Deep Dive
Industry insights from our journalists
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Election 2024: Where Trump and Harris stand on agriculture
Higher food prices, trade relations with China and other farm issues are becoming more central to party platforms.
Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 3, 2024 -
East and Gulf coast port strikes: A shipper’s guide
A potential dockworker strike starting Oct. 1 would upend meat and grain trade and bring new supply chain slowdowns. Here’s how to prepare.
Alejandra Carranza and Sarah Zimmerman • Sept. 24, 2024 -
How a Canada railroad workers’ strike could affect supply chains
Logistics managers have been making contingency plans since at least May, when the threat of disruption escalated.
Larry Avila • July 29, 2024 -
Tractor Supply retreats on DEI after ‘anti-woke’ backlash. Now the real fallout begins.
The retailer has ignited an online firestorm after dropping most corporate diversity and climate efforts, which could alienate some customers, employees and investors.
Daphne Howland • July 12, 2024 -
Is plant-based meat more sustainable? Experts question the data
Researchers have struggled to replicate life-cycle assessments commissioned from companies like Beyond Meat and Impossible Foods, and are calling for more transparency.
Nithin Coca • April 24, 2024 -
Drying up: Can desert farms survive a changing climate?
As heat waves and water shortages threaten the future of agriculture in the U.S. Southwest, innovations in technology and plant breeding could help crops continue to bloom.
Alexandra Jones • April 8, 2024 -
How a new wave of clean fuels bills could spur a biogas boom
New Mexico just became the fourth state to enact a program, which has the potential to give biogas projects from landfills and on-farm digesters a boost. Could more states soon follow?
Jacob Wallace • April 3, 2024 -
Agriculture policies to watch in 2024
An election year means a race to the finish line for the farm bill and some of agriculture's biggest priorities, including a crackdown on anti-competitive practices and potential H-2A visa reform.
Sarah Zimmerman • Jan. 31, 2024 -
Bio-fueling the future: How farms are shaping the renewable energy transition in 2024
As more incentives become available, the agriculture sector is set to play a key role in expanding solar, biogas and other alternative energy sources.
Nathan Owens • Jan. 25, 2024 -
Autonomous tractors, robot milkers: How AI is transforming the future of farm tech
Artificial intelligence stands to revolutionize agriculture by opening new pathways for the industry to optimize production and address climate change.
Tasmiha Khan, Iman Adem and Sarah Zimmerman • Jan. 24, 2024 -
Tractor makers to focus on agtech in 2024, bracing for equipment slump
Following a year of strong demand, CNH, Deere and other manufacturing giants are shifting course as farmers clamor for precision agriculture tools.
David Silverberg • Jan. 18, 2024 -
Milk carton shortage may last through school year
Pactiv Evergreen said it’s producing unbranded, half-pint cartons at maximum capacity as supply chain disruptions still challenge dairies and schools.
Katie Pyzyk • Jan. 16, 2024 -
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.
Nathan Owens and Julia Himmel • Dec. 5, 2023 -
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.
David Silverberg • Dec. 4, 2023 -
The food industry is all in on regenerative agriculture. Can farmers be convinced?
Companies are racing to capitalize on a burgeoning industry focused on reducing emissions in agriculture. But first, they'll have to prove it's profitable to go green.
Miranda Lipton • Nov. 15, 2023 -
To save the Colorado River, farmers will be paid not to farm. Some are looking to cash in.
As states agree on a historic three-year deal to cut water use, some major agribusinesses are eyeing opportunities for new revenue streams while small producers worry about their livelihoods.
Petruce Jean-Charles • Oct. 6, 2023 -
How the looming government shutdown is complicating the farm bill
Averting a budget crisis remains a top priority in Congress, likely pushing back the timeline for the most consequential law in the agriculture industry. Here’s what it means for farmers.
Sarah Zimmerman • Sept. 12, 2023 -
Extreme heat waves leave farmers on edge
Producers take preventative measures to avoid crop and livestock losses as extreme temperatures continue across the U.S.
Nathan Owens • Aug. 3, 2023 -
5 trends set to define agriculture in the second half of 2023
With rising input costs, changing weather patterns and the upcoming farm bill, the old ways of doing business may not be working anymore.
Nathan Owens, Sarah Zimmerman and Shaun Lucas • June 26, 2023 -
Why General Mills is embarking on a farmer-driven regenerative agriculture strategy
The CPG giant said its projects are less about setting stringent rules and more about listening to the producers who are familiar with their land.
Chris Casey • April 21, 2023 -
Why cage-free eggs could be on shaky ground
Industry leaders are still on a path to wider adoption of cage-free systems, but consumer expectations, bird flu and a Supreme Court decision could impact whether they continue to invest in the practice.
Chris Casey • Feb. 28, 2023