Agtech Action | Week of 01.09.21 - 01.15.21
Agtech Action is a weekly newsletter highlighting current events in the world of agtech, and some light-hearted humor
Welcome back to your favorite agtech newsletter. Things are ramping back up, as evidenced with a lot of news and current events this week in the world of agtech. From China buying a lot of US sorghum, to the USDA and FDA fighting over regulatory oversight of genetically modified animals, and an interesting study on eliminating dairy cows and how that would affect global emissions (hint: its minimal). And you will never guess who the largest private farmland owners are in the US (hint: founder of Microsoft). Enjoy the news!
Food and the World:
Organic produces sales on the rise at retail
We need vaccines to protect our food crops too
Agriculture must be part of climate change negotiations, say Farm Bureau
Biden wants more coronavirus relief for ag, Vilsack tells produce groups
Strong land prices expected to continue
Pilgrim’s Pride reaches settlement agreement for price fixing (0:10 mark)
What USDA report changes could fire up commodity markets even more?
USDA clears individuals in Organic Fruit Markets PACA case
ITC kicks off investigation into imported cucumbers and squash
Scarce rainfall for Argentina’s main-producing regions
USDA steps up oversight for India’s organic exports to the US
After the success of Prop 22 in CA, UberEats, Grubhub, and Instacart score a federal victory
Blueberry alliance testifies about rising pressure of imports
Huge growth in grocery delivery in China
China is buying US sorghum (due to increase alcohol consumption, which sorghum is used to manufacture) (0:10 mark)
Highest corn, soybean prices since commodity boom, says USDA
FPAA praises lawmaker involvement on imported blueberry investigation
ICT the solution for youth in agriculture
Mexico farm lobby blasts ban on GMO corn, organic growers welcome it
A bullish mentality is setting in, analyst says
Soybean market eyes drier weather outlook in Argentina
Del Monte’s eco-friendly ship begins imports into FL
Agriculture in the News:
Countdown begins for compliance with GMO food-labeling rule
Biden picks Samantha Power for USAID post
Washington growers prioritize vaccinations for all farmworkers
EPA seeks comment on general blending waiver for oil refineries
Scientists are gene-editing tomato plants for the International Space Station
Class action suit alleges companies conspired against farmer interests
Farmworkers still do not get paid for overtime in most places
Federal agencies clash over who regulates genetically engineered meat (the USDA and FDA are fighting over who gets regulatory oversight for genetically modified animals)
Bill and Melinda Gates are the largest private farmland owners in the US
Tyson Foods agrees to settle in poultry price-fixing lawsuit
New USDA retail report promises insights but could be better
Walmart grant to expand ethical recruitment of H-2A workers
Animal Agriculture Alliance makes convention recordings public
These companies stand up for genetically engineered foods
‘WE SHOULD NOT HELP THEM ONE MICRON,’ and other dispatches from a vast chicken conspiracy
John Deere sues Kinze, ag leader for patent infringement
Will the EPA torpedo RFS again on Wheeler’s way out?
Someone fed all the hungry, hiding members of Congress yesterday
COVID-related smell loss puts chefs through the emotional wringer
Wood pulp in your ‘100 percent grated cheese’
Farmworkers suddenly lose $1.5B in COVID safety funding
Whole Foods cuts some workers’ paid breaks from 15 minutes to 10
USDA tightens the US corn, soybean stockpiles
USDA releases Agriculture Innovation Research Strategy summary
Removing all dairy cows and products only cuts global emissions by 0.7%, and come at cost of a large nutrition gap according to a study by Virginia Tech (1:00 mark, just the science here, not conjecture)
Perdue demurs at Cabinet sideline of Trump
Supreme Court agrees to hear biofuel waiver case
Farm Bureau donates $5M to support rural communities
Farmers gain greater access to small business support as PPP reopens
Bipartisan group calls on USDA to prioritize safety funding
USDA purchases millions of pounds of apples
Helpful Resources:
New grant cycle opens to fund farmer veterans
GROWMARK announces agricultural scholarship program
When an electric pole killed 3 cows, producer reached out for help
Op-Ed: Agriculture sustainability in 2021 and beyond
Fun:
Nebraska rancher uses herd to honor frontline workers (so cool!)
The strangest food crimes of 2020 (from stolen Bordeaux to pink doughnuts)
Best and Worst states to start a farm or ranch (#1 is Kentucky)
You can get your Valentine a heart shaped box of cheeses
Meet the Farm Dog of the Year (a 5 year old Australian shepherd) (1:05 mark)
Learning by Doing Grant helps Pa. FFA chapters, advisors & members
B2C Meat Company – Lettie McKinney, MC: Kansas Profile
New season of ‘American Grown: My Job Depends on Ag’ premieres
Interesting Reads:
The growing demand for transparency in the produce aisle
The stimulus bill is helpful. But it doesn’t go far enough to help the hungry
The promise of 2020 will be achieved in 2021
Vaccine administration has long-term market value impact in beef
Pesticides contribute to infectious disease prevention and public health
Better defense for better tomatoes
Using ag by-products in CA dairy feed crucial for sustainability
Technologies that will change agriculture – an article about rural broadband (interestingly, the Yield Lab Institute held a panel on that very topic, check it out)
USDA report analysis: Is the US running out of soybeans to sell?
No-till practices in vulnerable areas radically reduce soil carbon
Learning the art and science of cheesemaking
Behind the greens: Why greenhouse lettuce is not competitive yet
Regenerative Ag: The No. 1 food trend of 2020
Dairy is a major piece of ag’s environmental solution, not one of its problems
Finance:
Prestige Funds’ credit vehicle takes in £100M
Agtech deals and fundraising to Q3 2020
Gro Intelligence raises $85M to address climate risk and food security
CropIn raises $20M in Series C led by ABC World Asia
Marubeni backs Japanese plant-based meat startup DAIZ, plans US launch
Ocean Spray taps Amai’s ‘hyper-sweet’ protein to cut 40% sugar from cranberry juice
Alaska RMB terminates Hancock’s ag and timber mandate – results in the transfer of farmland and timber assets into existing accounts managed by UBS and TIR, respectively
Westchester’s Davies on investors’ ‘moral obligation’ to natural capital
Westchester examines potential breadth of ag’s offset markets
Agtech CVC: Syngenta Ventures on ChemChina, business model innovation and ‘agri-fintech’
Gorillas raises $44M for its German dark stores
The Yield Lab Europe is hiring:
Interested in joining Europe's best AgTech fund? We are looking for the best people to add to our team. If you are familiar with AgTech and investing, and want to get involved with companies that are going to revolutionize the agricultural sector, please reach out to europe@theyieldlab.com with your CV.
One article that caught my attention this week was this one: The promise of 2020 will be achieved in 2021. And based on the ramping up of fundraises, new industry initiatives focused on regenerative ag, I am hopeful for 2021. Let’s get this vaccine deployed.
Brandon
Brandon Day is the Chief Operating Officer of the Yield Lab Institute, an agtech think tank and non-profit arm of the Yield Lab, based in St. Louis, MO. The Yield Lab Institute is focused on supporting early, seed stage agtech startups, innovations and entrepreneurs through targeted initiatives that include innovation challenges, ecosystem assessments and technical studies and research in agrifood. If you would like to learn more about the Institute and its initiatives, please contact brandon@theyieldlab.com for more information.