February 15, 2025

Spotlight Stories

Spotlight 1 – OCI Global showcases how a unique partnership has created a road to sustainable bread production. Read the story, here.

Spotlight 2 – Prevention Magazine spotlights the Rodale Institute’s recent conference tying regenerative organic agriculture to better human health. Check it out, here.

Spotlight 3 – The FAO details how agroforestry can empower farmers and protect our planet. Take a read, here.

Industry Updates

A fund created by the Aberdeen Area Community Foundation has been designed to support agriculture-related projects in South Dakota. Roughly $40,000 is available to be used by June 30, 2026. The money can be used for things like agriculture education for all ages, dissemination of ag-related information and promotion of agriculture. It cannot be used to directly financially benefit an individual or for-profit business. Preference will be given to tax-exempt groups like schools, churches and units of government. [link]

Scientists in East Africa are using CRISPR to edit the genomes of bananas, protecting a major staple crop in the region. One of the biggest threats to banana farming in the region is Banana Xanthomonas Wilt, a bacterial disease that can wipe out entire banana fields and cause up to 100% crop loss. To solve this problem, researchers are using CRISPR to identify and remove a specific gene in the banana plant that helps the bacteria infect it. When recently testing the edited bananas in a greenhouse facility, scientists found that the CRISPR-generated plants were resistant to the disease, while the unedited ones became infected. [link]

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has frozen some funding for farmers as it goes through a sweeping review, despite assurances from the Trump administration that programs helping farmers would not be affected in the government overhaul. Some of the money that has been frozen is tied to environmental conservation programs that were funded by former President Joe Biden’s signature climate law, the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which included about $19.5 billion for farm programs over 10 years. The American Soybean Association said it had been notified by growers that payments associated with the Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Program have been suspended, at present. The National Farmers Union also said it is hearing from members who are not receiving expected payments from conservation programs like cost-share contracts with the NRCS under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). [link]

In an open letter to European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen, Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Danone, and Bel Group encouraged the Commission to prioritize the reduction of methane emissions in the dairy sector as part of its upcoming Vision for Agriculture and Food. Tackling methane emissions represents one of the most powerful opportunities for sustainability progress, yet it remains overlooked compared to other areas of sustainability. EDF, Danone, and Bel Group stress that, by working collaboratively and in farmer-centric ways, policymakers, farmers, and businesses can create a more sustainable and resilient dairy sector that benefits both the environment and the economy. [link]

Kericho County in Kenya has launched a transformative coffee agroforestry program in partnership with the Cereal Growers Association (CGA) to promote sustainable agriculture while improving farmers’ incomes. The agreement, signed at the Governor’s office, allows farmers to integrate coffee trees into their farms, offering economic benefits and contributing to climate change mitigation. The partnership grants CGA official permission to operate in Kericho without restrictions, supporting farmers in sustainable agroforestry practices. CGA has already established operations in three key coffee-growing wards such as Kunyak, Chilchila, and Kamasian where farmers are being encouraged to plant coffee trees alongside other crops. [link]

The European Union's Joint Research Center (JRC) has introduced the EU Sustainable Food System Dashboard, a tool for tracking agricultural sustainability metrics. The dashboard focuses on environmental sustainability indicators, assessing food production's effects on climate, resources, and ecosystems. It aims to assist policymakers, farmers, and stakeholders in evaluating progress and identifying challenges. Agriculture remains vital to the EU economy, supplying food and employment. However, conventional methods face criticism for their environmental repercussions, including greenhouse gas emissions and biodiversity loss. The EU's targets include reducing emissions and promoting sustainable land use. [link]

A roundtable conference co-hosted by sustainable cotton consultancy, CottonConnect, the Cotton Egypt Association (CEA), and the Cotton Research Institute took place to advance regenerative cotton agriculture in Egypt with a focus on strategies to scale up sustainable practices in the industry. The discussions highlighted the importance of brands offering financial and technical support, as well as opening markets for cotton farmers in Egypt adopting regenerative practices. Key topics included the role of technological innovations and biotechnologies, such as precision agriculture, satellite imaging, biofertilizers, and bioinsecticides, in improving efficiency and productivity in cotton farming. [link]

The latest Census of Agriculture from the USDA confirms that farmer diversification into agritourism is helping sustain their operations amid economic challenges. From farm stays to U-pick experiences, agritourism is providing a much-needed financial boost while strengthening the connection between farmers and their communities. As more data emerges, it’s clear that this growing sector is becoming a lifeline for many family farms. According to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, agritourism generated $1.26 billion in revenue, marking a 12% increase from previous years. This growth highlights the rising demand for on-farm experiences as more consumers seek connections to agriculture. [link]

A new financial aid scheme has been launched which aims to support Maltese and Gozitan farmers in the adoption of agroforestry systems, the Ministry for Agriculture stated. The Ministry said that this scheme is an important step in the protection of the environment as well as the sustainable development of farming in Malta. It added that agroforestry systems include the planting of fruit trees. Minister Anton Refalo said that through this initiative, the government will provide financial support to farmers who integrate forestry practices with farming on the same land. The Ministry stated that such a system helps in soil conservation and improves biodiversity as well as carbon sequestration in the soil. [link]

Purdue University’s College of Agriculture, in partnership with the Indiana Corn Marketing Council and the Indiana Soybean Alliance, will host their first-ever Resilient Agriculture Summit on March 13. This free, one-day event will offer networking and learning opportunities. Attendees will gain insights into the latest advancements in resilient agriculture, discover effective practices and learn how to implement these strategies into their own operations to improve environmental sustainability and farm productivity. The summit will feature individuals involved with the purchasing of corn, soybeans and other crops, as well as farmers, industry experts and Purdue University representatives and researchers from different disciplines, providing a comprehensive overview of how regenerative practices are transforming agriculture. [link]

Pesticides are causing overwhelming negative effects on hundreds of species of microbes, fungi, plants, insects, fish, birds and mammals that they are not intended to harm, according to a study carried out by an international research team led by East China University of Science and Technology. The scientists analyzed over 1,700 existing lab and field studies of the impacts of 471 different pesticide types—either insecticides, fungicides or herbicides—in agricultural, commercial or domestic use. Wide-ranging negative effects were seen for over 800 species found on land and in water, including impacts on how fast they grow, their reproductive success, and even behavior such as their ability to catch prey, find plants to forage upon, move, or attract mates. Pesticides can also affect organisms' metabolism and damage cells. [link]

The U.S. Senate has confirmed Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. to lead the Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) and Brooke Rollins to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). HHS includes the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Kennedy has said he will root out pharmaceutical and food industry influence at HHS and is an advocate for regenerative agriculture. During her confirmation hearing last month, Rollins said that as Secretary of Agriculture, she’d prioritize tackling bird flu, “modernizing” the USDA to align with Trump’s principles, and getting disaster aid for farmers out the door. [link]

In Case You Missed It…

In late January, Mitsubishi announced a strategic partnership with CH4 Global to help the company scale production and commercialization of its Methane Tamer product, which reduces methane emissions form livestock. See more, here.