Technology

  • Wheat is seen in a field.
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    Christopher Furlong via Getty Images
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    Corteva unveils ‘breakthrough’ in drought-resistant wheat

    A new seed hybrid has the potential to increase yields by 10% and represents one of the first major innovations for the crop in decades.

    By • Nov. 20, 2024
  • A flare burns gas coming out of a thin metal pipe, part of a system attached to a metal shed.
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    The image by Office of Gov. Jay Inslee is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
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    California opts to preserve credits for dairy digesters in major regulatory update

    A state regulator voted to amend the Low Carbon Fuel Standard, injecting new life into a lucrative biofuels credit market that is used by waste projects throughout the U.S.

    By Jacob Wallace • Nov. 20, 2024
  • Guardian Agriculture's SC1 eVTOL sprays crops in California. Explore the Trendline➔
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    Courtesy of Guardian Agriculture
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    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
  • The Bayer logo is cleaned
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    Courtesy of Bayer
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    Column

    Agtech seedlings: Bayer gets into the AI business with Microsoft

    Also in this week's farm technology news: Nutella maker Ferrero invests in hazelnut research, and digital crop monitoring platform FarmQA acquires competitor Farm Dog.

    By • Nov. 15, 2024
  • A large greenhouse facility is seen
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    Courtesy of Cox Farms
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    Cox Farms becomes largest indoor farming operator in North America

    The agricultural subsidiary of telecom giant Cox Enterprises has been on an acquisition spree since its launch in March, doubling the acreage for brands BrightFarms and Mucci Farms.

    By • Nov. 14, 2024
  • bayer corporate sign logo
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    Sean Gallup via Getty Images
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    Bayer urges investor patience as weak agricultural market drags earnings

    The chemical giant cut its financial outlook as it faces slowing crop protection sales and regulatory uncertainty around glyphosate and dicamba herbicides.

    By • Nov. 13, 2024
  • A Monarch tractor is seen
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    Courtesy of Monarch Tractor
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    Why the agtech sector may be rebounding

    Total investment increased more than 10% for two consecutive quarters following a dry spell for the category, according to Pitchbook, though fewer deals are happening.

    By • Nov. 12, 2024
  • CPG
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    Spencer Platt/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Opinion

    What happens when the left-right food policy spectrum becomes a circle?

    Changes of leadership at the FDA and the USDA under President-elect Trump could have a large impact on the industry, writes Sean McBride of DSM Communications.

    By Sean McBride • Nov. 12, 2024
  • Agco, headquartered in Duluth, Georgia, is focusing more on precision agriculture and margin-rich opportunities.
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    Courtesy of Agco Corp
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    Agco further slows tractor production in ‘aggressive’ move to combat declining demand

    The tractor maker is looking to reduce dealer inventory levels as large agriculture equipment sales continue to fall.

    By • Nov. 11, 2024
  • Mississippi State University Assistant Professor Hussein Gharakhani assesses the performance of an autonomous agricultural robot in the field.
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    Courtesy of Mississippi State University
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    Column

    Agtech Seedlings: Deere partners with Mississippi State on farm automation

    Also in this week's farm technology news: A large-scale larvae farm opens in Canada and Nature’s Miracle is set to enter the agricultural electric vehicle market.

    By • Nov. 8, 2024
  • A look at greens at one of Bowery Farming's indoor farms.
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    Courtesy of Bowery Farming
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    Celebrity-backed indoor farming company Bowery closes, lays off workers

    The New York City-based company that once attracted funding from Natalie Portman and Justin Timberlake is the latest greenhouse grower to suffer from rising costs and a lack of venture capital funds.

    By • Nov. 7, 2024
  • Greenhouse interior with rows of potted corn plants covered with paper bags for pollination control, beneath metal beams and lighting fixtures.
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    AgriNovus Indiana / Kaylee Versteegh

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    Sponsored by AgriNovus Indiana

    Austerity breeds opportunity: How farmers will shape agbioscience solutions of the future

    New research from AgriNovus Indiana shows that while challenged, farmers are also the key to unlock the industry’s innovations of the future.

    Nov. 4, 2024
  • hands are seen cupping soil
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    Jacob Mathers via Getty Images
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    Column

    Agtech seedlings: Indigo Ag taps former Alibaba executive as CFO

    Also in this week's farm technology news: Ohalo launches a self-pollinating almond variety and USAID commits $57.4 million to advance agtech research.

    By • Nov. 1, 2024
  • A farmer sits on a tractor with hay in the foreground
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    Farm loans above $1M soar as ag economy deteriorates

    Weakened crop profit margins are pushing producers to take out bigger loans at a faster pace than in previous years.

    By • Oct. 31, 2024
  • Aerial view of oranges being harvested in Florida
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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    Milton strains citrus ingredient production

    The hurricane tore through Florida’s orange groves as citrus flavors and fibers become more popular among consumers. 

    By Elizabeth Flood • Oct. 29, 2024
  • Farmers are seen releasing a drone in a soybean field
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    evandrorigon via Getty Images
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    Farmers more willing to try new technologies that boost productivity: report

    A McKinsey survey found producers are interested in products and practices that improve crop yields, although cost challenges and skepticism remain barriers to adoption.

    By • Oct. 28, 2024
  • Tractors with the Agtonomy logo are seen in wine vineyards
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    Courtesy of Agtonomy
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    Column

    Agtech seedlings: Agtonomy raises nearly $33M for self-driving tractors

    Also in this week’s farm technology news: USDA changes acreage reports to handle indoor farms, and Verdant Robotics unveils an AI weedkiller that ‘aims before it shoots.’

    By • Oct. 25, 2024
  • A farmer in a tractor is seen moving sewage sludge
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    The image by Sustainable Sanitation Alliance is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    USDA developing roadmap to tackle PFAS on farmland

    Suggested long-term solutions include finding new ways to detect contamination and developing tools to stop "forever chemicals" before they cause harm to soil.

    By • Oct. 23, 2024
  • Carbon Robotics' Laser Weeder identifies and kills weeds on a farm using high-powered lasers.
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    Courtesy of Carbon Robotics
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    Carbon Robotics raises $70M for its AI-powered LaserWeeder

    The startup plans to use the funds to roll out new software and hardware products and expand manufacturing in eastern Washington.

    By • Oct. 23, 2024
  • John Deere farm equipment is seen
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    Deere under FTC investigation over farms’ right to repair equipment

    A probe into whether the tractor giant violated consumer protection law comes as farmers say they have little choice but to overpay for dealer repairs. 

    By • Oct. 21, 2024
  • Man in agriculture
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    Permission granted by GS1 US
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    Sponsored by GS1 US

    Digital agriculture: How IoT, digital twins and AI are shaping the future of farming

    Building a digital duplicate and integrating data better will enhance crop health, farm productivity and the bottom line. 

    Oct. 21, 2024
  • The exterior of the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C.
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    Jemal Countess via Getty Images
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    Column

    Agtech seedlings: US lawmakers propose tax credits for agtech investments

    Also in this week's farm technology news: A former Monsanto exec is named the CEO of Freight Farms, and fruit breeding company Bloom Fresh adds blueberries to its portfolio.

    By • Oct. 18, 2024
  • John Deere's logo is seen
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    David Becker via Getty Images
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    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 • Oct. 17, 2024
  • A Deere tractor is seen running without a person in the driver's seat
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    Courtesy of Deere & Co.
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    Deep Dive

    Driving 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
  • A woman uses a digital tablet while working at a cow farm
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    Jay Yuno via Getty Images
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    Column

    Agtech Seedlings: Deere launches dairy sustainability tool with DeLaval

    Also in this week's farm technology news: Cibo Technologies partners with Scoular to prepare for biofuel tax credits, and AcreShield raises $2.5 million to help farmers with seed selection.

    By • Oct. 11, 2024
  • Cultured meat company Meatable's founders in a field with cows
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    Courtesy of Meatable
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    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