Automated Berry Harvesting Solutions: How Growers Are Solving the Soft Fruit Labor Crisis
Robotic strawberry harvesting, once experimental, is now entering commercial indoor operations, reshaping the labor‑intensive soft‑fruit sector. Advances in computer vision and gentle end‑effectors have reduced damage rates, while pick speeds approach those of skilled workers, making automation viable for high‑value crops. Companies such as Oishii are vertically integrating by acquiring automation specialist Tortuga AgTech and designing facilities around robot requirements, establishing a cost structure that will be hard for later entrants to match. Although field‑based farms still struggle with variable canopies and higher capital costs, the trend points to controlled‑environment agriculture as the primary arena for scalable berry automation.
Nitrogen Fertilizer Corn Costs in 2026: How Biological Inputs Are Changing the Math
Nitrogen fertilizer has become the biggest cost driver for U.S. corn growers in 2026, accounting for up to 44% of total operating expenses. Prices surged as anhydrous ammonia topped $1,126 per ton, a rise of more than 25% since February,...
TransFRESH Acquires Hazel Technologies for Breatheway MAP Integration
TransFRESH Corporation, a Chiquita Holdings subsidiary, has completed the acquisition of Hazel Technologies, bringing its Breatheway temperature‑responsive membrane MAP technology into TransFRESH’s operations. The deal focuses on upgrading the Tectrol pallet‑bag system for berries, while Hazel’s existing banana and tropical‑fruit...
Rovensa Next Launches Luxyva Biosolution for Solar Radiation Stress Management in Mexico
Rovensa Next has introduced Luxyva, a biosolution aimed at mitigating solar radiation stress for crops, beginning with a launch in Mexico. The product protects Photosystem II and the D1 protein, helping plants maintain photosynthetic efficiency under intense light and heat. Field...
Nanjing Agricultural University Launches Green Shield, China’s First Open-Source AI Model for Crop Protection
Nanjing Agricultural University, together with the National Key Laboratory of Agricultural Biosafety and over 30 industry partners, has launched Green Shield, China’s first open‑source large language model dedicated to crop protection. The model was trained on more than 2.5 billion tokens...
Ceres Greenhouse Solutions and LettUs Grow Partner to Bring Advanced Aeroponics to North America
Ceres Greenhouse Solutions of Boulder and UK‑based LettUs Grow have formed a strategic partnership to deliver turnkey greenhouse systems that combine Ceres’ energy‑efficient structures with LettUs Grow’s patented Advanced Aeroponics technology. The collaboration will introduce the aeroponic platform to North...
Vireo Growth Announces Intention to Acquire Organic Supplier Bridgewell Agribusiness for US$40M
Vireo Growth Inc. announced its intention to acquire Bridgewell Agribusiness LLC, a supplier of organic and non‑GMO food ingredients, for a $40 million base price that translates to an estimated $10.26 million net after assuming $30 million of Bridgewell debt. The purchase will...
Kubota, NTT, and DOCOMO Demonstrate Stable Communications for Remote Robotic Farm Machinery
Kubota, NTT, and NTT DOCOMO demonstrated a communications system that keeps video feeds stable for remotely operated robotic farm machines in Japan’s mountainous terrain. The solution blends mobile and satellite links using multi‑link control, automatically switching to the stronger connection....
Yanmar Opens Agricultural Solution Experience Center in Thailand
Yanmar S.P. Co. has opened the YANMAR Solution Experience Center in Bang Nam Priao, Chachoengsao Province, Thailand. The hub, created with Chia Tai Company Limited and XAG Co., showcases integrated rice‑farming machinery, drone technology and seed innovations, while providing hands‑on...
Growing Strawberries Indoors Commercially: The Answer to Field Berry’s Biggest Problem?
Indoor hydroponic and aeroponic strawberry farms eliminate soil contact, removing the primary pathogen vector that drives most recalls in field production. This architectural shift extends shelf life, enabling ten‑day freshness guarantees that field supply chains cannot support. Operators across North...
Innov8.ag Opens HarvestReplay Paid Pilot for Specialty Crop Growers With Savings Guarantee
Innov8.ag has opened applications for a 15‑slot paid pilot of its HarvestReplay platform, charging $10,000 per farm with a guarantee to refund the fee if at least $20,000 in operational savings aren’t identified within a year. The AI‑driven system pulls...
Evogene Reports Q1 2026 Results as AgPlenus Herbicide and Fungicide Programs Advance
Evogene Ltd. posted a Q1 2026 net loss of about $5.9 million, with revenue plunging to $0.3 million from $2.3 million a year earlier. Its AgPlenus subsidiary advanced herbicide research with Corteva and moved an internal fungicide program into lead optimization, while the...
URUS Group Acquires AgriWebb to Extend Data-Driven Cattle Management Into Beef Sector
URUS Group LP has signed a definitive agreement to acquire AgriWebb, a global livestock‑management platform for beef and sheep producers. The acquisition will extend URUS's data‑and‑genetics model, already proven in dairy through its VAS DairyComp platform, into the beef sector....
BioWorks Launches TotalNema Ax Botanical Nematicide for Specialty Crop Nematode Control
BioWorks has launched TotalNema Ax, a 25(b) botanical nematicide that uses a proprietary blend of botanical oils to control plant‑parasitic nematodes in specialty crops. Field trials showed an 83% control rate on cotton and up to a 22.5% yield boost on...
Drone Nerds Adds Agremo Crop Monitoring and Field Analytics Platform to Agriculture Portfolio
Drone Nerds, a subsidiary of XTI Aerospace (NASDAQ: XTIA), has incorporated Agremo Ltd.’s crop monitoring and field analytics platform into its agricultural enterprise solutions. The Agremo system turns drone and satellite imagery into actionable agronomic data, delivering stand counts, weed...