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.