October 14, 2023
Spotlight Stories
AgWeb asks if $100 an acre is enough to get farmers to sign up for regenerative agriculture practices. Read the story, here.
Reuters writes that we’ve been mispricing nature and that it is now time to “plug the value gap.” Read the story, here.
Industry Updates
The Global Agricultural Productivity (GAP) Report, released by Virginia Tech’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), says the world’s agricultural productivity isn’t growing fast enough to feed an estimated global population of nearly 10 billion people by 2050. New findings from the GAP Report suggest that not enough producers are able to access productivity-enhancing technologies and efficient practices. To correct course, the globe must reach a higher target productivity growth rate of 1.91 percent annually to meet global agricultural needs without relying on unsustainable practices. [link]
A new study from the World Benchmarking Alliance (WBA) points to 90% of food and agricultural businesses failing to act on sustainable practices, and their responsibility to provide healthy food. Of the 350 companies included in the research, just 6% have a time-bound commitment to eliminate deforestation, which climate scientists believe should stop in the next two years to meet wider net zero targets. A total of 85% did not have any clear plan or targets for net zero ecosystem conversion, and a mere 2% understood their wider impact on the environment beyond core operations. [link]
The regenerative agriculture consulting firm, Understanding Ag, announced it will be conducting an intensive, two-day workshop on livestock economics, finance and marketing in Kansas City, Missouri on November 29-30. UA’s upcoming workshop will provide producers with the tools to leverage and maximize regenerative advantages like lower costs and more flavorful, nutrient-dense foods through savvy business, resource and marketing planning and implementation. [link]
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 418 into law on Oct. 7, banning the use of Red No. 3, brominated vegetable oil, potassium bromate and propylparaben after Jan. 1, 2027. Governor Newsom noted that the four food additives banned by the state are already banned in other countries, however the National Confectioners Association said the law creates a patchwork of inconsistent state requirements relative to FDA rules. [link]
A new tool to test soil temperature thresholds will be developed at Purdue University so farmers better understand when to plant and treat their land. The Midwestern Regional Climate Center at Purdue will partner with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Midwest Climate Hub to launch the soil temperature climatology tool. The tool’s data was sourced from the North American Regional Reanalysis and a model was produced by the National Centers for Environmental Prediction. [link]
U.S. Senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) and Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Chair and Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry’s Subcommittee on Conservation, Climate, Forestry, and Natural Resources, urged the leaders of the Senate Agriculture Committee to improve the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) in the upcoming Farm Bill reauthorization. In their letter, the senators outline eight specific recommendations to reduce bureaucratic obstacles, increase flexibility, and streamline the application process for the conservation program. [link]
An international team of researchers recently completed a study that says plastic use in agriculture must be reduced in order to mitigate pollution and prevent toxic chemicals from leaching into the soil and adversely affecting human health. Plastics play a crucial role in modern agricultural practices, serving various functions such as mulch films, nets, storage bins, weed/pest control, soil moisture preservation, plant temperature control and nutrient uptake, however their extensive use has led to significant waste. The consequences on human and environmental health are also poorly understood. [link]
Tractor Supply Company and American Farmland Trust (AFT) announced the recipients of AFT’s Brighter Future Fund grants to 110 farmers and farm families that will each receive a grant of up to $10,000 to help them improve, maintain, expand and advance their farms. AFT received 1,522 applicants from 48 states, an all-time high and nearly double the prior year’s applications. Priority was given to applicants who are starting their agricultural pursuits, veterans, socially disadvantaged, women or have limited resources. Funding was allocated for both professional services and equipment or infrastructure costs, with focus areas including improving farm viability, accessing farmland and adopting regenerative agricultural practices. [link]
SABIC Agri-Nutrients Company is collaborating with ADM and BiOWiSH Technologies to help farmers achieve higher production in a sustainable and cost-effective manner. SABIC AN’s portfolio includes biologically enhanced urea fertilizer powered by BiOWiSH, which based on early peer-reviewed research, has the potential for lower greenhouse gas emissions than conventional urea as well as the potential for increased sequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide into the soil. Focusing on a 50,000-acre pilot project, farmers in the midwestern United States will use SABIC AN’s Bio-Enhanced Urea for the 2023 growing season and sign up for the ADM Re:Generations Program, which provides financial and technical support to producers who newly adopt or continue current regenerative agriculture practices. The pilot will collect data that will enable better understanding of the emission reductions that can be achieved with bio-enhanced urea. [link]
The Irish Agroforestry Forum is hosting an International Agroforestry Conference on Farmer-led Climate Adaptation and Mitigation on November 16th and 17th in Bantry. The conference will explore the vital role of trees on farms, on both conventional and organic farms in combating climate change and supporting farm enterprises. [link]
A nonprofit group has purchased a central Maine farm that is heavily contaminated with PFAS and is opening it up to researchers with the goal of shedding light on ways to handle "forever chemicals" on farms. Maine Farmland Trust has been working with farmers for several years in order to better understand how crops interact with these chemicals, along with how plants could potentially clean up contamination. The state of Maine is also developing plans to buy out some contaminated farms or help farmers transition to different products. [link]
Walmart Inc. is building a milk processing plant in Valdosta, Georgia. The $350 million facility is scheduled to open in 2025 and will supply products to more than 750 Walmart and Sam's Club locations in the Southeast. The new milk processing plant will be the retailer's second, after its first plant opened in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 2018. Walmart also has a case-ready beef plant in Thomasville, Georgia and is building a second operation in Olathe, Kansas. The company said one reason for its investments in the processing plants is to build a more resilient supply chain. [link]
Diageo, the maker of Johnnie Walker whisky, Don Julio tequila and Guinness, has announced two regenerative agriculture programs across its tequila and scotch brands in Mexico and Scotland. The programs are focused on reducing the carbon emissions of farming barley and wheat for Scotch whisky and agave for tequila, whilst driving additional benefits for the farmers. Both programs will hope to drive enhanced biodiversity, improved water stewardship, carbon reduction and better soil health management. The programs will look at locally adapted practices such as cover crops, reduced cultivations and crop rotations. [link]
In Case You Missed It…
In September, it was reported that the Chesapeake Bay region will not meet its 2025 nutrient goals related to reduced farm runoff, largely because of an inability to staff enough people to help sufficiently reduce nutrient pollution from farms in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Virginia. Check out the article, here.