đ„ Fermelanta Introduces âUnprecedentedâ Number of Genes Into Microbes to Make Rare Plant Compounds
Japanese startup Fermelanta has developed a platform that inserts nearly 30 plant genes into a single E. coli strain, allowing microbial fermentation of complex, rare plant secondary metabolites in one step. The technology bypasses traditional CRISPR tools and promises cheaper, faster production of highâvalue ingredients for pharmaceuticals, flavors, fragrances and nutraceuticals. By consolidating multiâgene pathways, Fermelanta can replace slow plant cell cultures and open markets previously inaccessible due to cost or scalability constraints. The company, founded in 2022, builds on two decades of academic research in bacterial engineering.
Will AI Be a Net Positive For Aquaculture?
Finfish aquaculture is grappling with disease, mortality, pollution and costly feed, prompting a surge of AI solutions. Over $610âŻmillion was poured into AI projects in 2024, with more than 90 startupsâmostly in Norway and the United Statesâtargeting disease prediction, net...
Soy-Based Tape Wins at Innovation Contest
Purdue University students formed Team SoySeal and created a soyâbased adhesive tape that earned the top prize at the Student Soybean Innovation Competition, winning $20,000. The tape is 95% soy, fully biodegradable, and demonstrated greater strength than standard masking tape...
How to Keep Nitrogen From Escaping Your Fields
Mississippi State University Extension specialist Brendan Zurweller warns that warm, wet conditions, high soil pH, and heavy surface residue create a perfect storm for nitrogen loss in Delta fields. Ammonia volatilization can reduce nitrogen use efficiency to as low as...
đ„ As Cocoa Prices Swing, Kawa Project Offers an Upcycled Alternative From Spent Coffee Grounds
Kawa Project has developed an upcycled powder made from spent coffee grounds that mimics industrial cocoa in taste and functionality. The product offers a more stable supply chain and price consistency compared with volatile cocoa markets. Economically, the alternative becomes...
Deep Soil Testing Can Slash Fertilizer Costs
The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension study shows that deep soil testing can reduce fertilizer expenses by $12 to $150 per acre, translating to over $26,000 savings on a 1,000âacre irrigated field. By measuring residual nitrogen in the 6â24âinch profile, producers...
EPAâs DEF Sensor Rollback a Win for Diesel Farm Equipment
The EPA announced on MarchâŻ27 that it is removing the mandatory ureaâquality (DEF) sensor requirement for all dieselâpowered farm equipment, allowing manufacturers to rely on NOx sensors instead. The agency estimates the change will save U.S. farmers roughly $4.4âŻbillion annually...
How a Kentucky Farm Cut Truck Use in Half with New Grain Center
Kentucky farmer Tanner Stroup partnered with Adam Services and Mitchell Brothers to build a dualâpurpose grain center near Maceo, delivering roughly 850,000 bushels of storage for corn and soybeans. The facilityâs design, featuring separate dump pits, scales, and GSI EVO...
Transforming Agricultural Waste Into Water and Energy Solutions in Mozambique
A consortium of Mozambican firms and NGOs has launched a pilot project that converts agricultural residues into clean water and renewable energy. Using a combined biochar filtration and anaerobic digestion system, the initiative turns crop waste into potable water and...
Weed Control and Nitrogen Boost Will Optimise Silage Yield and Quality
Syngentaâs Casper herbicide and Vixeran nitrogenâoptimising endophyte are being promoted to improve silage production. Casper provides targeted control of weeds such as docks and thistles, delivering cleaner swards and better fermentation. Vixeran converts atmospheric nitrogen into plantâavailable form, increasing dryâmatter...
Why Chinaâs Poultry Sector Is Turning to Cage-Free Duck Farming
Chinaâs poultry industry is expanding its animalâwelfare agenda beyond chickens by embracing cageâfree duck farming. Lever China is leading the push, helping producers such as Xuri Egg Products commit to 100% cageâfree duck eggs for export by 2026. The shift...
Wagyu and IVF: Dispelling the Myths with Real Producer Data
Inâvitro fertilisation now produces roughly 87âŻ% of all cattle embryos worldwide, signalling a decisive industry shift. Wagyu producers such as 3D Genetics, Arubial Wagyu and Booth Creek report pregnancy rates between 49âŻ% and 57âŻ% and markedly faster genetic turnover. By...
Raising the Bar: Celebrating the Best of West Corkâs Dairy Farming
Carberyâs Milk Quality and Sustainability Awards highlighted West Corkâs familyârun dairy farms for producing premium, lowâcarbon milk while protecting land and animal welfare. The Buttimer family of Lisavaird Coâop won the overall prize, exemplifying a balance of productivity, sustainability and...
Food Tankâs Weekly News Roundup: Farm Bankruptcies Climb, Nigeria Distributes Clean Cookstoves, Uganda Moves to Certify Agroecological Produce
U.S. agriculture is undergoing rapid consolidation as the number of farms fell 150,000 in five years, a rate three times faster than the loss of farmland, while farm bankruptcies surged 46% yearâoverâyear. Severe wildfires in Nebraska scorched over 800,000 acres,...
Some Missouri Producers Are Seeing Early Alfalfa Weevil Pressure
Missouriâs Department of Agriculture reports an unusually early onset of alfalfa weevil activity, driven by March temperatures that were roughly seven degrees above normal. Some growers have already begun pesticide applications, with a few contemplating a second spray before the...
U.S. Farms Double Biogas Capture in 5 Years, New Report Finds
U.S. farms operating biogas capture systems have more than doubled over the past five years, reaching over 630 installations according to the American Biogas Council. Dairy farms dominate the sector, accounting for nearly 80% of the projects, while California alone...
Iowa Fields Turning Green as Cover Crop Season Kicks Into Gear
Iowaâs southeast and eastâcentral fields are greening as cover crops emerge with warming spring temperatures. Extension agronomist Rebecca Vittetoe notes that growers are already planning termination timing based on objectives such as erosion control, weed suppression, or forage. Some producers...
Saudi Arabia Drops Export Verification for US Beef
The Saudi Food and Drug Authority announced that U.S. beef shipments will no longer need to undergo the Export Verification (EV) Program, and the kingdom now permits bovineâderived tallow in animal feed. The policy shift removes a barrier that has...
Generative AI-Powered Voice Technology in Agricultural Advisory Services: Lessons From India
A generative AI voice agent developed by Farm Vaidya now provides realâtime, contextâspecific agricultural advice to Teluguâspeaking smallholders in southeast India. The system leverages mobile phones, bypassing the need for broadband, and delivers guidance on inputs, pest control, weather, and...
Unwrapping Deforestation: Your Chocolate Easter Bunny May Harm the Environment
An analysis by Global Witness shows that UK cocoa imports triggered over 2,000 hectares (â4,940 acres) of deforestation in 2025, chiefly in CĂŽte dâIvoire and Ghana. Since the 2021 Environment Act, total forestârisk commodity exposure linked to UK imports has...
AgrarPro Launches ProTube Prime for Precision Fertilisation
German agriâtech firm AgrarPro has unveiled the ProTubeâŻPrime, a new distribution head for precision fertilisation of liquid manure streams. The system can be configured with 20 to 48 outlets and offers 40âŻmm or 50âŻmm diameters, keeping hydraulic resistance constant even...
Take an Active Role in Crop Disease Scouting
Purdue Extension plant pathologist Darcy Telenko warns that 2026 disease pressures for corn and soybeans hinge on weather, with southern rust and tar spot as primary concerns for corn and red crown rot gaining attention in soybeans. She encourages Indiana...
5 Dicamba Changes You Need to Know for 2026
Dicamba use on tolerant soybeans returns in 2026 with tighter limits. Maximum application rates are halved to 1âŻlb per acre in 0.5âŻlb increments, and coarse nozzles are now allowed. Temperature restrictions cap use at 95°F and limit coverage to 50%...
Extreme Weather Pushes Easter Lamb Prices up by a Fifth
Extreme weather events have driven Easter lamb prices up by between 7% and 21% across the UK. Drought, record heat and heavy rainfall have reduced pasture quality, increased feed costs and lowered animal growth rates. The price surge threatens traditional...
Mosaic and Simplot Maintain Support for Fertilizer Tariffs
Mosaic and Simplot have filed support to keep countervailing duties on Moroccan and Russian phosphate fertilizers during the fiveâyear sunset review, seeking higher rates than the current 16.6%â47% range. The duties, imposed in 2021 to offset foreign subsidies, are under...
AgriFood Signals: Circulate Capital Closes $220m Fund, All G GRAS Approval, Unilever & McCormick
Circulate Capital announced the first close of its second climateâfocused fund, securing $220âŻmillion to back agriâfood startups tackling emissions. European and Asian innovators also drew sizable capital, including Standing Ovationâs $34âŻmillion round, Nature Robotsâ âŹ4âŻmillion ($4.4âŻmillion) for AIâdriven robotics, and...
Railroad & Tariff War Boost Soy in Brazilâs Cerrado, Endangering Indigenous Lands
A tariff dispute between the United States and China has redirected Chinese soy demand to Brazil, pushing 2025 exports to a record 85.4âŻmillion metric tons, about 80âŻ% of the countryâs shipments. In MatoâŻGrosso, soy acreage expanded by 3.4âŻmillion hectares since...
đ„ Digital Twins: Heritable Ag Combines AI, Genomics and Environmental Data to Slash R&D Timelines
Heritable Agriculture, a Google X spinâout, is using AIâdriven digital twins, highâresolution environmental data, and advanced genomics to accelerate crop breeding. The platform can simulate plants at 10âmeter resolution worldwide and pinpoint causative genes with unprecedented accuracy, validated through realâfield...
How AI Is Changing Food Supply Chains
Food manufacturers are turning to AI to overcome pandemicâinduced supply chain volatility, especially for perishable goods. CookUnity, a chefâtoâconsumer meal subscription service, now uses AI to lift its salesâforecast accuracy from roughly 55% to 80â90%, enabling precise, temperatureâcontrolled deliveries. The...
Fertilizer Traders Cash in on War Profits, Farmers Pay the Price
American fertilizer traders are reâexporting over 100,000 short tons of phosphate fertilizer after the Iran war created a price gap between U.S. spot markets and overseas demand. Domestic prices linger around $700 per short ton while farmers cut back on...
NGFA Tracking Key Ag Transportation Bills
The National Grain and Feed Association (NGFA) is monitoring two critical pieces of legislation: the surface transportation authorization, which lapses at the end of September, and the biennial Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). The highway bill, originally enacted under the...
Cargill Wins 2026 BIG Artificial Intelligence Excellence Award
Cargill has been honored with the 2026 BIG Artificial Intelligence Excellence Award, recognizing its extensive AI integration across the food and agriculture value chain. The company leverages tools such as Agriness, CattleView, CMAX and generativeâAI platforms like Ask Emma to...
Iowa Researcher Recognized for Decades of Work Against Costly Soybean Pest
Iowa State University nematologist Greg Tylka received the 2026 Exceptional Service to Agriculture Award for his 36âyear fight against soybean cyst nematode (SCN). SCN, a microscopic roundworm, can steal 30% or more of soybean yields without visible symptoms, threatening Midwest...
Innovative Firms Driving AI Adoption in Vietnam's Shrimp Sector
Vietnamese shrimp farms are turning to AI to curb rising production costs and protect thin profit margins. ESG uses weather stations, satellite data and underwater cameras to automate feeding and prevent waste, while RYNANâs TOMGOXY system balances dissolved oxygen and...
Pure Salmon Japan Secures USD 180 Million for Land-Based Farm
Pure Salmon Japan has secured an additional USDâŻ180âŻmillion, raising total project funding to USDâŻ640âŻmillion for its landâbased salmon farm in Tsu, Mie Prefecture. The facility, designed as a recirculating aquaculture system, will have a 10,000âmetricâton capacity, making it Japanâs largest...
Flikweert Expands Capacity of Optical Sorting Robot QualityGrader
Flikweert Vision has upgraded its optical sorting robot QualityGrader with a second ejection unit and a wider 1.5âmetre model, enabling threeâstream sorting and higher throughput. The new version can process roughly 30âŻtonnes per hour, compared with the previous 1âmetre variant....
Record Harvest with Nexat Implement Carrier
German equipment maker Nexat set a new Brazilian soybean harvest record on March 23, pulling 637.76âŻtonnes from 158.16âŻha in eight hoursâabout 80âŻtonnes per hour. The run used a Nexco combine module with a MacDon FD250 FlexDraper header, kept grain losses...
Port of Newcastle Exports 2.95Mt Wheat in 2025
The Port of Newcastle shipped 2.95âŻmillion tonnes of wheat in 2025, nearly five times the volume recorded in 2024. This surge helped lift total nonâcoal cargo to a record 11.12âŻmillion tonnes, surpassing the 2021 high. Wheat accounted for about 12%...
Mort & Co Fertiliser Cuts Reliance on Urea, Improves Soil
Mort & Co has launched an Australianâmade organic fertiliser granule produced from beefâfeedlot manure at its new $15âŻmillion AUD (â$10âŻmillion USD) Grassdale facility. The granules can substitute roughly oneâthird of traditional urea while delivering comparable nitrogen efficiency, as demonstrated on...
Michigan Growers Invited to Join On-Farm Soybean Research Trials
Michigan State University extension specialist Eric Anderson is inviting soybean growers to join 11 onâfarm research trials across the state. The trials use donated inputs and limit farmer exposure to risk by testing products on a modest acreage. Current focus...
Inside Cairnspring Millâs Bold New Model for Financing Regenerative Food Systems
Cairnspring Mills has assembled a hybrid financing package to build its 27,000âsquareâfoot Blue Mountain Mill, slated for completion in 2026. The structure blends a $10âŻmillion subordinate loan from Steward, a $5âŻmillion equity stake from the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla...
Strong Dairy Market Growth to Continue in 2026 and Beyond
Global dairy production hit record levels in 2025, driven by unprecedented herd growth in the United States. US milk output rose 2.8% yearâoverâyear, and cheese exports surged 20% beyond the previous record. While Europe is expected to trim output to...
Iowa Value-Added Businesses Receive Latest Round of Grants
The Choose Iowa program announced three meat-related projects.
Tracker-Based Agrivoltaics Turn Fields Into Wind-Safe Zones
Cornell University researchers used CFD modeling to show that singleâaxis tracking solar panels can serve as effective windbreaks for crops, reducing shelterâzone wind speeds by up to 70% compared with a single row of trees. A novel loweredâfirstârow panel configuration...
Opinion: A Fertilizer Crunch Is Squeezing U.S. Farmers, and Policymakers Have an Opportunity to Act
U.S. farmers face a tightening fertilizer market as the Strait of Hormuz bottleneck drives up prices for urea, phosphates and sulfur. A USDA survey shows all eight major fertilizer products rose in early March, leaving 20â25% of growers without full...
The Iran Warâs Impacts on Global Fertilizer Markets and Food Production
The IranâIsraelâU.S. conflict has throttled shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a conduit for roughly 30% of global fertilizer trade and 20% of LNG. Prices for nitrogenâbased fertilizers and phosphate have spiked sharply as export hubs in Qatar and Iran...
Digesters Cut Methane â but Leaks Can Erase Gains, Study Finds
A University of California, Riverside study of 98 California dairies over eight years shows that manure digesters cut methane emissions by roughly 80âŻ% compared with open lagoons, but occasional leaks can reach 1,000âŻkgâŻCHâ per hour and erode most of the...
Biodiesel Aims for a Comeback as New Rules Boost Demand Hopes
The EPA announced new Renewable Fuel Standard rules that raise biodiesel blending obligations and lower the equivalence value for renewable diesel, leveling the credit playing field. The 2024 RVO for biomassâbased diesel jumps to 5.4âŻbillion gallons, a 61âŻ% increase, and...
Rising Fertilizer Prices Spark Talk of Increasing Domestic Production
Fertilizer prices have spiked as the Iran war choked off key imports, especially urea, prompting calls for expanded U.S. production. Experts say a worldâscale nitrogen plant would cost $3â5âŻbillion, and the USDA is weighing a grant program to finance such...
Strait of Hormuz Disruptions Hit Tree Nut Industry
Shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has collapsed by about 90% since the IranâU.S./Israel conflict began, halting the flow of U.S. treeânut shipments to the Middle East. The region accounts for roughly $1.75âŻbillion, or 20âŻ% of U.S. agricultural exports there,...