The Latest

  • A barn is seen on a plot of farmland. In front, a sign reads "No trespassing"
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    Dave Kaup/Reuters

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    Deep Dive

    How farms became the latest battleground in US-China relations

    As states become more brazen in their efforts to restrict China from owning U.S. farmland, some worry about the potential impact to trade.

  • An Aigen bot.
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    Retrieved from Aigen on December 04, 2023
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    Deep Dive

    Agtech funding is rebounding. Which startups attract investors?

    Venture capital firms are moving away from vertical farming and plant-based foods, instead seeing new opportunities in artificial intelligence and alternative fertilizers.

  • The silhouette of a grain elevator is seen as the sun rises.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Lowering crop insurance subsidies for large farms could save millions, watchdog finds

    The report comes as agriculture leaders in Congress look for ways to free up new funding for the next farm bill.

  • A cow logo is seen embossed in a wheel of cheese
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    US cheese consumption in 2022 was whey up

    Consumers are eating more dairy than ever, even as milk demand reaches an all-time low. 

  • A woman speaks at a podium in front of a large projection screen that says, "Food Waste: The Past, Present and Future"
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    Permission granted by www.JessicaYurinko.com
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    US Food Waste Pact launches with ReFED, Walmart, Del Monte, others

    Companies across the food supply chain have agreed to cut food loss and waste by collaborating on data sharing and best practices.

  • A truck bearing a Darigold logo leaves a manufacturing plant.
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    Courtesy of Darigold
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    Darigold CEO steps down

    Board Chairman Allan Huttema will take over as interim chief executive as the dairy co-op is in the midst of a company-wide transformation to become a global ingredients provider.

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    Sean Gallup via Getty Images
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    Tyson’s insect bet will spur further adoption in the space, IFT member says

    Protein producers adopting bugs for use in animal feed provides a lower barrier for entry, potentially making it easier to introduce insects into consumer diets, experts say.

  • Banners reading "COP28 UAE" are seen
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    Chris Jackson via Getty Images
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    Over 130 countries sign COP28 pledge to integrate food into climate action

    Notably absent from the list of signatories is India, which has said it will refuse to sign on to any agreement that could compromise food security.

  • Two multi-story, wide tanks next to a thinner apparatus on an industrial site.
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    Retrieved from Generate Upcycle on December 01, 2023
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    Generate Upcycle threatens to close anaerobic digester over Michigan permitting changes

    The company may shutter its 150,000-ton-per-year Fremont Regional Digester this month if it’s required to obtain a groundwater permit for its liquid digestate, which has been marketed as a fertilizer.

  • A tractor moves across a field of soybeans
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    Farm income to fall 17% from last year’s record highs

    With commodity prices declining and expenses rising, the USDA expects the agriculture sector to see significant profit declines in 2023. 

  • The words "The World Needs You" are projected on a screen.
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    Chris Jackson via Getty Images
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    Opinion

    Making agtech smarter needs to be a COP28 priority

    To accelerate climate action, a broad coalition of stakeholders must come together to advance agricultural innovation and find more efficient production methods.

  • dairy cow cattle
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    Getty via Getty Images
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    Danone partners on $200M+ accelerator to reduce methane

    The yogurt producer is the first corporate sponsor of the Global Methane Hub’s program, which will fund research for solutions that address livestock's effect on emissions.

  • Robotic arms pack cases of Tyson products.
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    Courtesy of Tyson Foods
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    Tyson debuts $300M highly automated chicken plant

    The Virginia facility is one of the food giant's most technologically advanced, and is expected to churn out 4 million pounds of protein a week.

  • Hogs
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    USDA extends trial for increased line speeds at pork plants

    The agency’s “time-limited trial” will continue to give experts enough time to design a study to evaluate the impact of faster operations on worker safety.

  • hormel jennieo turkey
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    Courtesy of Hormel
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    Turkey drags down Hormel earnings amid inflation, bird flu headwinds

    In the company’s earnings call, CEO Jim Snee signaled caution ahead of the new year, projecting a decline in sales as consumers cut back on spending.

  • An Iowa farmer pulls a corn planter behind his John Deere tractor.
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    Mark Hirsch via Getty Images
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    Deere must face ‘right-to-repair’ lawsuits, court rules

    A federal judge denied the tractor maker’s motion to dismiss claims that it “monopolizes” repair services to pad profits.

  • Men stand outside a building with a sign reading "COP28UAE"
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    Sean Gallup via Getty Images
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    Food system transformation on the menu at COP28

    Agriculture will be central to climate talks for the first time as the UN pushes nations to tackle farming's toll on the environment.

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    Brandon Bell via Getty Images
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    Nestlé, Kraft prevail in egg producer price-fixing case

    An Illinois federal jury found Cal-Maine and other producers liable for limiting supply between 2004 and 2008 in an effort to drive up costs.

  • A farmer speaks with two people in the middle of a taro farm
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    Retrieved from Alyssa Whitcraft via Arizona State University on November 27, 2023
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    NASA is helping Hawai’i farmers grow more food with AI

    Through the use of machine learning and satellite technology, researchers are working with Maui farmers to address food security and rebuild the island’s agriculture sector with a focus on local tradition.

  • A truck kicks up dirt as it passes a farm field in a deforested section of the Amazon
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    Cargill accelerates efforts to end deforestation in South America as EU regulations loom

    One of the world's largest commodities traders is moving up its timeline to eliminate land use conversion from supply chains in Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay. 

  • People in food safety protective gear handle yellow plastic tubs on a metal table in the middle of a room with metal walls, tubing and fans.
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    Courtesy of Upside Foods
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    Cultivated meat labeling puzzle could bring legal headaches

    Though regulators came to a consensus on what to call the namesake product in 2022, continuing debates over package labeling rules could still create headwinds for players in the space.

  • Rows of John Deere tractors with logo displayed
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Deere braces for sharp drop in tractor demand, despite profitable year

    Adverse conditions in the U.S., Europe and South America are expected to weigh on demand for heavy equipment by as much as 20%.

  • An aerial view of a pineapple plantation nested inside forested area
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    Permission granted by Fresh Del Monte
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    How Fresh Del Monte uses its farms to test regenerative agriculture efforts

    The produce giant is stepping up to address gaps in sustainability for tropical fruits by experimenting with conservation efforts on company-owned farms.

  • A customer stands in front of the milk aisle
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    US loses trade dispute over access to Canada’s dairy market

    Farm groups called the ruling a "surprising setback" that weakens the value of the USMCA.

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    Drew Angerer via Getty Images
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    Biden admin convenes supply chain council, announces $196M investment in agriculture

    The White House is doubling down on efforts to strengthen logistics infrastructure and expand domestic market opportunities for farmers.