European Fresh Produce Shifts Sustainability Toward Costs
European fresh‑produce companies are moving sustainability from a branding exercise to a cost‑control imperative. 2026 priorities now focus on measurable variables such as yield stability, batch quality, shrink, packaging expenses and verifiable environmental data. Soil degradation alone costs the EU roughly $54 billion a year, while extreme weather adds $43‑$54 billion in losses, prompting growers to seek concrete, data‑backed solutions. New EU packaging‑waste rules effective August 12 2026 further tie sustainability to margin pressure.
"Is the Traditional Glass Greenhouse Model Still the Most Secure Investment, Given the Scale of Capital Required?"
Filclair, a fourth‑generation family firm, is questioning whether traditional glass greenhouses remain the safest long‑term investment amid rising capital costs and energy volatility. Under new COO Victoire Thery, the company is pushing a "green safety" strategy that blends climate control,...
Kyrgyzstan Growers Using "Smart Greenhouses" For Strawberries
In Batken’s Leilek district, a group of 25 villagers formed a cooperative to grow strawberries using a "smart greenhouse" system. The method, championed by farmer Azzamkul Tashbekov, delivers clean, high‑quality fruit that commands about 1,500 som (≈$13) per kilogram on...
Pest Pressure and Disease Reduce Tomato Greenhouse Yields in Paraná
Greenhouse tomato growers in northern Paraná faced heightened pest pressure in early 2026, as a hot, dry spell spurred whitefly and leaf‑miner outbreaks that transmitted geminiviruses. In response, many switched to virus‑resistant varieties, which softened losses, but March’s return of...
Tomatoes From Malaga Cost Nearly 3 Euros per Kilo at Origin
Tomato prices in Málaga’s greenhouse sector have surged to about €3 per kilogram, roughly $3.25, a record high. The Andalusian Price and Market Observatory reported average prices over €2/kg, nearly double the previous season and three times the first half...
Fermtech Secures £2.5m Backing to Scale Production of Cocoa Made From Crop Waste
Oxford‑based biotech start‑up Fermtech announced a £2.5 million seed investment to accelerate its sustainable cocoa powder made from crop waste. The funding will be used to scale manufacturing facilities and expand market reach as climate‑driven supply constraints push chocolate prices higher....
Floating Solar Helps a 74-Year-Old Vineyard Go Fully Renewable
Nelson Family Vineyards in Mendocino County has achieved 100% renewable power by adding a floating photovoltaic (FPV) system to its irrigation pond, complementing an existing rooftop array. The FPV installation is expected to produce roughly 200,000 kWh annually, covering the winery,...
EU Approves €144m French Hydrogen Project for Fertiliser Industry
The European Commission has cleared a €144 million ($155 million) state‑aid package for HyforSeeds to install a 50 MW renewable hydrogen electrolyser at LAT Nitrogen’s fertilizer plant in eastern France. The hydrogen will replace up to 15% of fossil‑based feedstock in ammonia production,...
Ghana Launches Blue Food Innovation Hub, Aiming to Drive Innovation, Spur Private Investment in Aquaculture
Ghana has inaugurated Africa’s first Blue Food Innovation Hub in Accra, partnering with the World Economic Forum and overseen by the Ghanaian Chamber of Aquaculture. The hub will convene researchers, investors, policymakers and startups to share best practices, cut post‑harvest...
Food Companies Backslide on Promises to Reduce Pesticides
The As You Sow “Pesticides in the Pantry” report shows that ten of the seventeen biggest U.S. food companies earned lower scores this year, indicating a retreat from earlier pledges to cut synthetic pesticide use. General Mills, once a leader...
What Happened when Scale Met the Farm Reality
Between 2020 and 2022, over $750 million poured into South Asian agritech startups promising digital scale for millions of smallholder farmers. By 2025, funding dried up as high customer‑acquisition costs, low farmer spending power, and fragmented markets proved unsustainable for direct‑to‑farmer...
Queensland EID Tag and Scanning Equipment Funding Continues
Queensland’s government has launched a second round of its Sheep and Goat electronic identification (EID) assistance package, offering a $0.75 (≈$0.50 USD) discount on approved NLIS ear tags and a 50% rebate up to $1,600 (≈$1,060 USD) per property for...
Canola Poised for Greater Role in Local Biofuel Future: Rabo
Rabobank’s new report highlights Australian canola as a strategic feedstock for renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel as biofuel demand surges across the Asia‑Pacific. Converting the country’s 6 million tonnes of exported canola seed could produce more than two billion litres of...
Guidance, Products Sought as Growers Scope Planting Options
Australian growers are grappling with depleted fertilizer and diesel supplies amid high input prices, even as a two‑week cease‑fire in the Persian Gulf offers modest relief to supply chains. To navigate the volatile environment, many are turning to decision‑support tools...
GOFAR Brings Ag Robots to Spain for Live Field Demos
GOFAR is staging its first Iberian Field Day on April 15 at John Deere’s Parla Innovation Center near Madrid, where more than 15 agricultural robots will operate in real‑field conditions. The showcase, co‑hosted with John Deere and data‑platform provider Datagri, brings together over...
Australia’s Feb Wheat Exports Down 19pc From Jan
Australia shipped 2.11 million tonnes of wheat in February 2026, a 19% drop from January’s 2.60 million tonnes. The decline reflects weaker bulk shipments, while containerised exports remained anchored by Southeast Asian demand. Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia were the top three container...
Waitrose to Stock Northern Pasta Co's 'Regeneratively Farmed' Pasta in UK Stores
Waitrose has become the first UK supermarket to carry Northern Pasta Co's regeneratively farmed spelt pasta, adding radiatori, fusilli and rigatoni to its shelves nationwide. The partnership marks a milestone for British sustainable food brands, showcasing products grown using regenerative...
Sustainability of Maize-Soybean Farming Systems Compared
A new comparative study evaluates the sustainability of maize‑soybean farming systems across the U.S. Midwest, measuring water use, greenhouse‑gas emissions, soil health and economic returns. The analysis shows that a rotational system of maize and soybean reduces nitrogen fertilizer by...
Fertilizer Spike Adds up to $35/Acre for US Corn as Iran Crisis Deepens
Rising fertilizer prices triggered by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz have created a sharp supply shock for nitrogen, phosphate and sulfur products. Rabobank estimates the urea price surge adds up to $35 per acre to US corn...
From ‘Sustainable’ to ‘Regenerative’ Agriculture: What’s in a Name?
Regenerative agriculture is emerging as a buzzword that promises to go beyond the maintenance focus of sustainability by embedding an ethical relationship with land, water, and biodiversity. Originating from farmer‑led movements, the concept stresses reciprocity and ecosystem health, but corporate...
Early Growth Last Fall Paying Off for Cover Crops in Southern Minnesota
South‑central Minnesota farmer Sam Ziegler reports that an unusually warm October allowed his cover crops to germinate early in bean stubble, delivering visible green‑up this spring. He plants covers, primarily oats, after corn harvest, and the early start is now...
New App in MO to Track Flood and Drought Conditions in Real Time
Missouri’s Department of Natural Resources launched the Missouri Hydrology Information Center (MOHIC) app, delivering real‑time flood and drought monitoring across the state. The platform aggregates data from an extensive network of stream gauges and soil‑moisture sensors, translating raw measurements into...
Tracing Impact: A Joint Mission Through Kenya’s BRAINS Project
The Building Equitable Climate‑Resilient African Bean & Insect Sectors (BRAINS) project held a three‑day joint mission across Nakuru, Nairobi and Kiambu, bringing together funders, implementers and Global Affairs Canada to assess progress. Two years into its five‑year timeline, partners reported...
Southeast Nebraska Farmer Sees $50K Spike in Fertilizer Costs
Nebraska farmer Ben Steffen reported a $50,000 jump in fertilizer expenses as the 2026 growing season begins, compounding an already red‑lined operation. He also anticipates an additional $4,000‑$5,000 in diesel costs over the next eight weeks. Similar input‑price pressures are...
Fermtech Raises £2.5m for ‘Pioneering’ Sustainable Cocoa Alternative
Fermtech, a UK‑based food‑tech startup, announced a £2.5 million funding round to accelerate its fermentation‑derived cocoa alternative. The capital, sourced from impact‑focused investors, will fund scale‑up, regulatory approvals, and pilot manufacturing. The company claims its product mimics cocoa’s flavor and texture...
Are Manure Digesters a Real Solution to Dairy Farm Emissions?
Governments are subsidizing anaerobic digesters that turn cow manure into biogas, a technology that can slash methane emissions from dairy operations by up to 70%. Proponents argue the systems are among the most effective livestock‑focused climate tools, while critics warn...
How Thrive Market Is Helping 1,000+ Brands to Decarbonize
Thrive Market has launched a Climate Action Working Group to help more than 1,000 brands on its platform measure and reduce greenhouse‑gas emissions and plastic waste. The initiative offers discounted tools, webinars and case studies through partners such as Planet...
Iran Crisis 'Make or Break' Warning for Agriculture, Says FAIRR
FAIRR Initiative warned that the escalating Iran crisis is a make-or-break moment for global agriculture. The conflict underscores how geopolitical tensions can disrupt food supply chains and expose sustainability gaps. FAIRR called on financiers to embed sustainable practices and resilient...
German Winemakers Rewrite The Rules Of Riesling In A Warming World
German winemakers are confronting accelerating climate change by adopting high‑tech solutions and revising centuries‑old practices. Harvests now arrive in September, frost events are occurring earlier, and extreme floods threaten vineyards. The industry is testing solar‑panel canopies that temper ripening, introducing...
Pilot Initiative to Test Transparent Solar Films in West Africa
UK‑based NextGen Nano announced a £300 million agrivoltaics pilot in West Africa using its PolyPower™ transparent organic solar film. The project will integrate climate‑controlled greenhouse cultivation of nutrient‑dense crops such as amaranth and moringa with on‑site electricity generation to power cooling,...
"We Are Now at the Point Where We Have Multiple Promising Lines and Are Narrowing Them Down"
University of Florida researchers, backed by a $500,000 USDA‑NIFA grant, are close to delivering lettuce varieties that resist bacterial leaf spot. By tapping a rare Macedonian lettuce that naturally fights the disease, the team has generated hundreds of breeding lines...
"Time to Show Us More"
Albers Alligator, a Dutch specialist in manure storage and water‑covering solutions, has joined the greenhouse technology association AVAG during its 125th anniversary. New owners Michael van der Windt and Lennard Blijdorp, who took over in 2024, aim to raise the company’s profile...
Improving Energy Efficiency for Vertical Growers
A Korean research team built a nine‑month time‑series dataset from a real‑world vertical farm and applied machine‑learning models to optimise operations. XGBoost delivered the lowest prediction error, beating rule‑based forecasts by roughly 17‑18% and moving‑average methods by 12‑13%. The model’s...
US (NV): RHS Students Enjoy ‘Trout in the Classroom’ with Aquaponics System
Robertson High School in Nevada launched a Trout in the Classroom program, introducing 30 rainbow trout into an on‑site aquaponics system. FFA students, guided by agriculture educator Mabelle Roybal, have been raising the fish since January, handling daily feeding, temperature monitoring,...
"Polyhouse Growers and First-Time Hydroponic Entrepreneurs Make up the Bulk of Our Customer Base"
India’s protected‑cultivation sector is fueling a 15‑20% annual rise in coir substrate demand, with polyhouse growers and first‑time hydroponic entrepreneurs forming the core of Biogrow Substrates’ client base. The company reports stable raw‑material costs but notes freight volatility, driven by...
Cacao Pods and ‘Ugly’ Potatoes Powering the Upcycled Foods Movement
Upcycled foods, made from food‑system byproducts, are surging as a sustainable snack category. A Precedence Research report valued the global market at $63.8 billion in 2025 and forecasts $124.39 billion by 2034, with North America accounting for 39% of sales in 2024....
Is ‘Lab-Grown’ Meat Actually Safe?
In 2023 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration cleared the first lab‑grown chicken for sale after it passed safety assessments. Cultivated meat is produced by culturing animal cells in bioreactors, yielding a product nutritionally close to conventional meat but with...
Scientists Develop Gene-Edited Wheat that Can Make Toasted Bread Less Carcinogenic
Scientists at Rothamsted Research have used CRISPR to edit wheat genes responsible for free asparagine, the precursor of the carcinogen acrylamide formed during toasting. Field trials showed up to a 93% reduction in asparagine without any yield loss, and bread...
CRISPR-Edited Wheat Leads to Reduced Acrylamide Without Yield Loss
Scientists at Rothamsted Research have used CRISPR/Cas9 to create wheat lines with dramatically lower free asparagine, achieving reductions of up to 93% while maintaining normal yield and protein levels. Field trials showed that bread and biscuits made from the edited...
Fall Creek Introduces Apex, a New Blueberry Variety Coming to Disrupt the Early- to Mid-Season
Fall Creek Farm and Nursery has launched Apex (FCM14‑057), a new early‑ to mid‑season blueberry variety added to its Fall Creek Collection platform. After three years of open‑licensing trials, Apex delivers over 20 metric tons per hectare, up to 45 days of...
UF/IFAS Breeding Disease-Resistant Lettuce
University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is close to releasing disease‑resistant lettuce varieties, backed by a $500,000 USDA‑NIFA grant. Researchers are leveraging a rare Macedonian lettuce that naturally resists bacterial leaf spot and have bred hundreds of...
"We Can Better Align the Expected Supply From Our Growers with the Demand From Our Retail Customers"
Source.ag has launched its AI‑driven Harvest Forecast solution for bell peppers, extending the technology previously used for tomatoes. The model delivers weekly harvest predictions up to eight weeks ahead and has already cut three‑week forecast error by more than 40%...
EU to Enforce New Packaging Rules From August 2026
The European Union will enforce Regulation 2025/40 on Packaging and Packaging Waste starting 12 August 2026, with a phased rollout extending to 2040. The rule applies to all food packaging, including imports, and mandates recyclability by 2030, higher recycled‑content thresholds for plastics, and...
“Managing the Full Water Cycle Starts with Water Quality for the Crop and Continues with Reusing Water Whenever Possible"
Italian greenhouse equipment supplier Vifra has broadened its portfolio to include water‑treatment solutions that combine ultrafiltration (UF) and reverse osmosis (RO) for irrigation and nutrient recovery. The company stresses that high‑quality water is the foundation of a full‑cycle management approach,...
New Plastic-Free Fiber Pot for Retail and Landscaping Crops Introduced
Jiffy has launched Jiffy Pot R3, a plastic‑free, fiber‑based container designed for retail bedding plants, herbs, perennials and landscaping crops. The pot is fully recyclable in the paper waste stream and can be planted directly into soil or larger containers. Compared with...
“Biosolutions Are Already a Structural Change in Crop Protection”
BioWorks Europe, part of the BioFirst group, is expanding its footprint across Europe as biosolutions transition from niche alternatives to a structural component of modern crop protection. The company highlighted its biodegradable pheromone diffusion clips for Lobesia botrana in vineyards...
"The Chill Requirement for Cherries Is Met Earlier in the Greenhouse"
A trial in Turkey’s 900‑metre‑high Afyon/Sandıklı region demonstrates that greenhouse cherry production can meet the chill requirement earlier by leveraging cold winters, abundant sunshine and geothermal water for heating. The natural chill combined with controllable heat accelerates phenology, enabling an...
Weighing System Becomes Scalable for Pepper and Eggplant Growers
Wireless Value partnered with Van der Knaap Group to create a load‑cell weighing system that measures substrate moisture for pepper cultivation. Together with BBM Company, the solution was re‑engineered into a modular, greenhouse‑agnostic frame that can be installed quickly, even...
Strawberry Market Sees Higher California Supply and EU Price Pressure
The global strawberry market is diverging regionally as spring unfolds. California is set for a high‑volume season, with the Santa Maria area leading peak conventional output in April and organic supplies arriving later. Florida’s winter‑freeze damage has trimmed yields, while Mexican...
Morocco Expands Airport Cold Storage for Fresh Produce Exports
Royal Air Maroc Cargo is expanding its cold‑storage footprint at Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport, adding a 590 m² warehouse with five temperature‑controlled chambers—three for imports and two for exports. The upgrade targets the growing demand for fresh‑produce, flower and pharmaceutical shipments...