Agriculture

John Deere recently acquired Minnesota-based “Sentera,” an aerial imaging company specializing in precision agriculture. Deere plans to integrate Sentera’s technology into its existing digital platform, the John Deere Operations Center. Sentera’s field-scouting platform allows farmers to gather high-resolution, multispectral images with its drone-mounted cameras. The data is then processed with Sentera’s “FieldAgent,” which uses AI …

John Deere Adds Aerial-Imaging Company “Sentera” to its Growing Digital Family Read More »

Six ancestral systems across the globe have been added to the list of Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS). The new systems include everything from pearl mussel farming in China to the utilization of volcanic fields in Spain. The additions bring the total number of systems awarded the GIAHS designation, maintained by the Food and …

Six New “Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems” Designated by FAO Read More »

Lawmakers in the Senate recently introduced a bill called the “Food Security and Farm Protection Act,” which sponsors say will protect family farms and reduce burdensome regulations that they argue increase costs and market consolidation. The bill particularly targets laws like California’s “Proposition 12,” which sets animal welfare standards. Not surprisingly, strong opposition to the …

What You Need to Know About the “Food Security and Farm Protection Act” Read More »

Over the past 30 days, much of the central U.S. has benefited from well-timed, meaningful rainfall. Key agricultural zones have seen moisture return just when needed most. But not every region is on the winning side of this cycle as pockets of persistent dryness remain, particularly across parts of Missouri, where the pattern has also been consistent, …

Summer Rainfall Forecast Read More »

Rice is by far the most widely consumed staple food in Japan. Somewhere along the way, however, the country has fallen into a steep supply deficit and prices for the important staple have doubled since last summer. The government has released emergency reserves but hardly any of the supplies have actually landed on grocery store …

How Did Japan Run Out of Rice? Read More »

AgFunderNews recently ran an interesting article about plant-based meats titled “Plant-based meat by numbers: Grim reading for the US retail market, brighter spots in foodservice and globally.” Below are some highlights…US retail sales of plant-based meat fell -7.5% to $1.13 billion in the year to April 20, 2025, with unit sales down -10%.  Sales of frozen …

Are Plant-Based Meats Dead??? Read More »

The United States and Mexico have a complex tomato trade relationship. Supplies from our southern market are vital to meet U.S. demand. However, since the 1990s, Mexico tomato imports have climbed some +400%, an increase that U.S. growers says amounts to “dumping.” Now, the U.S. is pulling out of a decades old trade agreement and …

Long Running U.S.-Mexico Tomato Trade Dispute Erupts…Again Read More »

Avalo is a fairly new startup that is deploying interpretable artificial intelligence to develop climate-resilient crops and accelerated crop breeding. Brendan Collins, co-founder and CEO of Avalo, was recently quoted in an article for USA Today (read more here) saying, “A traditionally bred crop takes 12 years to get to market… Our process, from discovery to market, is three …

AI-Powered Plant Breeding Startup Hoping to Change the Game Read More »

Food companies are rushing to get ahead of possible stricter regulations for artificial dyes and flavors in the U.S. food supply. Ingredient suppliers like ADM have seen sales boom since Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in late April announced that the U.S. government will phase out artificial dyes from the food …

The Food Industry is Scrambling to Find “Natural” Dyes and Flavors Read More »

As we move through mid-May, the LRC recurring pattern has been tracking all season and continues to deliver right on schedule. This is a crucial time for the agricultural community, and the LRC provides growers a unique edge, not just in knowing what weather is coming, but when and where it will matter most. We …

May Rainfall Patterns, Planning For The Next Ag Impact Read More »