November 4, 2023
Spotlight Story
Civil Eats writes about how Walmart and its founding family could affect the “regenerative foodscape.” Read the story, here.
Industry Updates
Scientists say Australia’s soil carbon targets are flawed and farmers could face a big bill, with the nation’s emissions reductions being overestimated. Under the offset scheme, producers receive credits for storing carbon in the soil that companies or the federal government can then buy from them. But there is a growing chorus of discontent among experts over how credits are awarded and the research behind the idea. In a recent paper published in the Journal of Environmental Management, 18 scientists examined the impact of grazing management on soil carbon across 30 projects, concluding that there is lack of evidence in Australia that grazing management directly increases soil carbon. This leads to some possibility that farmers may have to ultimately pay back credits. The federal government is currently reviewing feedback from public submissions on the credits scheme. [link]
A new research paper finds that existing ways of increasing soil organic carbon in agricultural fields would only boost global crop production by 0.7%. However, newer technologies and/or approaches like biochar and agroforestry could increase global production by 4.3%, enough to feed an additional 640 million people. Improved yields have been championed as an incentive for farmers to adopt strategies to sequester organic carbon in soils, which store 4-6 times the carbon found as CO2 in the atmosphere. The researchers found that soil organic carbon can improve yields for each crop only up to a certain point, beyond which there is no additional effect. [link]
During a visit to Northfield, MN this week, President Biden announced over $5 billion in new investments to advance rural prosperity, economic development, competition, and sustainability. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is announcing nearly $1.7 billion in funding to support the adoption of climate-smart agriculture practices. The funding includes a $1.1 billion investment across 81 projects through the Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP), which takes a voluntary approach to expand the reach of conservation efforts and climate-smart agriculture through public-private partnerships. It also includes fiscal year 2023 investments from the Inflation Reduction Act that include $100 million through the Agricultural Conservation Easement Program (ACEP), $250 million through the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), and $250 million through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). [link]
A majority (54%) of consumers are willing to help the environment through their food purchases, according to packaging giant TetraPak’s 2023 Nutrition Index. This could include tradeoffs like switching to plant-based foods and alternative proteins, the report said. While nearly 49% of respondents said they are financially struggling, only 17% indicated a desire to sacrifice food and beverages that are environmentally friendly, organic or healthier based on their higher cost. Consumers are also increasingly associating healthy eating with sustainability. Half of respondents indicated that nutritious food is also more sustainable for the planet, and 65% believe that environmental factors cause negative health impacts. [link]
The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the opening of registration for the 100th Annual Agricultural Outlook Forum. This landmark event, titled “Cultivating the Future,” will be held in person at the Crystal City Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Va., on February 15-16, 2024. The 2024 Forum program will feature a keynote address by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, a presentation on the outlook for agricultural markets and trade by USDA Chief Economist Seth Meyer, a plenary panel of distinguished guest speakers, and 30 breakout sessions covering a wide range of timely agricultural, food market, and environmental issues. More than a hundred experts from government, industry, and academia will share insights on topics such as commodity and food price outlooks, U.S. and global agricultural trade developments, agricultural innovations, climate change, and the bioeconomy. [link]
Iowa corn yields are "ridiculously good" this year, with farmers harvesting more than 200 bushels per acre in many instances, despite widespread drought as the harvest reaches its conclusion. Agronomists say that current corn hybrids are much better adapted to dry conditions now compared to 20 years ago. About 77% of the state’s corn has been harvested for grain, according to a report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. About 93% of soybeans have been harvested. [link]
U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairwoman of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee, helped to successfully restore $8.5 million in funding for the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production through an amendment in the Senate-passed Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies Fiscal Year 2024 Appropriations Bill. The Office assists urban, small-scale, and innovative producers with technical and financial assistance that supports community farms and gardens, rooftop, indoor, and vertical farms, and other innovative production. The appropriations package that included Stabenow’s amendment passed the Senate on Wednesday by a vote of 82 to 15 and must now be conferenced with the House before being signed into law. [link]
Enrollment for the e3 Sustainable Cotton program by BASF is now open for the 2024 growing season. From seed to bale, the e3 Sustainable Cotton program provides an entirely traceable and transparent sustainable cotton supply chain. Growers who enroll in e3 Sustainable Cotton commit to track eight on-farm environmental and social measures, including water use, pesticide management, soil conservation and greenhouse gas emissions reduction for each bale of cotton produced. Self-enrollment is open through Dec. 31, 2023. [link]
Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding toured Out of the End, a Pittsburgh-based urban farm, to announce $736,145 in grants to support projects that will increase capacity to produce fresh food and create economic opportunity in urban neighborhoods. Funded projects enable expansion or purchases of agricultural infrastructure such as greenhouses, hydroponic equipment, cold storage, and tools needed to expand the reach and impact of organizations that feed economic, community, and personal growth through agriculture. [link]
The Kenya-based dairy company, Brookside, has unveiled a program based on agroforestry projects that target dairy farms as a strategy to combat climate change and enhance livelihoods. In collaboration with its contracted dairy groups, the firm has moved to promote tree planting on dairy farms, with the goal of enabling farmers to benefit from increased tree cover on their properties. A key motivation for the firm relates to declining rates of rainfall in the country, with a hope that new trees can help absorb and filter water while then releasing this water back into the atmosphere. [link]
Beyond Meat is conducting a strategic review of its global operations as its sales situation deteriorates. In a Nov. 2 earnings pre-announcement, the company revised its full-year outlook and said it was reviewing operations and cutting its non-production workforce by 19%. The company reported that it anticipated a modest return to growth in the third quarter of 2023 that did not occur, reflecting further sector-specific and consumer headwinds. The workforce reduction will include approximately 65 employees, representing 19% of Beyond Meat’s non-production workforce and 8% of its total global workforce. [link]
Bartlett, a grain storage and merchandising company, has launched a sustainability project with Campbell Soup Co. to support the implementation of regenerative farming practices. The project is focused on improving soil health and conservation by providing technical and financial assistance to Charlotte, North Carolina, US-area producers of soft red winter wheat. It will include 10,000 acres of farmland that supply wheat to Bartlett’s flour mill in Statesville, North Carolina. Bartlett supplies flour to Campbell’s Snacks division used to make Lance Crackers at its Charlotte bakery. [link]
In Case You Missed It…
In late August, a report in the journal, Nature, said that most Brazilian agricultural lands are below their maximum output potential, based on new soil productivity analysis. Check it out, here.