurt US producers of cocoa products, timber and other forest-risk commodities. The Financial Times revealed that the Biden Administration had sent a letter dated May 30 to the European Commission (EC) warning the law posed “critical challenges” to US businesses and should be delayed until the challenges have been addressed. The EUDR would require companies to provide a “due diligence” statement supported by geolocation data to confirm their products have not come from deforested land after 2020. The regulation impacts various supply chains, including cocoa, soybeans, coffee, palm oil and beef. It is set to be reviewed in June 2028. [link]

The CEA Alliance says it has released the industry’s first sustainability framework developed by indoor growers for indoor growers. CEA Alliance says the framework will drive credibility, transparency and continuous improvement through standardized approaches for sustainability measurement, guiding indoor growers through both key impacts to measure and metrics for measuring them. This new framework includes 60 metrics that support 20 key performance indicators across a variety of environmental and social aspects of indoor growing, including natural resource and climate impacts, pesticide use, waste generation, food safety, employment practices, community engagement, and food security impacts. [link]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced an investment of $70 million in seven creative and visionary agricultural projects to transform the U.S. food and agricultural system and sustainably increase agricultural production in ways that also reduce its environmental footprint. The program focuses on a broad range of research, education and Extension solutions – from addressing agricultural workforce challenges and promoting land stewardship to addressing climate change impacts in agriculture and filling critical needs in food and nutrition. Awards of $10 million will be used for coordinated agricultural projects (CAPs), which promote collaboration, open communication, information exchange and reduce duplication efforts by coordinating activities among individuals, institutions, states and regions. [link]

Despite sharp deceleration in food inflation since a post-pandemic peak, US consumers deem current food pricing as unpalatable, according to new research from the Purdue University College of Agriculture’s Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability (CFDAS). In the Purdue CFDAS May 2024 Consumer Food Insights (CFI) survey, 56% of more than 1,200 US shoppers said food prices rose the most over the past 12 months versus other common household expenses. That perception isn’t borne out by inflation data, however. The May 2024 Consumer Price Index for food shows a year-over-year gain of 2.1% (+1% for food at home, +4% for food away from home), compared with 20.3% for vehicle insurance, 4.9% for childcare, 4.7% for utilities, 4.6% for housing, 4.3% for home insurance, 3.1% for health care, 2.9% for transportation, 1.3% for entertainment/leisure and -2.5% for household items, based on US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data. [link]

The Central Statistics Office (CSO) in Ireland released new information for 2023 that shows the area of new forestry planted by farmers accounted for 47% of total afforestation during the year, however trees planted by farmers have been on a downward trend since the early 2000s. In 2007, trees planted by farmers made up over 90% of total afforestation rates that year. Last year, Irish farmers planted 773 ha (1,855 acres) of trees while non-farmers planted 877 ha (2,105 acres). Generally, non-farmer tree plantings have been on the uprise in Ireland since the early 2000s. There were 287 afforestation parcels planted in 2023, with an average size of 5.8 ha (14 acres). [link]

A report from certification body Regenagri suggests that regenerative agriculture is becoming more and more prevalent in global farming. The regenagri program now supports more than 230,000 farms and 855 supply chain operators globally, with the area of land under its certification tripling in 2023 to 1.46 million hectares (3.5 million acres) compared to 487,000 hectares in 2022. Looking ahead, Regenagri aims to double its impact in 2024 by expanding its program to cover two million hectares of land, supporting 500,000 farms across the world. [link]

McCain Foods announced the expansion of its Innovation Hub farms in North America, adding four new farms across three different regions as part of its initiative to implement regenerative agriculture practices across its global potato fields by 2030. Its new hubs will be located on potato farms in Alberta, Wisconsin and Maine, with an additional hub on an onion farm in Idaho. The Innovation Hubs are designed to conduct commercial-scale research trials that are specific to the local growing conditions. This approach allows McCain to test and refine sustainable agricultural practices, such as cover cropping, crop diversity and advanced irrigation techniques. [link]

Three leading players in the food ingredients industry – Raffinerie Tirlemontoise, Beneo and Puratos –have joined forces to launch the 'Climate Farming Project,' supporting Belgian farmers to adopt more sustainable and regenerative agricultural practices. The initiative, which will run until 2025, involves 15 pilot farms across Belgium cultivating sugar beet, wheat and chicory in an area equivalent to over 1,100 football fields. The farmers will implement a range of regenerative techniques, including reducing mineral nitrogen fertilization and pesticide use, enhancing biodiversity by planting flower strips and hedges, and improving soil health by increasing the biomass of cover and catch crops. [link]

Dairy farmers in Denmark face having to pay an annual tax of 672 krone ($96) per cow for the planet-heating emissions they generate. The country’s coalition government agreed this past week to introduce the world’s first carbon emissions tax on agriculture. It will mean new levies on livestock starting in 2030.

The tax, expected to be approved by Denmark’s parliament later this year, will amount to 300 krone ($43) per tonne (1.1 ton) of CO2-equivalent emissions from livestock from 2030, rising to 750 krone ($107) in 2035. A 60% tax break will apply, meaning that farmers will effectively be charged 120 krone ($17) per tonne of livestock emissions per year from 2030, rising to 300 krone ($43) in 2035. In the first two years, the proceeds from the tax will be used to support the agricultural industry’s green transition and then reassessed. [link]

The Nigerian Federal Government said it is investing in climate-smart agriculture to enhance food production and promote agroforestry and conservation agriculture amidst challenges posed by climate change and its impacts on food security. Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, made the remark at a high-level event on ‘Partnering to Scale up Climate Actions in Fragile and Conflict Affected Situations – Zooming in on Food Security’ held in the Embassy of UAE in Rome. Lawal failed to mention how much money will be allocated to these efforts but said Nigeria is taking concerted efforts to address climate change and its impact on the country's food security. [link]

CIBO Technologies, the climate software company for agriculture, announced a multi-year strategic partnership with The DeLong Co., Inc., a privately-owned and family-run enterprise based in Clinton, Wisconsin with 38 grain, agronomy and export locations throughout the United States. Through this collaboration, CIBO Impact will help farmers within The DeLong Co., Inc.'s grower network find, qualify for and enroll in regenerative agriculture incentive programs backed by the USDA and private companies with Scope 3 emissions targets. [link]

ADM's Golden Peanut processing subsidiary will collaborate with The J.M. Smucker Co. and the National Black Growers Council (NBGC) to support the adoption of regenerative agriculture practices across 20,000 peanut acres in the southeast United States. As with ADM's other regenerative agriculture efforts spanning the globe, Golden Peanut's work with Smucker will feature direct financial support for farmers; easy processes and cutting-edge technologies to ensure low barriers to entry; and a broad range of support and guidance for farmers from both internal and third-party experts, including the Flint River Soil and Water Conservation District. Regenerative practices covered by the program will include continuous living roots (cover crops), improved fertilizer and pesticide efficiency and use of reduced tillage practices. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late April, the Food and Drug Administration announced that it was considering requiring food manufacturers to put new labels on the front of packages to better inform Americans of related health risks. See more, here.

June 22, 2024

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Earth.com reports on how farmers are adopting regenerative agriculture for better soil health. Check out the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – Civil Eats has published its summer 2024 food and farming book list. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – UBS writes in an article that the ability to meet nature goals is only possible if farmers are in the room. Read the article, here.

Industry Updates

The Agriculture Committee of the Ohio House of Representatives has held its first hearing on a bill that would establish a task force to develop a healthy soils initiative for the state. The bill directs the task force to develop a comprehensive action plan to coordinate efforts to carry out the healthy soils initiative using standards for organic matter, biological activity and diversity, and soil structure as measures to assess improved soil health. In addition, the task force is to develop recommendations for testing of chemicals such as dioxin in the soil. The development of recommendations for using plants for soil remediation, including alfalfa, sunflower, date palms, and mustards is also required. [link]

The Maryland Department of Agriculture has announced the annual sign-up period for the Cover Crop Program will take place at soil conservation district offices statewide from June 21 through July 17, 2024. One of the department’s most popular initiatives, the program provides farmers with cost-share assistance to offset seed, labor, and equipment costs to plant fall cover crops protecting local water quality, building healthy soils, and capturing carbon from the atmosphere. To help create diversity, eligible cover crop species may be mixed with radish and legumes, including clover, Austrian winter peas, and hairy vetch, using a variety of two- and three-species mixes. The department has allocated approximately $20 million for its 2024-2025 Cover Crop Program. [link]

Member states in the European Council voted to approve the long-contested Nature Restoration Law, a key piece of legislation aimed at protecting and restoring natural ecosystems, and creating a mandated target for EU countries implement measures to restore at least 20% of the EU’s land and sea areas by 2030. The Nature Restoration Law was initially proposed by the European Commission in June 2022, with an objective to restore ecosystems, habitats and species across the EU’s land and sea areas, with studies indicating that more than 80% of European habitats are in poor shape. Under the new legislation, member states will be required to put into place restoration measures to restore at least 30% of habitats that are in poor condition by 2030, increasing to 60% by 2040, and 90% by 2050, and to regularly submit national restoration plans indicating how they will deliver on the targets. The law sets out specific requirements for a broad range of ecosystems, covering wetlands, grasslands, forests, rivers and lakes, as well as marine ecosystems such as seagrass and sponge and coral beds. [link]

A new map from the Save Soil movement – backed by the UNEP, UNCCD, UNFAO, WFP, and IUCN amongst others – illustrates that 95% of Earth's soil is on course to be degraded by 2050. Degraded soil, resulting largely from intensive farming practices, is low in “organic matter,” which means it does not retain water as effectively, making us vulnerable to climate shocks such as droughts, wildfires, and water shortages. Every second, an equivalent of four football fields of healthy soil becomes degraded – adding up to a total of 100 million hectares every year. Non-degraded healthy soil is a direct necessity for 95% of the food production for more than 8 billion people. [link]

AgMission has partnered with PepsiCo to award three grants to researchers in Australia, Mexico and Canada for a total combined $6.7 million investment to support evidence-based research on the effectiveness of climate-smart agriculture practices that incorporate regenerative agriculture principles. Climate-smart practices can help reduce carbon emissions and provide environmental benefits associated with regenerative agriculture; however, limited data exists on how to effectively incorporate these practices on farms. All three grantees awarded through this effort will work closely with farmers and farmer organizations to co-develop transition plans to introduce regenerative practices, improve understanding of the impacts and outcomes, and contribute to scientific evidence that can help   overcome widespread adoption challenges. [link]

Researchers at Tyndall National Institute, based at University Cork (UCC), have developed a groundbreaking sensor that will allow farmers to reduce their use of chemical fertilizers. Tyndall’s ground-breaking Electronic Smart System (ESS) sensor is buried in the soil and monitors nutrient levels in real time. The sensor connects to the Internet of Things (IoT) and uses cloud technology to collect and analyze the data, generating a report for the farmer. The report provides farmers with real-time insights into changing soil conditions, helping them to optimize fertilizer, reduce nutrient losses and environmental impacts. [link]

Countries in Southeast Asia need to apply more innovative, region-specific solutions that fit their local context in order to tackle the challenges facing agriculture and crop production, according to a new report on food systems sustainability from New CropLife Asia and the EU-ASEAN Business Council. The report stresses that agricultural approaches “must be designed from and for the regional sustainability context” and not outside of it. It urges Southeast Asian countries to resist pressure from developed nations to adopt approaches that do not align with their environmental context. The document further outlines the agricultural sector in Southeast Asia's significant challenges from climate change, which threatens lower yields and increased risks from flooding and drought, as well as pests, weeds and disease. The report says these remain acute due to tropical agriculture, which has its own unique parameters. [link]

Chocolate, candy and snacks producer Hershey announced a series of new climate-related goals, with new targets to reduce emissions originating in its value chain, including Forest Land and Agriculture (FLAG) emissions. The company’s new goals include reducing FLAG emissions by 36%, and non-FLAG Scope 3 emissions by 30% by 2030, on a 2018 baseline, marking an increase from Hershey’s prior target to reduce Scope 3 by 25% by 2030. Hershey outlined a series of initiatives it is pursuing in order to reduce emissions across its value chain, including sourcing approximately 80% of electricity from renewable and zero-emission sources in 2023, creating a cross-functional team to oversee delivery of plant-level energy reduction targets, and investing in projects promoting good agricultural practices and technology in its cocoa, dairy and sugar supply chains. [link]

Grocery retail group Ahold Delhaize USA has teamed with global snacking company Kellanova and North American agribusiness Bartlett to reduce scope 3 greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions from wheat farming across the value chain. Scheduled to kick off this summer, the pilot program will use financial investments from Ahold Delhaize USA, Kellanova and Bartlett to support the implementation of regenerative agricultural practices among North Carolina wheat farmers. The wheat harvested and milled from these farms will be used in combination with conventionally grown wheat to manufacture Kellanova’s Cheez-It and Club crackers, which will be sold at Ahold Delhaize USA banners in 2025. [link]

The Healey-Driscoll Administration today announced over $1 million in grants to promote and protect Massachusetts soil health. The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) awarded Healthy Soils Plan Implementation Challenge Grants to 15 organizations to improve the management of soils in agriculture, prevent soil degradation, and support soil’s critical role in carbon sequestration. Grantees will explore soil health challenges in five different types of land uses: agriculture, forests, wetlands, recreational and ornamental, and impervious environments. [link]

The Maryland Department of Agriculture has announced that 23 projects will receive grant funding totaling $993,000 through the Healthy Soils Competitive Fund. This pioneering grant program provides financial assistance to qualifying farms and organizations—both large and small—that adopt innovative conservation practices that benefit climate, soil, and water. Established in 2023, the Healthy Soils Competitive Fund provides winning applicants up to $50,000 to support three years of enhanced healthy soil and agroforestry practices. Grant recipients receive up to 40% of the funds upfront, with the remainder distributed annually following verification of progress. [link]

ADM is collaborating with Ooni Pizza Ovens, Edinburgh, Scotland, to introduce a line of flour produced using regenerative agriculture practices. The flour may be used to bake pizza at home. US consumers may purchase the product through the Ooni website. ADM launched its regenerative agriculture program in the United Kingdom in 2023 to support a farming approach designed to protect and improve soil health, biodiversity, climate and water resources. Ooni offers a range of pizza ovens as well as dough balls, a dough mix, flour, yeast and pizza sauce. [link]

Indigo Ag and Microsoft announced a new carbon removal purchase agreement, with Indigo delivering 40,000 tons of carbon credits to Microsoft generated through the promotion of regenerative agriculture practices by U.S. farmers. Indigo Ag helps farmers adopt regenerative agriculture practices including cover crops, diversified crop rotation, reduced tillage and improved nitrogen timing. Under its program, farmers add the new practices with agronomic support from Indigo, while the company also calculates the carbon credits through the use of soil samples and on-farm data, validates the findings with a verifier, with results submitted to a carbon registry, for issuance of the credits, which can be sold to corporate buyers. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In early June, Argentina announced the implementation of its new certification process to raise climate-friendly beef. See more, here.