Big food’s regenerative agriculture pledges mostly just talk

Most businesses lack quantitative targets to reach their goals and only a few of them offer financial commitments to support farmers, according to a FAIRR report.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Sept. 22, 2023

Deere lays off more than 200 workers in Illinois

The agriculture equipment said it's balancing its production workforce with the needs of its Harvester Works factory in East Moline.

By Nathan Owens • Sept. 22, 2023

Explore the Trendline➔

Top 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

Incobrasa breaks ground on $250M soybean plant expansion

The oilseed processor and biodiesel maker is adding a crushing facility in Illinois to increase its production capacity.

By Sara Samora • Sept. 22, 2023

Climate activists warn Wall Street investors of JBS listing risks

Critics say the meatpacking giant’s plan to restructure diminishes the voting power of existing and future minority shareholders.

By Nathan Owens • Sept. 21, 2023

Potential Hormel strike looms after Minnesota workers reject contract offer

Union members at the Spam maker’s largest facility say the company’s “record profits are just wages not shared fairly with the rest of us,” joining workers around the country in a fight for improved benefits and pay.

By Nathan Owens • Sept. 20, 2023

Extreme heat is causing cows to produce less milk

Lower supply is pushing butter and cheese prices higher, which could help dairy producers who have suffered from deteriorating margins.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Sept. 19, 2023

Mars pushes regenerative agriculture in $1B climate initiative

The M&Ms and Skittles maker will reformulate its recipes and prioritize sourcing from farms that embrace sustainable practices as the CPG giant barrels toward net-zero emissions. 

By Sarah Zimmerman • Sept. 18, 2023

BioBetter opens molecular farming plant using tobacco to help grow cultivated meat

The Israeli startup created a manufacturing platform for producing growth factors using tobacco plants as self-sustained, animal-free bioreactors.

By Elizabeth Flood • Sept. 18, 2023

Former Tesla engineer joins Guardian Agriculture as farm drone maker ramps up production

The company is set to make its first deliveries to customers later this year following approval from the Biden administration.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Sept. 15, 2023

Mission Produce profits derailed by weak avocado harvest in Peru

The produce giant had locked in lower prices for customers earlier this year on the expectation of a bumper crop, but extreme weather wrecked those plans.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Sept. 14, 2023

Upside Foods announces first large-scale production plant for cultivated meat

The company selected the Chicago metro area as home for its next phase of growth.

By Elizabeth Flood • Sept. 14, 2023

Dairy industry teams with cybersecurity group to beef up defenses

As cyber crimes become more prevalent, the International Dairy Foods Association joins other food companies in efforts to share information and bolster protections.

By Nathan Owens • Sept. 12, 2023

Eat Just’s cultivated meat division fails to pay $30M worth of invoices

The company’s Good Meat subsidiary is working to reach a settlement with bioreactor specialist ABEC, a source said.

By Elizabeth Flood • Sept. 12, 2023

US farm income to see largest-ever drop

A combination of high expenses and weak prices for major crops and livestock are expected to lead to an estimated 23% decline in profits.

By Nathan Owens • Sept. 11, 2023

Shipping container farming startup to go public in deal with SPAC

Freight Farms’ merger with blank check company Agrinam will create a business valued at $147 million, and comes as other controlled agriculture companies struggle financially.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Sept. 8, 2023

Bayer to invest around $236M to advance more sustainable crop protection products in Europe

A new research and development facility in Germany will help develop the next generation of chemicals and build upon the biotech giant's commitment to regenerative agriculture.

By Nathan Owens • Sept. 7, 2023

Cargill food safety exec named IFT board president

Sean Leighton will take over the Institute of Food Technologies as the organization deals with safety issues around items such as cultivated meat and alternative proteins.

By Elizabeth Flood • Sept. 7, 2023

Mycoprotein maker Enough raises over $40M to double production

The Scottish company has ambitious goals of producing one million tons of its mycoprotein product “Abunda,” which is the equivalent of replacing five million cows or more than one billion chickens.

By Elizabeth Flood • Sept. 6, 2023

Bayer renews partnership with Pairwise to advance gene-edited short corn

The collaboration explores applications of the startup's CRISPR technology for future use in the crop science giant’s Preceon brand.

By Nathan Owens • Sept. 5, 2023

Pivot Bio taps new CEO as biofertilizer startup plans manufacturing expansion

A grain-trading insider is set to help the ag tech company scale and capitalize on growing demand for alternatives to traditional crop protection products.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Sept. 1, 2023

Hormel lowers outlook amid challenging pork and turkey backdrop

Weak prices offset sales volume growth in the third quarter as the food processor struggled with supply chain issues that resulted in a hefty arbitration payment.

By Nathan Owens • Sept. 1, 2023

Talking the future of food with Ginkgo Bioworks’ Patrick Boyle

As the head of Codebase, Boyle was a synthetic biologist "before it was cool.” Here’s how he helps food brands come up with animal-free proteins.  

By Judy McGuire • Sept. 1, 2023

Minerva buys 16 Marfrig meat plants for $1.5B

The Brazil meat exporter plans to acquire the beef giant’s processing facilities in South America to grow its wholesale commodity business, while Marfrig sharpens its focus to value-added products.

By Nathan Owens • Aug. 30, 2023

Mondelēz leans on startups to help fuel ambitious growth plans

The Oreo manufacturer said SnackFutures, its venture capital arm, plans to at least double the number of companies in its portfolio by 2030.

By Christopher Doering • Aug. 29, 2023

EPA denies petitions for stronger CAFO regulations

An advisory committee will instead study the extent of pollution on so-called "factory farms" and make recommendations to the agency.

By Sarah Zimmerman • Aug. 28, 2023