Agriculture

Danone’s Global Methane Hub partnership ‘welcome’ but more firms must act – Changing Markets Foundation

30-Nov-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

As COP28 kicks off, we look at Danone’s partnership with the Global Methane Hub and how effective technical solutions to methane mitigations really are.

US dairy to benefit from new USDA export support funding

24-Oct-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

USDA is providing $2.3bn to help US agricultural producers to maintain and develop markets for their products and address global hunger.

Eight crops endangered by climate change

19-Oct-2023 By Oliver Morrison

From staple crops like potatoes and maize, to cash crops for wealthier customers like cocoa and coffee, climate change is having a widespread impact on global agricultural production.

Provenance, sustainability and nutrition: the versatility of soybeans

04-Aug-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Soy’s claim to fame to is its versatility in applications, nutrition and its harvest process, Pam Smith, RDN, explained to FoodNavigator-USA. Consumers, whether they’re from the camp of meat or plant-based, believe that sustainability should be a standard...

IFT First

IFT First: Reshaping the food system through sustainable and functional ingredients

31-Jul-2023 By Deniz Ataman

Hundreds of exhibitors featured innovative functional ingredients and sustainable solutions during IFT First’s event July 17-19 in Chicago, with ongoing discussions surrounding the age-old question of how the industry can help redesign the food system...

Largest US dairy state could be climate-neutral by 2027 – study

18-May-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

California’s dairy industry could reach net-zero before the end of the decade through ‘aggressive’ methane mitigation, according to a peer-reviewed study.

California Dairies and DSM Venturing invest in carbon credit insetting firm Athian

09-May-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

Athian’s carbon marketplace platform enables livestock farmers to trade carbon credits and earn revenue to support further sustainability measures on farm.

Danone’s 2023-2025 DINA Sustainable Food Systems program opens for submissions

24-Apr-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

Up to five teams will benefit from the funding, which is said to be Danone North America’s largest contribution to the initiative to date.

Rethinking the global food system: S2G Ventures highlights trends impacting the future of food

06-Mar-2023 By Ryan Daily

Stakeholders across the food system – from farmers to CPG manufacturers – must embrace science and technology more deeply to better meet consumer demand for healthy, sustainable food choices and to reinforce supply chains and food security with climate-smart...

‘Farm-level data is key’: How DSM plans to incentivize planet-friendly farming

02-Feb-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

Leveraging Foundation Earth’s data-driven ecolabels, the Dutch multi-national says its ISO-accredited sustainability service will offer animal protein producers an easy way to convey the value of their sustainability efforts to consumers.

Methane-busting bolus may slash emissions from grass-fed cows almost entirely

10-Jan-2023 By Teodora Lyubomirova

The solution, developed in New Zealand by Ruminant BioTech, could provide a ‘set and forget’ method to eliminate at least 70% of methane emissions from livestock across six months.

USDA earmarks millions for farmers markets, prescription produce and farm to school programs to ‘transform the food system’

19-Aug-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Farmers markets are more than a popular summer destination for Americans who want to learn where their food comes from – they also play a key role in Federal nutrition programs and the government’s plan to transform the food system to better support small...

USDA investments to ‘transform’ food system could shift power between large, established players and small, mid-sized challengers

02-Jun-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Announcing the investment of hundreds of millions of dollars across the supply chain, the US Department of Agriculture says it hopes to rebalance the food system’s historic focus on efficiency with much-needed resiliency so that the country is better...

Is ‘organic’ less than the sum of its parts? Survey shows single-value claims more influential over purchases

01-Apr-2022 By Elizabeth Crawford

Most Americans believe that organic is healthier for people and the planet than conventional, but they also lack a fundamental understanding of the standard and as such give more weight to single-issue label claims when deciding what to purchase – underscoring...

USDA Sec. Vilsack: ‘Creating more equitable opportunities for Black farmers is a rising tide that can lift all boats’

26-Mar-2021 By Elizabeth Crawford

Provisions of the recently signed American Rescue Plan that acknowledge and seek to right systemic racism perpetuated by the US Department of Agriculture and others against generations of Black US farmers will benefit the entire agriculture sector, USDA...

Sen. Booker targets corporate consolidation in agriculture for ‘fundamentally broken’ US food system

29-Jul-2020 By Elizabeth Crawford

Decrying the US food system as “fundamentally broken and worsening the challenge of justice in our country,” Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., is on an mission to block and dismantle corporate consolidation in agriculture, which he argues places profits over...

Growing concerns prompt senators to urge USDA to adopt new hemp rules

27-Nov-2019 By Danielle Masterson

Sparked by proposed US Department of Agriculture regulations that would drastically alter the certification process for industrial hemp, two lawmakers from Oregon want the agency to make several changes before it finalizes rules for the US Domestic Hemp...

PepsiCo seeks to empower, attract women to agriculture to help create more sustainable food system

19-Nov-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

Recognizing that feeding a growing population sustainably will “require the talent and energy of all,” PepsiCo is working closely with global partners to uplift and better leverage the agricultural contribution of women, many of whom work without the...

AI-powered technology from Trellis helps farmers and manufacturers optimize supply & demand

02-May-2019 By Elizabeth Crawford

Predicting the quality and quantity of crops and when they will be ready to harvest and deliver traditionally has been more of an art than a science – until now, thanks to Israeli-based startup Trellis’ artificial intelligence-powered supply optimization...

NEWS IN BRIEF

Stress-blocking plant technology receives green light in California

05-Mar-2019 By Mary Ellen Shoup

Plants undergo a lot of early environmental stressors pre- and post-harvest and a solution by AgroFresh can block the elements that take a toll on plants.

Brazilian meat industry under further investigation

06-Mar-2018 By Aidan Fortune

Brazilian authorities have re-ignited their investigation into the meat industry, with a probe into processor BRF SA as well as laboratories accused of covering up salmonella in chicken.

'We’ve started with chefs because they create markets'

Blue Hill chef teams up with Walter Robb and others to create Row 7 and 're-imagine the food system from the ground up'

27-Feb-2018 By Elaine Watson

Row 7, a new seed company co-founded by high-profile chef Dan Barber and backed by former Whole Foods Co-CEO Walter Robb (among others) is promising to restore character, flavor and nutrition to produce that’s grown blander and more uniform from decades...

Kashi’s Certified Transitional program shows paying more for ingredients switching to organic adds brand value

20-Feb-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

The steady growth of Kashi’s Certified Transitional program in the past two years along with positive consumer and retailer response to the protocol shows how paying more for ingredients from farms in the process of becoming certified organic can also...

Legislation proposing increased funding for organic research could help balance supply & demand

12-Feb-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

New legislation that would increase funding for organic agriculture research could help close the expanding gap between growing consumer demand for organic products and insufficient organic supply, according to legislators and industry stakeholders.

Soup-To-Nuts Podcast: Going beyond ‘sustainable’ with regenerative farming

09-Feb-2018 By Elizabeth Crawford

Sustainable often pops up in marketing to describe how products are made or packaged, and while consumers increasingly buy these products at a premium, some in the natural products industry fear the concept is becoming greenwashed while others say the...

Tyson Foods buys second ‘clean meat’ start-up stake

30-Jan-2018 By Oscar Rousseau

Tyson Foods has acquired a minority share in lab-grown meat firm Memphis Meats, a move that gives America’s biggest meatpacker a stake in two of the country’s hottest food start-ups.

Tyson spreads its protein bets with minority stake in cultured meat start-up Memphis Meats

29-Jan-2018 By Elaine Watson

If some commentators are predicting a pitched battle between plant-based, animal-based, and cellular agriculture, Tyson Foods - the largest meat-packer in the US is clearly more agnostic about its protein sources – with its venture arm taking a minority...

Cargill to ‘accelerate’ innovation

19-Dec-2017 By Oscar Rousseau

Cargill has partnered with two firms to help US start-ups scale up their business as the meat giant aims to address huge challenges like food safety and security.

Trump administration withdraws organic regulation

18-Dec-2017 By Aidan Fortune

A regulation that would have strengthened organic credentials in the food sector is to be withdrawn by the Trump administration.

European countries perform well in food sustainability index while US 'languishes'

05-Dec-2017 By Niamh Michail

Good nutrition, sustainable agriculture and low food waste aren't the preserve of wealthy nations: France has been ranked number one in a global sustainability index but low-income Ethiopia outperforms the USA.

News in Brief

USDA NIFA funds food safety projects

01-Dec-2017 By Staff Reporter

A US Department of Agriculture (USDA) institute is to fund projects on food safety.

FOOD VISION USA 2017, the highlights: From the ‘age of homebodies’ to the end of animal agriculture

20-Nov-2017 By Elaine Watson

Held at the W hotel in Chicago Nov 13-15, FOOD VISION USA brought together a glittering array of speakers from big and small food brands, spanning topics from food e-commerce and meal kits to clean-label trends, clean meat, hydroponics and whether the...

Pork producers urge agricultural research support

04-Nov-2017 By Aidan Fortune

The National Pork Producers Council has urged Congress to renew its commitment to funding agricultural research to help America’s farmers feed a growing world population, improve public health and strengthen US national security by ensuring America’s...

Brazil to improve sustainability image

24-Oct-2017 By Oscar Rousseau

Brazil’s reputation was tarnished by a tainted meat scandal, but the biggest country in South America is working hard to improve its status as a sustainable food giant.

Cages for one million Chinese pigs pulled

23-Oct-2017 By Oscar Rousseau

China’s animal welfare awakening has gathered pace after Qinglian Food Company committed to phase out cramped sow stalls by 2025.

GMA: GMO labeling should apply to highly refined oils, sweeteners

01-Sep-2017 By Elaine Watson

If consumers are to believe that the food industry is serious about transparency, highly refined oils and sweeteners derived from GM crops must be included in the new bioengineered food standard (the federal GMO labeling law), even if they are indistinguishable...

Sen. Roberts outlines three must-haves for agriculture in 2018 Farm Bill

29-Aug-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

As negotiations for the 2018 Farm Bill continue, legislators across the aisle need to work together to ensure “small differences do not get in the way of the larger goal” of passing a bill that will spur agricultural growth and ensure the competitive...

Booming Asian mega farms are an ‘economic risk’

16-Aug-2017 By Oscar Rousseau

Investors should not get overexcited by the risky Asian meat industry as booming production may not translate to soaring profits, a FAIRR (Farm Animal Investment Risk & Return) Initiative report has claimed.

Hydroponics in focus at FOOD VISION USA 2017: Can water give soil a run for its money?

14-Aug-2017 By Elaine Watson

Counter-intuitively, growing lettuce and other leafy greens in water uses considerably less water than growing them in soil, but will hydroponic forms of agriculture remain a niche part of the food system, or can water give soil a serious run for its...

Exclusive

Lab-grown meat firm in talks to license tech

11-Aug-2017 By Oscar Rousseau

Hampton Creek has confirmed the Silicon Valley start-up is in talks to license its lab-grown meat technology to some of the world’s biggest meat companies.

Farmers’ markets gaining traction in US offer opportunities and challenges

08-Aug-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

Sales at farmers’ markets currently may be only a small fraction compared to conventional grocery stores, but the channel is gaining traction – especially among millennials – and offers a unique marketing opportunity for agricultural producers of all...

Aspire Food Group unveils world’s first automated cricket farm

04-Aug-2017 By Elaine Watson

When it comes to edible insects, there is still something of a disconnect between the rhetoric (insects can help us feed the world) and the reality, in the US., at least (they’re still niche and expensive). But that’s about to change, predicts the company...

FOOD VISION USA 2017: Where is the plant-based movement heading (and will ‘clean’ meat give it a run for its money)?

28-Jul-2017 By Elaine Watson

Growing interest in plant-based foods, ‘clean’ (aka cultured) meat, and grass-fed, humanely-raised meat and regenerative agriculture, stems from a desire to seek alternatives to industrialized animal production. But where will these emerging segments...

Ocean's Balance to showcase kelp puree at IFT 2017

16-Jun-2017 By Elaine Watson

Maine-based Ocean’s Balance is unveiling a new kelp purée at the IFT show in Las Vegas this year, where it will showcase a series of dishes made with the calcium-, iron-, and folate-packed ingredient.

Deep cuts to agriculture spending, including organic, are a “no-go,” Congressman Panetta says

31-May-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

President Trump’s aggressive budget proposal for fiscal 2018 is a pennywise and pound-foolish approach to agriculture, and especially organic production and sales, according to legislators and industry leaders, who promise to fight for more balance.

Organic industry asks legislators for funds to expand domestic production & increase oversight

30-May-2017 By Elizabeth Crawford

More than a hundred representatives for the organic industry descended on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, last Thursday to extol to legislators the benefits of their industry to the US economy and ask for additional funding and help expand organic practices...