February 22, 2025

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – Vogue Business travels to Australia to ask if happier sheep make better wool. Read the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – The University of Pennsylvania says we need to reframe the benefits of conservation agriculture away from environmental impact to that more squarely associated with economic impact. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – The Washington Post writes that after 10,000 years, the plow may now become extinct. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

A study has revealed that 91% of UK farmers consider poor mental health as one of the biggest hidden dangers in the industry. The research, conducted by the Farm Safety Foundation, highlights a significant mental health crisis within the farming community. The charity's findings also indicate a steady decline in mental well-being among young farmers over the past four years. [link]

A trial at the University of Leeds is measuring the impact of regenerative agriculture principles to plug the research gap and support evidence-based practice for farmers. An array of metrics are being measured across seven different systems and compared against a conventional plough-based control. These include soil carbon, gross margins, crop development and nitrous oxide emissions. The trial is now in its third year and ultimately hopes to establish whether all major regenerative agriculture principles need to be followed to make the system a success. [link]

Chipotle is diversifying the sourcing of its raw materials amid tariff talk from the U.S. government. CEO Scott Boatwright said that about 50% of the chain's avocados come from Mexico and that the company's supply chain team has been diversifying into Colombia, Peru, and the Dominican Republic. Less than 0.5% of the company's sales include raw materials sourced from Canada and China. [link]

The Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec announced $35.3 million, part of which is funded under the Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, to support producers who adopt more sustainable farming practices. This new investment acts as the fourth enrollment period of the "Rewarding of Agri-Environmental Practices" program, targeting up to 1,200 new farm businesses for support. Eligible practices under the new initiative are crop diversification, off-season soil protection, reducing the use of herbicides, improved fertilizer management, and biodiversity-friendly landscaping. [link]

Tourba International, a nature-based solutions project developer, said its newly launched agricultural initiative has already engaged 15,000 smallholder farmers to cover one million hectares across Nigeria. The initiative covers all initial costs, including soil testing and certification, to facilitate farmer participation and adaptation on more sustainable farming practices. The project focuses on boosting farm yield while reducing production costs through regenerative agricultural practices such as minimum tillage, intercropping, agroforestry, and soil carbon sequestration to maximize carbon capture. The work is funded by selling carbon credits on the voluntary carbon market. [link]

UK farmers are invited to an event focusing on regenerative agriculture practices, organized by the Farmer Scientist Network at the Yorkshire Agricultural Society and taking place at the Great Yorkshire Showground on Thursday, March 6. The event is open to farmers at any stage of their regenerative agriculture journey, with experts on hand to provide guidance on nurturing soil on both arable and livestock farms. The event will feature a range of activities, including a session led by soil scientist Neil Fuller, who will provide tips for farmers on how regenerative practices are transforming the food we eat. Farmers will also have the opportunity to hear from mixed North Yorkshire farmers, Fraser Hugill, director of the Beef Shorthorn Association, and Angus Gowthorpe, founder of The Green Farm Collective. [link]

Leading quarry and minerals processor Kilwaughter Minerals has officially launched its new Soil Health Hub, an educational resource designed to empower UK farmers with expert knowledge on soil health, pH management, and nutrition strategies. The free-to-access online service offers advice, articles and case studies as well as a dedicated portal for soil testing, including personalized tracking, field management, nutrient guidance, lime recommendations and a unique soil health dashboard specific to individual farms. The launch reinforces Kilwaughter Minerals’ deep-rooted commitment to soil care with its ‘love for soil’ message, highlighting the crucial role of healthy soil in agricultural productivity. [link]

Food, beverage and snacking companies Nestlé and Mars announced new agreements with New Zealand-based dairy cooperative Fonterra, which will see the companies funding incentives to farmers to lower emissions and reduce the climate footprint of their dairy supply chains. Both Nestlé and Mars have set targets to achieve net zero emissions across their value chains by 2050. Dairy products constitute the largest single source of Scope 3 greenhouse gas emissions for Nestlé, and the second largest contributor to the carbon footprint of Mars’ Snacking business. Funding from the agreements with Nestlé and Mars will be split between providing on-farm tools and technology designed to further improve emissions efficiency, and emissions incentive payments to farmers who achieve the lowest emissions footprints in the Fonterra co-op. [link]

CarbonZero.Eco, a Silicon Valley-based startup focused on regenerative agriculture and carbon sequestration, has officially emerged from stealth mode, securing a $3.5 million seed funding round. Founded by 16-year-old CEO Harper Moss alongside seasoned tech entrepreneur Gregory Ray as CTO, the company aims to streamline Biochar production to support farmers while reducing carbon emissions. The startup has already made significant strides, pre-selling $7 million worth of Biochar and forming partnerships with over 300 almond farms in California's Colusa and Yolo Counties. By leveraging agricultural waste that would otherwise decompose and release carbon dioxide, CarbonZero.Eco plans to remove up to 1.5 million tons of CO2 while improving crop yields for farmers. [link]

Three new members have joined the FAO Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance (LEAP) Partnership, contributing their unique expertise and perspectives to advance the sustainability of the livestock sector. The new members include the Harper Adams University, La Mesa Argentina de Carne Sustentable (MACS) and the Institute of Environment and Sustainable Development (IEDA) - a leading national research institute in China. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Livestock Environmental Assessment and Performance (LEAP) Partnership is a dynamic multistakeholder initiative committed to improving the environmental performance of livestock supply chains while ensuring their economic and social viability. [link]

A flexible loan program designed to support North Country small farms is helping Mace Chasm Farm diversify and increase its offerings. The Adirondack North Country Association (ANCA), in partnership with Foodshed Capital, awarded the Keeseville farm a $14,000 zero-interest loan to help expand its tree nursery operations. The investment marks the sixth small farm project supported by the SOIL Loan Fund, which ANCA developed to address the challenges many North Country farms have accessing capital through conventional loan programs — particularly for farms operated by women and Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC). Known for its artisanal meat products, Mace Chasm Farm began its tree nursery program in 2022 in its continued efforts to diversify the farm’s revenue sources. Their primary market for tree sales has been with a Maine nursery during the fall season. [link]

The European Commission has published a communication outlining its strategic vision for the agriculture and food sector, aimed at ensuring sustainability, competitiveness and resilience by 2040. The Commission's vision centers on creating an agri-food system that is attractive, competitive, sustainable and fair for current and future generations. A significant aspect of the Commission's communication is its commitment to reducing food waste across the supply chain, with a goal to achieve a 30% reduction in food waste per capita by 2030. [link]

MyLand, a leading innovator in soil health, announced a new $4.8 million dollar opportunity in Washington State to enhance soil health for farmers. The program, funded in combination by the Washington State Department of Agriculture and Washington State Department of Commerce, focuses on supporting sustainable agricultural practices and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Growers that qualify to participate in the program will receive the MyLand Service at no cost in the first year. The MyLand Service leverages the power of live, native microalgae to rejuvenate soil health, improving productivity, profitability, and sustainability. [link]

The North Dakota On-Farm Research Network, in partnership with the University of Illinois Data-Intensive Farm Management program, is inviting farmers to participate in on-farm research during the 2025 growing season. The research will focus on variable-rate nitrogen application in corn and hard red spring wheat within soil health management systems. Fields no-tilled for 10 years or longer qualify as soil health management systems. Participating farmers will receive a financial incentive for implementing the trial and be fully reimbursed for treatments that lose money, such as yields lost due to zero N rates, making this a risk-free opportunity. The research will be implemented entirely with precision agriculture equipment, and each farmer will receive an individualized report at the end of the season. [link]

According to a study published in Nature, researchers have found that calcium silicates react with CO2 more efficiently than the traditionally used magnesium silicates, offering an opportunity for farmers that currently use calcium carbonate to reduce soil acidity. The study, led by Stanford University chemist Matthew Kanan and postdoctoral researcher Yuxuan Chen, suggests that integrating these materials into agricultural soils could provide a dual benefit—enhancing soil quality while removing large-scale quantities of atmospheric CO2. A method was developed to produce calcium silicates by heating a mixture of calcium oxide (CaO) and magnesium silicates at high temperatures. This process, which facilitates a mineral exchange, resulted in a material that binds CO2 thousands of times faster than natural weathering. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

At the beginning of the year, The Alliance to Advance Climate-Smart Agriculture at Virginia Tech announced the enrollment of over 1,300 farms representing more than 202,000 acres in the first year of its landmark project to incentivize agricultural producers in four states to adopt sustainable farming practices. See more, here.