Prolonged Hormuz Crisis Could Trigger Agrifood Catastrophe, UN Warns
The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization warned that a prolonged crisis in the Strait of Hormuz could spark a global agrifood catastrophe. Disruptions to fertilizer and energy exports would drive up food prices and compress crop yields. FAO chief economist Maximo Torero highlighted that poorer nations are especially vulnerable because planting calendars leave little margin for delayed inputs. The warning underscores how geopolitical tensions can quickly translate into broader economic and food‑security challenges.
New NatureLedger for Better Decisions on Managing Vegetation
AgCarE has launched NatureLedger, a bespoke dataset that delivers farm‑specific maps, clearing histories and biodiversity risk assessments to help Australian producers comply with the revised EPBC Act and tap into carbon‑biodiversity markets. The service consolidates publicly available data into a...
AWA Board to Review Cloning and Associated Regulation in Beef Cattle
The Australian Wagyu Association (AWA) announced a board‑level review of genetic cloning practices and the regulatory framework governing them in the beef sector. The review, prompted by member requests, will examine FSANZ policies, international import rules, and the implications for...
Bluu Reaches Industrial Production of Cultivated Fish Cells for Personal Care & Seafood
German startup Bluu has achieved industrial‑scale cultivation of Atlantic salmon and rainbow trout cells in 1,000‑litre bioreactors, and has demonstrated harvests in 10,000‑litre reactors through a partnership with Dutch firm Cultivate at Scale. The joint platform aims to supply marine‑derived...
KhetiBuddy Is Turning Fragmented Farm Data Into Business Intelligence
Indian startup KhetiBuddy offers a modular SaaS platform that unifies fragmented farm data across crop management, supply chain, ERP, and sustainability. Launched in 2021, its Verdnt upgrade adds weather alerts, satellite monitoring, and pest identification, enabling real‑time decision‑making for mid‑to‑large...
A New Fruit Wash Removes Pesticides and Extends Shelf Life
University of British Columbia researchers have created a biodegradable fruit wash that eliminates up to 96% of pesticide residues and forms an edible coating that slows browning and moisture loss. Tests showed apples retained acidity and sugars longer, while grapes...
Report: With EUDR Looming, One in Three Businesses Still Lack Deforestation Commitments
Global Canopy’s Forest 500 report finds that one‑third of the world’s biggest forest‑risk companies still have no deforestation or ecosystem‑conversion commitments as the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) approaches. While traceability improved across most commodities, beef supply chains lagged behind. Only 4%...
Turfin’ Safari
Andrea Woo’s Globe and Mail piece reveals how a five‑year research program led by turf‑grass professor John Sorochan is shaping the natural‑grass pitches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The tournament will span 16 stadiums across Canada, the United States...
'Strange but True': Study Touts Recycled Urine as Sustainable Farming Solution
Researchers at the University of Surrey have demonstrated that human urine can be processed to recover key nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, offering a low‑impact alternative to conventional fertilizers. Using advanced membrane filtration, the study shows that nutrient...
US Fertilizer Market Faces Increasing Scrutiny
U.S. phosphate exports surged in Q1 2024, tightening domestic supplies as global fertilizer trade is disrupted by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Prices have climbed to the highest levels since 2022, prompting criticism from President Donald Trump and...
Secretary Rollins Highlights New Specialty Crop Research Funding, Automation Investments
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced a $227 million annual investment in the Specialty Crop Research Initiative and Block Grant Program, including $20 million earmarked for mechanization and automation research. The funding comes from the One Big Beautiful Bill and aims to support specialty‑crop...
Guest Article: The Ag Lender’s Guide to AI Investment
AI is reshaping agricultural lending by automating back‑office tasks and delivering real‑time insights to loan officers. Successful pilots follow a 90‑day build‑test‑scale cycle, allowing rapid evaluation and scaling. The author stresses that AI should augment human interaction, preserving the deep...
USDA’s Vaden Slams Mosaic for Fertilizer Cuts Amid Crisis
Deputy Agriculture Secretary Stephen Vaden publicly rebuked The Mosaic Company for idling its Araxá and Patrocínio phosphate mines in Brazil, warning that removing roughly a million tons of supply will push global fertilizer prices higher. Mosaic defended the shutdown as...
Field to Fry: What Sustainability Actually Looks Like in the Potato Supply Chain
Lamb Weston, a leading North American frozen‑potato processor, is preparing its next sustainability report amid growing consumer demand for eco‑friendly food. The company reports cutting 800 million gallons of water, reducing 1,800 tons of waste and avoiding 12,000 metric tons of CO₂ through...
American Drone Network, SprayTec Partners to Bring Concentrate Spray Technology to Nation’s Largest Agricultural Drone Pilot Network
American Drone Network (ADN) has teamed with SprayTec to offer drone‑specific concentrate spray formulations. The concentrates lower application rates by 60‑75%, letting drones cover 5‑13 acres per tank versus the typical 1.5‑2.6 acres. The partnership includes pilot training and aims...
Pro Farmer Podcast | Fertilizer Crisis Fallout
The Pro Farmer Podcast episode released on April 13, 2026 examines the fallout from the global fertilizer crisis, highlighting sharp supply constraints and rising input costs. Host Bill and Hillari explore how the shortage is slashing yields for nitrogen‑intensive crops, while guest...
Mexican Mango Exports to the US Projected to Surpass 350,000 Tons in 2026
Mexico’s Secretariat of Agriculture projects mango shipments to the United States will exceed 350,000 tons in the 2026 season, the highest level on record. The forecast draws on 19,734 orchards spanning eight states and more than 252,000 acres dedicated to...
Californian Hybrid Honeybee Population Has Evolved Natural Defense Against Varroa Mites: Study
A new study of a Southern California hybrid honeybee population shows natural resistance to the Varroa destructor mite. Colonies headed by locally bred hybrid queens carried about 68% fewer mites and were over five times less likely to reach treatment...
USPOULTRY Invests over $570,000 in Poultry Industry Research
The US Poultry & Egg Association and its foundation approved more than $570,000 in grants for seven research projects spanning AI robotics, disease forecasting, and food‑safety innovations. The projects, led by universities such as Georgia, Texas A&M, and Georgia Tech,...
Farming Under Solar: How Agriphotovoltaics Can Transform Rural Livelihoods in India
India’s solar capacity has surged to roughly 150 GW, largely through ground‑mounted farms that consume valuable agricultural land. The resulting tension between energy expansion and farmer livelihoods has prompted interest in agriphotovoltaics (Agri‑PV), which co‑locates solar panels and crops. Early pilots,...
Scottish Organic Dairy Kickstarts Expansion Drive
Mossgiel Organic Dairy, founded in 2015 to challenge the dominance of mega‑dairies, is adding three Scottish farms—Auchlea, Wester Manbeen and Connage Highland Dairy—as direct milk suppliers. The move lifts its processing capacity by roughly 10% and gives the company full...
Ag Tech Talk: Smarter Data, Stronger Relationships
Ever.Ag’s VP of Product and Services, Alan Brady, says AI is reshaping the crop‑input market by turning a fragmented, transactional network into a connected, real‑time ecosystem. The technology enables retailers, distributors, suppliers and agronomists to share data instantly, shifting margin management...
Peruvian Hass Avocado Exports Expected to Grow 6 Percent in 2026, Exceeding 765 Thousand Tons
Peruvian Hass avocado exports are forecast to exceed 765,000 metric tons in 2026, marking a modest 6% increase over 2025’s 723,000 MT. The surge follows a record 38% jump in 2025 but is expected to temper due to agro‑climatic constraints...
CEA Alliance Publishes Second Edition of Food Safety Guidelines for Leafy Greens
The Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Alliance has released a second edition of its Commodity Specific Food Safety Guidelines for leafy greens and herbs. The revision reflects rapid advances in risk understanding, new traceability and agricultural‑water regulations, and the latest scientific...
US (PA): Wayne County Pilot Program Uses Food Lockers to Boost Access to Local Produce
Wayne County launched a pilot program installing three food lockers at a public library, fire department and borough office to distribute locally grown produce from farms such as Bialecki Farms. The lockers let residents order fresh vegetables at any time,...
Vic Court Fines Operator $15,000 for Drone Spray Drift
A South‑West Victorian drone‑spraying company was convicted and fined AUD 15,000 (≈ US $9,900) after spray drift damaged a neighboring property. The drift affected about 4 ha, incurring roughly AUD 26,000 (≈ US $17,200) in resowing, hay, seed, fertilizer and lost income. Agriculture Victoria highlighted that drone...
War in Iran: Fertilizer Sector Warns of Lasting Supply Risk
A two‑week U.S.–Iran ceasefire will temporarily reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital conduit for roughly 30% of global fertilizer trade and 20% of natural‑gas flows. The closure has already forced several Gulf fertilizer plants offline, tightening worldwide supply and...
Translating Research Into Action
North Carolina State University’s Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) Coalition is reshaping research by letting growers and suppliers dictate project priorities. The coalition’s three‑pillar model—industry‑driven focus, shared infrastructure, and multidisciplinary expertise—has attracted funding and accelerated solutions for greenhouse challenges. A flagship...
Russia Rejects Tomato Shipments over Quarantine Pests and Viruses
Russian phytosanitary officials have repeatedly blocked tomato imports in early April 2026 after detecting the South American tomato leafminer (Tuta absoluta) and Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV). Shipments from Turkey, Turkmenistan, China, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan totaling over 200 tonnes were...
"Resistance to Bremia Is One of the Main Strengths of Our Lettuce Range"
Bejo has unveiled a lettuce portfolio that emphasizes disease resistance, especially against Bremia, while catering to diverse market segments from fresh grocery to 4th‑range supermarket sales. Flagship varieties include VITABEL batavia for vigor, ADORABEL with multi‑disease resistance, CHARLICE iceberg for...
FAO: Protracted Strait of Hormuz Crisis Could Turn Into Global Agrifood Catastrophe
The FAO warned that a prolonged crisis in the Strait of Hormuz could halt shipments of essential agricultural inputs, sparking a surge in food‑price inflation comparable to the COVID‑19 shock. About 20‑45% of global fertilizer and energy imports travel through...
How a Peatland Restoration Project Is Aiming to Boost UK Farming Resilience
The RePeat project, launched in January 2026 by organic farm Pollybell, aims to rewet roughly 1,000 hectares of degraded peatlands across Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and South Yorkshire. By restoring water tables, the initiative seeks to lock away carbon, reduce methane emissions...
Polybee Scales Physical AI Agents for “Immediate, Bankable ROI” In Specialty Crops
Polybee, a Singapore‑based agtech startup, deploys fleets of self‑charging drones that act as "physical AI agents" to monitor crop health, forecast yields, and perform pollination in specialty vegetables and fruits. The drones autonomously scan every plant, delivering data‑driven harvest timing...
With Aldi Süd Commitment, All Major UK Supermarkets Have Set Time-Bound Shrimp Welfare Standards
Aldi Süd announced a global shrimp‑welfare policy to eliminate eyestalk ablation by 2030 and to require electrical stunning for all farmed shrimp by 2035. With this pledge, every one of the UK’s 11 major supermarket chains now has a time‑bound commitment...
Fermentation Is Faster: How Next Generation Technologies Accelerate Alternative Protein Production
Fermentation is emerging as a rapid, scalable method for producing alternative proteins, with a 48‑hour run delivering results up to 90 times faster than traditional six‑month animal cycles. The global fermented foods market, valued at $585 million in 2024, is pushing producers...
Night Temperature Determines Nearly Half of Wheat Yield Variation Globally
A new pre‑print analyzing 42 years of wheat trials across 255 sites finds that daily minimum (night) temperature is a dominant driver of yield variation. Average nighttime temperature during grain filling accounts for 40% of yield differences, rising to 52%...
Saudi Arabia's First Mills Deploys AI Agent Platform in Food Production First
Saudi Arabia’s leading flour‑miller First Mills has become the first customer of Glasgow‑based AI startup Kodamai, installing its Kelvingrove platform – the world’s first mathematically verified autonomous‑agent system – across four production sites. The platform uses category theory, type theory and...
Dutch Pig Slaughter Falls by 780K in Five Years
Dutch pork processors reported a 7.4% year‑on‑year drop in slaughter, with 3,733,125 pigs processed up to week 14 of Q2 2026 – about 300,000 fewer than a year earlier. The decline reflects a five‑year fall of roughly 780,000 pigs, pushing the national...
China, the Iran War and the Chemical Suddenly Stoking Global Supply Fears
China announced an abrupt halt to sulphuric acid exports, a key input for fertilizer and mining industries worldwide. The decision coincides with renewed tensions in the Iran‑U.S. conflict, where failed peace talks have heightened geopolitical risk. Analysts warn that reduced...
Boehringer Ingelheim Introduces LENZELTA®: A New Vaccine Advancing Mastitis Prevention in Dairy Cows
Boehringer Ingelheim has launched LENZELTA®, a new mastitis vaccine for dairy cows that requires two doses during the dry‑off period. The oil‑free formulation targets Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, delivering the earliest onset of immunity and protection lasting up to...
Kale, Thallium and the Prospect of 'Phytomining'
Researchers at the University of Queensland have shown that kale can accumulate thallium, a toxic heavy metal, from contaminated soils. The study demonstrates that leafy vegetables could serve as low‑cost bio‑extractors, opening a pathway for phytomining of thallium. Phytomining could...
Feeder Cattle Market: Heavy Cattle Weighing Down Northern Prices
Feeder cattle prices slipped this week as a weakening cyclone moved into northern Queensland and southern regions faced their first cold snap. Flat‑back steers on the Darling Downs fell to 450‑470 c/kg, a 10 c drop, while Angus steers stayed steady around...
EU Asked to Include Microbial Proteins & Fermentation in Upcoming Biotech Act
Climate advocacy group WePlanet is urging the European Union to explicitly include advanced fermentation—single‑cell proteins, mycelium and precision‑fermentation products—in the upcoming Biotech Act II, slated for Q3 2026. The brief argues that Europe’s food system is overly dependent on imported soy and...
InterGrain Named as Partner in Faba Bean Breeding Program
InterGrain, a Western Australian seed firm, has been awarded the Australian Government’s $3.75 million (≈ $2.5 million USD) Collaboration Agreement to lead the Grain Research and Development Corporation’s faba bean breeding program alongside the University of Adelaide. The three‑year contract runs through June 2028...
Australia Exports 883,243t of Canola in Feb
Australia shipped a record 883,243 tonnes of canola in February, a 55% jump from January and 68% above February 2025 levels. Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany together absorbed more than 45% of the volume, while China more than doubled its...
Australia Acts To Secure Urea Amid Supply Risk From Iran War
Australia has created a government‑industry working group to protect urea supplies threatened by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz amid the Iran war. About 60% of the nation’s urea imports travel through the strait, and while current reserves are adequate,...
Global Food Systems May Be Functional - but They Are Far From Resilient
Global food systems can meet current demand but lack true resilience, leaving them vulnerable to shocks such as pandemics, geopolitical conflicts, and climate extremes. Recent crises—from COVID‑19 disruptions to the Ukraine war and severe weather events—have exposed bottlenecks in processing,...
SA’s Farm Machinery Slowdown Masks a More Resilient Agricultural Picture
The South African Agricultural Machinery Association reported that March 2026 tractor sales fell 8% year‑on‑year to 618 units, ending a 14‑month streak of growth, while combine‑harvester sales dropped 22% to 29 units. Despite the dip, both categories remain above their...
Aclonifen Herbicide Helping Win the Numbers Game in Cropping Programs
Bayer’s Mateno Complete, a pre‑emergent and early post‑emergent (EPE) herbicide blend of aclonifen, pyroxasulfone and diflufenican, is emerging as the benchmark for annual ryegrass control in Australian wheat and barley. Over 40 field trials in Victoria and New South Wales...
Researchers Examine Role of Leafy Vegetables in Alternative Mining Methods
Researchers at the University of Queensland have shown that common Brassicaceae vegetables, such as kale and broccoli, can accumulate the toxic yet valuable metal thallium in their leaves. Using micro‑X‑ray fluorescence and X‑ray diffraction mapping, the team observed crystallised thallium...