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.