Agtech Action | Week of 07.31.21 - 08.06.21
Agtech Action is a weekly newsletter highlighting current events in the world of agtech, and some light-hearted commentary
Will the next pandemic affect pigs, 95% of the West is affected by the drought, and a big acquisition in the precision ag space by John Deere. Tyson is mandating the vaccine for its workers, CA farmers are being cut off from water, and insect meal could replace soy demand in the UK. And the theme of the agtech week hits on my thoughts about the Beyond Meat founder’s suggested meat tax—market intervention. We keep it spirited yet fun here at the Yield Lab Institute’s weekly newsletter. Enjoy!
Food and the World:
Omaha meat processor recalls 295,000 pounds of raw beef over possible E. coli contamination
PepsiCo to Sell Juice Brands to PAI for About $3.3 Billion
Ethanol Ditched as Biden Unveils Plan to Phase Out Gas Cars, Says 'There's No Turning Back'
USDA lifts PACA reparation sanctions on Michigan produce business
Podcast – Table grape industry analysis from Rabobank's David Magaña
EPA, Corps announce meetings to gather input on WOTUS
Gotham Greens launches new salad dressings at retailers nationwide
Senate approves first Biden-era executive at USDA
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture responds to ASF in Dominican Republic
Making mushrooms even more sustainable than they already are
What is it like to go to a bar that requires the vaccine?
In drought plagued Northern Mexico, cows are starving to death
Potato sales decline (0:50 mark)
U.S. Bread, Donut Makers Urge Biden to Roll Back Biofuel Requirements
Motif partners with mechanical engineers and dental experts to understand the science of chewing
Facing ‘dire water shortages,’ California bans Delta pumping (this is not the right solution; cut off water to farmers, you WILL SEE the food chain hit)
An uptick in industrial aquaculture in Maine has some lobster- and fishermen hot under the collar
Drought covers 95% of the West (0:05 mark)
Shipping container rates between the US and China increase to 500% from 2020 (0:40 mark)
A mega-dairy is transforming Arizona’s aquifer and farming lifestyles
Two new USDA reports to put more details into cattle prices
NPPC thanks USDA for imported dog rules
ASF detected in Dominican Republic, prompting worries it may spread to US
Cameroon’s West region bans pig products as African swine fever looms
Study: U.S. pork needs more access to foreign-born workforce
The Weird, Sustainable Booze of the Future Tastes … Good?
Agtech in the News:
Global Aquaculture Spotlight Series: Wittaya Aqua
Village startups battling the fraudulent seed market in Kenya
St. Louis Business Journal features the Sustainable Agtech Challenge
Farm Tech Investing Is Accelerating Faster Than Food Tech And General VC - New Report
Bayer to remove glyphosate from lawn and garden Roundup products
3D-printed lamps from orange peels
Euphoria fades as farmers fret over inflation, rising costs
Spotlight Series: The Yield Lab Global Aquaculture Challenge – Aqua Bridge
Pork producer issues warning over new California pig law: Initial prices could spike up to 50%
Native.AI Announces New CTO to Scale AI and NLP Capabilities
Agriculture is Ripe for Fundamental Change
Masdar in pact with US company to turn desert air into water in Abu Dhabi
France has become innovation nation for insect production
Growers Edge partners with DF Seeds to deliver warranty-backed Alfalfa Challenge to growers
SwineTech empowers workers to improve the health and well-being of pigs
Farms don’t have to be outside anymore
Fun:
This Dairy Farmer Has All the Right ‘Mooves’ for the Summer Olympics
Tokyo convenient stores feeding Olympic athletes
15 minutes with Mark Peart, Founder and CEO of DIT Agtech
National watermelon day (1:10 mark)
8 urban farms creating positive social impact
In the middle of the pandemic, she left a lucrative tech job to become a farmer
New John Deere Gator launched as a tribute to veterans
Scientists debunk the ancient food myths
Q&A: Kiah Twisselman Burchett, rancher and life coach
Helpful Resources:
Drought in the Colorado River Basin
The Proposed Transfer Tax Can be Much Worse for Most Farmers Than the Estate Tax
Food Security report (by McKinsey)
Interesting Reads:
Beyond Meat boss backs tax on meat consumption (so if you can’t beat ‘em, tax ‘em)
Groups ask Congress to double funds for land stewardship
The effects of rental eviction moratoria on household well-being
WWF: Insect meal could replace one-fifth of UK soy demand
S2G Ventures Research Reveals Structural Changes Shaping Today's Food System Revolution
Social media continues to play role in helping marketers reach parents
Monthly raises by start-ups in Africa in 2021
GRAPHIC: Big commercial farms got 10x more government assistance than family farms
What does the Colorado River shortage mean for ... urban growth?
Diversifying Adds To Sustainability
Translating Pressure Into Progress For A Better Beef System
NASA At Your Table: The Space Agency’s Surprising Role in Agriculture
Finance:
AXA IM strikes A$700M deal for Australian timberland
John Deere’s $250m acquisition of Bear Flag Robotics
Astanor Ventures leads €45M investment round for v2Food
Proterra lists $A350M of Australian farmland assets for sale
Benford beefs up cattle care platform with two add-ons
Bill Gates, SPACs and direct investments – the biggest headlines from H1
Nobell Foods locks $75M Series B to make casein from soybeans
NovoNutrients raises $4.7M to make protein from CO2
Protera announced final close of its Series A at $10M
AppHarvest Secures $91 Million Financing Arrangement With Equilibrium Capital for Construction
A couple of stories this week caught my attention; one was about a company called Agri Stats that provided data to meat industry players, in essence facilitating price fixing. The other was Beyond Meat’s co-founder urging a meat tax to all real meat products (beef, pork, etc.). Which leads to the theme of the agtech week—market intervention. Both are examples of that; one is internal (from industry) and the other is external (from the government). In my opinion, both are anti-competitive and have no place at all. Let innovation and entrepreneurs solve those food system problems, whether that’s creating more value upstream of the animal protein value chain for ranchers and farmers, and let the market decide which products it wants, animal vs. alternative proteins. Market intervention, in any form, hinders and discourages innovation, ultimately hurting all stakeholders in the value chain.
A great agtech week and an update is coming regarding the Sustainable Agtech Challenge. Thanks for reading.
BD
Brandon Day is the Chief Operating Officer of the Yield Lab Institute, the think-tank, non-profit arm of The Yield Lab global network of venture capital funds and accelerator programs.