Who Pays for the EU’s Toxic Exports?
Each year the EU ships more than 120,000 tonnes of pesticides that are prohibited on European farms, mainly to Africa, Asia and Latin America. A Greenpeace report shows that nearly half of the pesticides used in South Africa, Ghana and Kenya are classified as highly hazardous and are banned in the EU. Despite mounting public and political pressure, the European Commission has stalled a comprehensive export ban, largely to protect the continent’s €650 bn (≈$702 bn) chemicals industry led by BASF. Ongoing lawsuits and recent child deaths linked to banned chemicals are intensifying scrutiny of the policy.
Are Southeast Asia’s Organic Farmers More Resilient to Fertiliser Price Spikes?
Fertiliser price spikes triggered by the Iran‑Hormuz crisis are squeezing Southeast Asian growers, but organic farms are feeling the shock less acutely because they rely on compost and manure. Yet organic agriculture remains marginal—less than 0.5% of regional cropland—and scaling...
Manufacturing Potential Highlighted as Australia Eyes Share of $68.56B Upcycled Food Market
Australia’s manufacturing sector is poised to capture a share of the fast‑growing global upcycled food market, which Fortune Business Insights projects will reach $68.56 billion by 2032. A two‑and‑a‑half‑year study by Queensland University of Technology, End Food Waste Australia and the...
Korean Govt Backs University Project to Develop Precision Fermentation Toolkit
South Korea’s science ministry has awarded Kookmin University a core‑research grant in the 2026 Basic Research Program to develop a genetic toolkit for the food‑grade yeast Candida utilis. The toolkit will enable precision‑fermentation processes that produce proteins, amino acids, vitamins...
Editing Grapevine DNA Could Boost Resistance to Disease and Drought
Researchers at Stellenbosch University and the Agricultural Research Council used CRISPR to knock out the VvDMR6.1 gene in grapevines, marking the first successful DNA edit of a woody crop in Africa. The edited vines showed markedly reduced susceptibility to downy...
German Vaccine Scientists Are Now Applying Their Expertise to Scaling Cultivated Meat
The Max Planck Institute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems in Magdeburg has partnered with cultivated‑meat startup Innocent Meat on a two‑year ZELPI project to transfer vaccine‑scale perfusion techniques to food biotech. The collaboration will test Innocent Meat’s cell lines...
How AgriTech North Is Fighting Food Insecurity in Ontario
AgriTech North has built a 2,500‑sq‑ft. patented greenhouse with a triple‑layer ETFE envelope that cuts heat loss by up to 70%, enabling year‑round cultivation in Dryden’s -40 °C winters. Backed by federal, provincial and private funding, the firm plans to scale...
He Sold His Grass-Fed Jerky Company for Millions. Then He Started One of the Hardest Businesses in Food.
After selling Epic Provisions, the grass‑fed jerky pioneer, Robby Sansom launched Force of Nature in 2019 to bring regenerative‑raised meat to mainstream consumers. The company aggregates 917 ranches across 3.8 million acres, selling beef, chicken, bison and other proteins through more...
Two Weeks to Two Days: Surveying 3,800 Hectares of Queensland Sugarcane with the DJI Matrice 400
A Queensland sugarcane estate adopted a LiDAR workflow using DJI’s Matrice 400 drone equipped with a Zenmuse L3 sensor. The system captured sub‑canopy terrain data across 3,800 ha in two 40‑minute flight sessions, slashing full‑property survey time from roughly two weeks to two...
New Tractor With 12-Valve Cummins and Zero Electronics Goes Back to the Basics
Ursa Ag, a Canadian startup, has launched a line of tractors powered by remanufactured 12‑valve Cummins engines that omit electronic controls. The 150‑hp, 180‑hp and 260‑hp models are priced at roughly $95,000, $110,000 and $146,000 USD, about half the cost...
Handle with Care: Soft Robot Gripper Picks Ripe Fruit without Bruising
Cornell researchers led by Rob Shepherd have built a soft‑robot gripper that uses stretchable fiber‑optic strain gauges to gauge fruit stiffness and determine ripeness. The device gently twists strawberries off the plant with a planetary‑gear wrist, avoiding the bruising that...
Levi’s Targets Regenerative Cotton Boost in Pakistan
Levi Strauss & Co. launched the Levi’s Regenerative and Resilient Landscape Initiative (LRI) in January 2026 in Jalalpur Pirwala, a key cotton‑growing area of Pakistan’s Punjab province. Within the first three months, the program has enrolled almost 600 farmers to adopt...
Are Vegetable Oils High Carbon & Bad For Climate Change?
A 2022 study shows vegetable‑oil crops occupy roughly 20% of the world’s arable land, making oil production a sizable source of greenhouse‑gas emissions and biodiversity loss. Clinical research indicates that consuming any oil, including extra‑virgin olive oil, impairs endothelial function...
Govt Doubles Down on Wheat Exports, Clears Extra 2.5 Million Tonnes
The Indian government approved an additional 2.5 million metric tonnes of wheat for export, raising the total wheat export quota to 5 million tonnes and wheat‑product quota to 1 million tonnes. The move follows a robust production outlook—120 million tonnes projected for 2025‑26 and...
Ag Aircraft Drone Encounters Increased In 2025 Season
Unsafe interactions between drones and manned agricultural aircraft surged during the 2025 growing season, with 20% of aerial applicators reporting at least one incident—up from 16% in 2024 and 11% in 2023. The low‑altitude nature of crop‑dusting puts pilots within...
“Greenhouse Lighting Success Depends on Everything Around It”
Total Grow Light’s Jeff Mastin says greenhouse lighting is moving away from one‑size‑fits‑all fixtures toward flexible, system‑integrated solutions. He stresses that custom lighting plans—tailored to crop type, facility constraints, and financial goals—outperform standardized setups in most commercial greenhouses. Efficiency and...
Sensient Invests $250M to Expand Natural Food Dye Production
Sensient Technologies announced up to $250 million in capital to expand its natural‑color production, adding 28,800 sq ft to its 500,000‑sq‑ft St. Louis plant. The company aims to capture a $1 billion sales opportunity in the fast‑growing natural‑color segment as food makers shift away from...
"Buyers Can Acquire Systems that Would Cost Millions to Purchase New, at a Fraction of Replacement Cost"
SecondBloom Auctions has opened an online liquidation of more than 500 lots of equipment from Eden Green Technology’s former vertical‑farming facility in Cleburne, Texas. The auction, running until April 30, features LED grow lights, climate control systems, fertigation gear, vertical grow...
Canadian Saffron Specialist Faces Going Concern Warning as Losses Widen
Canadian indoor‑ag company Sativus Tech Corp., through its Saffron Tech unit, is developing controlled‑environment saffron production as the global market expands toward $3.7 billion by 2032. For the year ended Dec 31 2025 the firm recorded a net loss of roughly $1.0 million USD,...
4 Tech Tools Food Brands Are Using to Enhance Inventory, Demand Planning
At the Food Manufacturing Summit, experts highlighted four tech tools reshaping inventory and demand planning for food brands: digital twins, RFID, cold‑chain solutions, and advanced planning systems. They stressed that data quality is the single biggest lever for supply‑chain performance,...
Singapore Food Agency Publishes List of Approved Novel Foods
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) released a comprehensive list of 14 novel foods approved for sale through October 2025, reinforcing its role as a regulatory pioneer in sustainable protein. The list features four cultivated‑meat products—including Eat Just’s serum‑free chicken, Vow’s cultured quail,...
Researchers Identify Key Gene Behind Strawberry's Sweet Aroma
A collaborative study led by the University of Florida and Spain's IHSM La Mayora identified a previously unknown gene, FaECH, that drives the production of γ‑lactones—key sweet‑fruity volatiles—in both cultivated and wild strawberries. The team combined genome‑wide association studies, transcriptomic...
From a Car Dealership in Argentina to Ecological Hydroponics in France
Marion and Nicolas Sarlé, former auto dealers, founded Les Sourciers in 2013, converting a 600 m² balcony experiment in Buenos Aires into France’s first ecological hydroponic micro‑farm in Gers. The farm now supplies premium herbs, edible flowers and heirloom tomatoes exclusively to...
Loopworm Says Its Silkworm-Based Feed Ingredients Are Now Carbon Negative
Loopworm announced that its silkworm‑derived feed ingredients, LoopMeal and LoopOil, are carbon‑negative, removing 2.56 kg CO₂e per kilogram produced. An independent life‑cycle assessment by PwC India, conducted to ISO 14040/44 standards, benchmarked the products against soy and fish meals across 18 impact...
Colombian Cape Gooseberry Exports Show Promising 6.5 Percent Growth
Colombian cape gooseberry exports rose to $8.5 million in January‑February 2026, a 6.5 percent increase over the same period last year, while volume grew modestly to 1,486 metric tons. The rebound follows a weaker 2025 season that saw total exports fall to $41.3 million,...
Guest Article: Physical AI Isn’t Replacing Farmers. It’s Critical for Keeping Them in Business
Physical AI is emerging as a lifeline for U.S. family farms, offering autonomous capabilities that augment—not replace—human workers. By retrofitting proven tractors like the Kubota M5 with Agtonomy’s AI stack, growers can oversee multiple machines, cut labor costs, and attract...
Altitude-Dependent Biomass Accumulation and Carbon Storage Potential of Agroforestry Systems in Garhwal Region, India
Researchers evaluated 14 agroforestry models across three altitude zones (800‑2300 m) in Uttarakhand’s Garhwal Himalaya to quantify biomass accumulation and carbon storage. Mixed agri‑silvi‑horticulture (ASH) systems, especially the home‑garden model HASH6, delivered the highest above‑ground biomass (162.7 t ha⁻¹) and carbon stocks (73.2 t C ha⁻¹)....
Kontali: Salmon Sector in Slowdown as Supply Tightens, Trade and Demand Dynamics Shift, and Tensions Rise in Middle East
Kontali analysts warn that the Atlantic salmon industry is entering a supply-constrained phase as harvest‑ready biomass declines in Norway, Chile and Scotland. At the same time, demand is becoming more price‑sensitive, pushing producers toward product innovation and promotions. Europe’s market...
BX6-Dependent Benzoxazinoid Biosynthesis Enhances Herbivore Resistance and Salt Stress Tolerance in Durum Wheat Triticum Turgidum
Researchers used CRISPR‑Cas9 to knock out the BX6 gene in tetraploid durum wheat, creating a benzoxazinoid‑deficient mutant. The BX6‑null plants supported higher reproduction of sucking insects such as aphids and two‑spotted spider mites, while chewing caterpillars were unaffected. Under saline...
Agricultural Transformation and the Opportunities for Agritech Innovators
Southeast Asia’s three biggest agricultural economies—Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines—are confronting climate volatility, labour shortages and rising input costs. Governments and producers are turning to agritech solutions such as precision farming, supply‑chain traceability and climate‑resilient water management to boost yields...
Taking the P…. Our Urine Can Make Low-Carbon Fertilisers
Researchers at the University of Surrey have shown that human urine, which makes up just 1% of wastewater, contains the bulk of nutrients needed for fertilisers—nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. By applying forward osmosis, a low‑energy membrane process, these nutrients can...
Strait Standoff Reshapes Fertiliser Trade and Crop Economics
Eight weeks of Middle‑East fighting have blocked roughly 24% of the world’s bulk fertiliser supply behind the Strait of Hormuz, stranding about 834,000 tonnes of urea. Shipping through the strait fell over 95%, driving nitrogen prices up nearly 40% in...
From Budget to Premium: New Wave of Low-Cost Autosteer Expands Across Segments
Chinese manufacturers are reshaping the global retrofit autosteer market by offering low‑cost, high‑accuracy GNSS solutions that rival premium systems. CNH Industrial teamed with CHCNAV to launch the affordable FleetPro kit, while ComNav’s AG501 Pro and Sveaverken’s F200 bring modularity and...
Japan Wagyu Leader Outlines Fat Quality Shift and Free-Range Production Push
Shikishima Farm, Japan's largest integrated Wagyu operation, is pivoting from traditional marbling scores to a focus on lipid quality, especially monounsaturated fats. The company, which raises about 11,000 Japanese Black cattle, is trialing a next‑generation, fully free‑range production model in...
AI Is Making Farming More Precise; Meet Companies Building Circular Economy
YourStory’s latest newsletter spotlights two fast‑growing tech trends in India. AI‑driven precision farming is enabling year‑round strawberry cultivation in 45 °C heat and linking satellite thermal data with crop‑health platforms such as Cropin. At the same time, social enterprises like Phool,...
First Point of Entry Delay Hinders Ord Cotton Industry
Regulatory approvals for First Point of Entry (FPOE) status at Port of Wyndham have been pushed back to at least mid‑2027, delaying the export of the Ord Valley cotton crop. The delay adds an estimated US$600 per container, translating to...
Pineapple Prices up Despite China Ban
Taiwan’s pineapple farm‑gate prices have risen to NT$12‑NT$15 per jin (about $0.38‑$0.48) as domestic demand peaks during the harvest season. Wholesale prices reached NT$39.1 per kilogram ($1.25), outpacing the three‑year seasonal average of NT$31.95/kg. After China’s 2021 import ban, Taiwan...
Elaine Ingham, Who Taught That Soil Is Alive, Dies at 73
Elaine Ingham, the soil scientist who coined the “soil food web,” died at 73. Her research revealed that plants actively nurture a complex underground ecosystem of microbes, which in turn feed and protect roots. By treating soil as a living...
We Can Create Food Systems That Enhance Human & Planetary Health
The article argues that global food systems, responsible for roughly 30% of greenhouse‑gas emissions, must undergo a low‑carbon transformation. It highlights energy‑intensive practices—from farm machinery to fertilizer production—and points to solutions such as agrivoltaics, renewable‑based fertilizers, and circular nutrient management....
Innovation Insights Quarterly: Q2 2026
Innovation Insights Quarterly Q2 2026 spotlights breakthroughs in agri‑robotics, biotech, medical devices, water treatment and public‑safety AI. A new AI model enables laser‑weeding robots to identify crops and weeds in real time, cutting retraining from weeks to minutes. Engineered cell therapy...
Get More Heifers In-Calf, Earlier with Synchronisation and Fixed Time AI
The Hession brothers in County Galway have adopted a synchronized, fixed‑time artificial insemination (AI) program on their 260‑cow, spring‑calving dairy farm. By using a three‑hormone protocol (GnRH, progesterone, prostaglandin) and coordinating with their AI technician, they achieved up to 80%...
Could Australia Make Enough Biofuel to Keep Us Flying?
Rising jet‑fuel prices—up 150% since the Middle East conflict—have forced Qantas and Virgin to slash domestic routes, spotlighting Australia’s reliance on imported fuel. The government’s $1.1 bn Cleaner Fuels Program aims to jump‑start sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) production from canola, sugar‑cane...
From Farm to Fashion: Why India’s Textile Future Begins in the Fields
India’s textile sector, a historic global powerhouse, now leverages Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 5F vision—Farm to Fibre, Fibre to Factory, Factory to Fashion, Fashion to Foreign—to create a fully integrated value chain. The government’s PM MITRA mega‑textile parks and a Production...
How Biomass Processing Is Becoming a Scalable Platform
RenX Enterprises Corp. is repositioning biomass processing as a repeatable, deployable platform rather than a single, capacity‑driven operation. By pairing a proven German milling system with low‑cost green‑waste feedstock, the company creates engineered growing media that rivals traditional inputs. Recent...
Fertilizer Prices Fall After Iran Says Strait Is Open
Urea prices in the U.S. Gulf fell about 18% to $640 per ton after Iran announced the Strait of Hormuz was open to commercial traffic. The drop follows a peak of $780 per ton earlier in the week and offers...
Rollins to Visit Arizona as USDA Mulls Port Reopenings
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins will travel to Douglas, Arizona, to evaluate whether to reopen southern cattle‑import ports that have been closed for over a year. Local officials argue the suspension has crippleed border‑town economies and that existing quarantine and traceability...
Tops Markets Adds Compost Drop-Off Initiative In Hamburg, NY
Tops Friendly Markets has launched a pilot compost drop-off called “From Scraps to Soil” at its Hamburg, New York store, partnering with worker‑owned Farmer Pirates Compost. The initiative lets households deposit organic waste for a $10 monthly fee (first month...
Temperature-Regulated Defective MIL-100(Fe) for Clove Essential Oil Loading as an Effective Natural Preservative for Peaches
Researchers synthesized a series of trifluoroacetic‑acid‑modulated defective MIL‑100(Fe) materials and loaded them with clove essential oil (CEO) to create a natural fruit preservative. The D‑MIL‑100(Fe)‑1 variant achieved the highest loading capacity at 610.6 mg CEO per gram, a 1.45‑fold increase over...
Shrink, Remove and Modify: Team Successfully 'Trims' Wheat Chromosomes
Researchers at Germany's Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research have used CRISPR‑Cas9 to cut satellite DNA, successfully shrinking or completely removing wheat chromosomes. The virus‑based delivery system bypassed traditional transformation, enabling rapid, large‑scale chromosomal edits. In some...
Chef Robotics Escaped the Robot Cooking Graveyard and Says It’s Thriving — Here’s Why
Chef Robotics announced it has processed 100 million robot‑deposited servings, marking a key milestone in its pivot from fast‑casual restaurant automation to large‑scale food manufacturing. The company now serves enterprise clients such as Amy’s Kitchen, Chef Bombay, and a major school‑lunch...