A novel type of insurance product has been gaining traction amid increasingly extreme weather events that have roiled the industry. Known as “parametric insurance,” these contracts insure a policyholder against the occurrence of a specific event by paying a set amount triggered by a predetermined parameter. In other words, it pays out based on the …

“Parametric Insurance” Offers a Hedge Against Weather Extremes and More Read More »

Renewable diesel capacity in the US has almost doubled in the last two years. However, it’s not US soybean growers benefitting from the expansion of renewable diesel as many had anticipated. Instead, renewable fuel facilities are importing record amounts of canola oil from Canada and used cooking oil (UCO) from China, resulting in domestic soybean …

Canada and China are Big Winners in US Renewable Diesel Push Read More »

More agricultural land across the country is being covered by solar panels as farmers look for ways to lessen the blow dealt by sliding crop prices and high input costs. It’s a trend that’s forecast to continue, also. The American Farmland Trust estimates that 83% of expected future solar development will take place on agricultural …

Solar Panels Covering More Prime US Farmland Raises Alarms Read More »

American farmers have led the way in adopting smart-farming tools and practices that have not only helped increase productivity but also sustainability. Still, adoption levels of so-called “sustainable farming practices” remain relatively low, according to a recent report from McKinsey. It found that although 90% of farmers are aware of sustainable farming practices, a lack …

Farmers Need More Support to Meet Sustainability Goals Read More »

The Lower Sioux Indian Community, near Morton, Minnesota, has made a big bet on hemp to offer a better future for its residents. Construction is nearly complete on a 20,000-sq-ft manufacturing campus that will process hemp into a construction material known as “hempcrete.” The short-term goal is to use the natural building material to construct …

Lower Sioux Turn to “Hempcrete” to Create Better Homes and Secure Community Future Read More »

Plant-based meat alternatives hit the US market with a bang a few years ago to what seemed like enormous popularity. So much so that some US state have even moved to ban labeling these products as “meat.” The concerns about meat alternatives killing the livestock industry appear to be greatly overblown, however, as most Americans …

Most Consumers Just Don’t Like “Fake Meat” Read More »

A county in California could be the first in the nation to vote on a measure to limit CAFO sizes. In case you are wondering… CAFO is the acronym they use for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations, aka CAFOs. The measure was approved for the ballot after a petition drive by the group “Coalition to End …

County in California Could Be First in Nation to Restrict CAFOs Read More »

Cattle producers are being urged to watch for signs of an emerging disease caused by “Theileria orientalis,” a protozoal organism transmitted by the Asian longhorned tick. While the invasive tick species is now found in 19 states, only 9 states have so far confirmed the presence of Theileria orientalis and the resulting disease known as …

Cattle Producers Being Urged to Watch for Signs of NEW Emerging Tick Disease Read More »

Each week our good friend and business partner Carter Williams will be sharing some of his thoughts on agriculture below are a few recent highlights from his weekly report called “Creative Destruction”, written by Carter Williams, CEO at iSelect Fund (@jcarterwil on x/twitter) What I learned this week… Crop yield and nutrition developments have been negatively …

“Creative Destruction”, by Carter William Read More »

China this year has released a string of policy priorities for agriculture aimed at boosting domestic production. According to state media, China has reached a “bottleneck” in these ongoing efforts where it is increasingly difficult to lift production any further. Roadblocks include an aging farm labor force and a lack of workers to take their …

A Look at China’s Latest Plans to Boost Grain Output Read More »