Operations
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David Becker via Getty Images
Deere lays off more workers in Iowa, Illinois as farm slump hits sales
The tractor manufacturer said the move is due to declining demand and unrelated to plans to shift some production to Mexico.
By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 17, 2024 -
Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
Chicken processor recalls nearly 12M pounds of meat over listeria concerns
BrucePac, a producer of precooked meat and poultry, has recalled hundreds of ready-to-eat food items available in grocery stores, schools and restaurants.
By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 16, 2024 -
Explore the Trendline➔
Courtesy of Guardian Agriculture
TrendlineTop 5 stories from Agriculture Dive
Declining farm income and other production challenges have pushed farmers to rethink their operations and adopt new technology in a bid to diversify potential revenue streams.
By Agriculture Dive staff -
Courtesy of Deere & Co.
Deep DiveDriving automation on the farm: Self-driving tractors look to fill agriculture’s labor shortage
John Deere and startup Agtonomy are introducing new ways to bring artificial intelligence to the field, with execs saying the technology holds the potential to open new job pathways for the next generation of farmers.
By Jesse Klein • Oct. 16, 2024 -
gerenme for iStock via Getty Images
Clemens Food Group to close Pennsylvania pork plant
The closure affects a plant acquired from Kunzler & Co. with production set to be moved to another facility in the state.
By Sara Samora • Oct. 15, 2024 -
Courtesy of Fresh Del Monte
Fresh Del Monte boosts regenerative agriculture 11% across farms
The produce giant said it's met a number of sustainability targets ahead of a 2030 deadline and also introduced new goals to improve human rights in agriculture.
By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 15, 2024 -
Scott Olson via Getty Images
Understanding EPA’s new rules protecting farmworkers from pesticide exposure
Changes controversially expand the boundaries for “application exclusion zones” to include areas outside the farm.
By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 15, 2024 -
Scott Olson via Getty Images
US farms on track to harvest record corn and soybean crops
Latest production estimates from USDA contribute to expectations of sharp profit declines for growers.
By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 14, 2024 -
Permission granted by Blake's
From a small apple farm to a $54M cider business: Charting the rise of Blake’s Hard Cider
A third-generation farmer has grown his family’s Michigan orchard into a multi-million dollar operation with a national footprint.
By Jennifer Lawinski • Oct. 14, 2024 -
Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
Cal-Maine plans $40M investment to expand cage-free egg production
The U.S.' largest egg producer also said it's working with growers to add more free-range hens as it converts a former Tyson facility in Missouri.
By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 14, 2024 -
sequential5 via Getty Images
Moldy motel rooms, unlicensed drivers: Farm banned from H-2A program after labor violations
Harvest Plus LLC is paying more than $250,000 in fines after the Department of Labor said the company illegally withheld wages and transported temporary farmworkers in “dilapidated” vehicles.
By Caroline Colvin • Oct. 11, 2024 -
Megan Varner via Getty Images
Helene damage to Georgia agriculture tops $6B in preliminary estimate
"The future is uncertain for thousands of Georgia farmers," the state's agriculture commissioner said, with poultry growers and pecan farmers facing years of recovery from widespread destruction.
By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 11, 2024 -
Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
USDA prepared to issue subpoenas in beef price-gouging investigation
The department is exploring the impact of food system consolidation as it looks to "more vigorously enforce" competition rules in the meat and grocery industries.
By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 10, 2024 -
Permission granted by Chomps
How Chomps’ grass-fed beef sticks became the fastest growing snack in the US
The meat company is preparing to open its first dedicated manufacturing facility in collaboration with Western Smokehouse Partners.
By Elizabeth Flood • Oct. 10, 2024 -
Scott Olson via Getty Images
Mormon Church pays $289M for dozens of US farms
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' real estate arm is acquiring more than 41,000 acres of land with the intention of leasing it to farmers.
By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 10, 2024 -
Amarita via Getty Images
Pecan farmers suffer devastating blow from Hurricane Helene
The recent storm shows why farmers and manufacturers need to be proactive for the next disaster, according to the CEO of pecan milk brand PKN.
By Elizabeth Flood • Oct. 10, 2024 -
Joe Raedle via Getty Images
Hurricane Milton takes aim at Florida’s Citrus Belt
The life-threatening storm could also wreak havoc on the state's phosphate industry, keeping fertilizer prices elevated.
By Sarah Zimmerman • Oct. 9, 2024 -
Caroline Colvin/Agriculture Dive
Vegetable grower settles claim that HR staff required harassment victim to obtain restraining order
A female employee at Pero Family Farms Food Company repeatedly attempted to report a male co-worker’s sexual harassment and physical threats, federal investigators alleged.
By Ryan Golden • Oct. 9, 2024 -
Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
McDonald’s sues Tyson, JBS and other beef producers for allegedly fixing prices
The fast food giant, which is the world's largest buyer of beef, alleges major meat companies conducted illegal acts to drive down supplies.
By Nathan Owens • Oct. 8, 2024 -
Courtesy of Meatable
Meatable eyes new funding as it looks to bring cultivated beef to the meat industry
The startup’s CEO sees working with farmers and processors who could use a percentage of cultivated meat in their products as a solution to many of the industry’s issues.
By Elizabeth Flood • Oct. 8, 2024 -
Courtesy of Lamb Weston
French fry maker Lamb Weston to close Idaho potato processing plant
The restructuring comes as the food producer sees a slowdown in demand at restaurants and retailers.
By Christopher Doering • Oct. 7, 2024 -
Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
One of California’s major agricultural regions could ban ‘factory farming’
Residents in Sonoma County are divided on Measure J, which farmers say could yield unintended economic consequences if passed.
By Nathan Owens • Oct. 4, 2024 -
Brandon Bell via Getty Images
Cal-Maine profits soar, driven by higher egg prices and supply demands
The largest U.S. egg producer is rebuilding its flocks and supplies following bird flu outbreaks at some of its facilities.
By Nathan Owens • Oct. 3, 2024 -
Sarah Silbiger via Getty Images
What to know about the FDA’s reorganization
The new structure could mean more thorough inspections for food giants, according to experts.
By Elizabeth Flood • Oct. 2, 2024 -
Brandon Bell via Getty Images
East Coast and Gulf ports shut down as dockworkers strike
The USDA does not expect “significant changes to food prices or availability in the near term” due to the work stoppage, though exporters have warned of shipment delays and higher costs.
By Alejandra Carranza • Oct. 1, 2024 -
Sean Rayford via Getty Images
Hurricane Helene devastates farms across the Southeast
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp said "every commodity in the state has been damaged," with cotton farmers anticipating hundreds of millions of dollars in losses.
By Sarah Zimmerman • Sept. 30, 2024
