Agriculture

US farmers continue to adopt precision agriculture in an effort to not only increase production and lower input costs, but also combat myriad other challenges such as labor shortages and climate change. While digital agriculture (DA) technologies have been available for several years, adoption rates vary widely by crop and farm size. The biggest uptake …

Midwest Row Crop Farmers Have the Highest Precision Ag Adoption Rates Read More »

Talk of a global rice shortage has recently hit mainstream media with the press latching onto a report from Fitch Solutions. According to Fitch analysts, the global rice market in 2023 is set to log its “largest shortfall in two decades.” The report points to the war in Ukraine as well as adverse weather, particularly …

An Interesting Look Back at Rice Market History as Traders Mull the “Largest Production Shortfall in Two Decades” Read More »

China is both the world’s biggest pork producer and consumer. The country is home to roughly half the world’s pigs and consumes nearly half the world’s total pork output. China’s own pork production has more than doubled since 1990, climbing from 22.8 million metric tons (MMT) to more than 55 MMT in 2022. Pork has …

Interesting Facts About China’s Enormous Pork Industry Read More »

Honey is one of the most widespread sweeteners in the world with a history that dates as far back as human records. Across the globe today, it has grown into a $9 billion industry. However, some believe honey production in its current form is actually damaging the estimated 20,000 wild and native bee species in …

Say What… MeliBio is Now Making “Bee-Free Honey” in the Lab Read More »

As water in the Colorado River continues to shrink, the US Federal government is getting ready to impose reductions in water supplies to states for the first time. Officials earlier this month laid the groundwork for what could be substantial cuts in an effort to protect the minimum “responsible” water levels. This comes as states …

We All Need to Keep an Eye on How The Government Handles “Colorado River” Water Rights Read More »

Artificial Intelligence (AI) seems to have exploded into the mainstream and is already being applied across tons of agricultural uses. One area the technology holds particular promise is livestock farming where it can be used to keep track, inspect, and monitor the health of animals. Traditional methods for these essential tasks rely on farmers and …

AI Solutions for the Livestock Industry Read More »

We currently have more than enough plant-based protein to meet current demand. In time, however, as costs decline, there is a point at which Lab Grown protein may become competitive. It will take several innovations in precision fermentation. On the flip side, “synthetic pesticides” seem to be losing some of their luster. They take longer …

Will “Synthetic Biology” Disrupt Traditional Agriculture? Read More »

In the late 1800s, US businesses were in a consolidation frenzy. Taking cues from John D. Rockefeller’s Standard Oil Trust, the aim was to buy up smaller firms in order to end the destructive cycle of price wars, as well as create larger companies that could dominate, if not outright monopolize, entire industries. One group …

How a Midwestern Lawyer Revolutionized Food Packaging Read More »

Sybil Gorby, a 92-year-old resident of Tyler County, West Virginia, has been planting seeds from the same heirloom tomato lineage since 1965. Every spring, she cultivates the seeds in her garden, and by mid-August, she is rewarded with plump, shiny, and delicious tomatoes. Gorby believes there is something exceptional about these seeds and the tomatoes …

92-Year-Old has Grown Tomatoes from the Same Seed Lineage Since 1965 Read More »

America may be known as a red meat-loving country but when it comes to lamb and mutton we tend to be a little more finicky than many other countries. Lamb rarely gets served in US homes outside of special holidays and mutton is nearly impossible to find in a grocery store. It’s particularly mysterious when …

How Come Americans Don’t Like Eating Sheep? Read More »