USDA, DOI help American ranchers better access grazing lands with MOU
The USDA and DOI are working to streamline the process ranchers use to apply for public grazing lands, while expanding communication channels and data access
Policy & regulation
Is price transparency a first step in addressing fertilizer volatility?
A bipartisan piece of legislation wants to bring more transparency to the fertilizer market, amid rising prices due to the Iran war
Trump announces biofuel, DEF changes at White House event attended by John Deere, AGCO, Farm Bureau
President Donald Trump revealed changes to biofuel blending and diesel exhaust fluid system sensor requirements at the Great American Agriculture Celebration — all designed to help farmers save money
USDA announces NIFA grants to protect ag production from pests, diseases
Grants will help researchers develop solutions to combat new and re-emerging pest problems that pose a risk to food security
AI for all: South Korea unveils national plan to democratise AI access down to every farmer
South Korea has unveiled national strategy to ensure that artificial intelligence becomes accessible to every farmer as part of a wider push to expand AI across the sector.
Where’s the data? Philippine Senate pushes investigation into failure to track commercial fishing
The Philippine Senate is grilling the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) for alleged failures in using vessel monitoring data to track commercial fishing, leaving municipal waters exposed to illegal incursions.
Vietnam pushes ag sector towards high-value production, sustainability to maintain export momentum
Vietnam’s ag ministry is rolling out a series of measures to sustain its strong export growth by shifting the sector toward higher-value production, greater sustainability and stronger alignment with increasingly strict global market standards.
Iran war: Middle East conflict kicks up more uncertainty for 2026 growing season
All eyes are on the Strait of Hormuz, as an ongoing war in the Middle East is putting the agriculture supply chain on edge, with fertiliser supply concerns rising
USDA bolsters New World Screwworm readiness with Texas facility contract
The New World Screwworm has yet been spotted in the U.S., but the government is working to push the pest further south
South Korea reports limited agri‑food disruption from Middle East crisis
South Korea says agri‑food exports and key inputs remain largely unaffected by Middle East unrest but has intensified daily monitoring to prepare for potential long‑term risks.
Confident but cautious: NZ dairy sector set for major reforms on path to responsible growth
New Zealand’s dairy sector is bracing for sweeping reforms in gene technology, methane targets and resource management that will shape its journey towards responsible growth, says Dairy NZ.
‘Farmers worse off’: NZ industry pushes back on freshwater farm plan requirements
The head of industry body Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) says the current draft of the Natural Environment Bill (NEB) could leave farmers in a less favourable position.
Can new incentives accelerate precision agriculture adoption in the UK?
The UK’s flagship farm‑payment scheme has been overhauled into a more streamlined, delivery‑focused model. But will SFI26’s push toward measurable, on‑farm action transform precision agriculture into a practical necessity for British farmers?
EU policy recap: February’s big shifts in farming rules, trade and tech
From fertiliser reforms to wine sector rescue plans, Brussels unleashes a wave of measures that could impact agtech demand across the continent
Hungary creates first clear EU pathway for legal drone spraying, SynTech Research says
New national guidelines position Hungary at the forefront of drone‑based biocontrol regulation, opening the door for next‑generation pest‑management solutions
USDA opens enrollment for one-time bridge payments to address 2025 volatility
The USDA released enrollment details on one-time bridge payments for row and specialty crop growers
Fast‑tracked Ukraine accession could upend EU agriculture, crop care group warns
ECCA’s Paolo Marchesini says uneven regulations and Ukraine’s cost advantages risk destabilising farmers unless the EU fixes its own internal barriers first
‘Ensure effective use of farmland’: Japan advances full paddy utilisation plan to bolster food security
Japan’s move toward full utilisation of all rice paddies is part of a broader food security strategy to diversify production and reduce reliance on imports.
China 2026 fisheries agenda: MARA prioritises safety, enforcement to drive sector modernisation
China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) outlines a 2026 fisheries roadmap as it aims to modernise the sector while strengthening environmental protection and regulatory enforcement.
Trade turmoil continues: Trump reacts to Supreme Court decision with new tariff plan
The Trump administration is not giving up its use of tariffs as a tool to shape economic and trade policy quite yet
Syngenta breaks ground with Europe’s first scalable hybrid wheat
Whole‑genome screening, precision trait mapping and hybrid‑breeding advances have enabled Syngenta to deliver Europe’s first commercially scalable hybrid wheat, marking a pivotal moment for a crop long considered too genetically complex for hybridisation
Domestic disconnect: High costs, weak producer ties hinder local sourcing for Japan’s food makers
Japanese food manufacturers say high costs, unstable supply and weak direct ties with producers prevent them from shifting to domestically sourced raw materials.
‘A map that’s green everywhere’: ISF chief pushes for global alignment on gene‑edited seeds
International Seed Federation (ISF) secretary general Michael Keller warns that a fragmented regulatory landscape risks stalling innovation, slowing climate‑resilient crop development and shutting out smaller breeders
On the ground in Mato Grosso
‘A very tough moment,’ Brazil’s ag sector navigates geopolitics, financial pressures to grow
Brazil’s agriculture sector embraces the mantle of free trade and multilateralism, amid a rise in trade isolationism
What the U.S. farm bill could mean for the future of precision agriculture
The draft of the 2026 farm bill includes a provision to develop a precision agriculture standard, but will that be enough to boost adoption?
UK unveils first PFAS strategy as scientists warn soil contamination is poorly understood
With major evidence gaps remaining around how PFAS behave in soils and what this means for food systems, the government has launched new plan to track ‘forever chemicals’
On the ground in Mato Grosso
Brazil’s ag boom: Can the country overcome logistical challenges to sustain growth?
Can Brazil keep up with demand for its agricultural products or will persistent logistic challenges drag growth down?
Land legality and plot-level traceability challenge Vietnam’s coffee sector under EUDR
Vietnam’s coffee sector grapples with land legality and plot-level traceability are the country’s most pressing hurdles to meeting the EU Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), say experts.
‘Number one obstacle’: Canada wants to feed Asia but complex regulations slow market access
Canada believes it can help meet Asia’s growing food needs, but an industry leader says complex regulations are slowing market access, raising costs and creating uncertainty for companies.
Nofence pushes back on welfare concerns as it tops 200,000 collars and expands into Sweden
As UK regulators sharpen their focus on virtual fencing, Norwegian firm Nofence says evidence‑based evaluation will show the technology supports – not compromises – animal welfare. The company has also passed major commercial milestones, including...
Weak execution: Oceana criticises ineffective fisheries enforcement in Philippines as industry losses mount
Weak monitoring, unreliable registration data and poor compliance are driving the mounting losses across the Philippines’ fishing sector.
‘Comprehensive and resilient’: How Yangtze’s 10-year fishing ban has boosted China’s aquaculture sector
The ten-year Yangtze fishing ban has driven advancement in China’s aquaculture, improving quality, sustainability, and industrial resilience.
‘Once-in-a-generation’ reform: New NZ rules risks higher compliance for farmers
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) says proposed legislation to replace the Resource Management Act risks becoming more restrictive and less practical for farmers, undermining government’s promise to simplify and streamline processes.
EU launches world’s first voluntary standard for permanent carbon removals in push to scale climate tech
The European Commission has adopted the world’s first voluntary certification methodologies for permanent carbon removals, setting a global benchmark aimed at accelerating the deployment and scaling of carbon‑removal technologies – and opening new...
Indonesia seeks tariff-free tuna exports to Japan as it aims to be top exporter
Indonesia’s Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries (KKP) working with Japan to remove tariffs on tuna and skipjack to enhance competitiveness of its fisheries industry.
‘Turning crisis into opportunity’: South Korea sets roadmap to boost seafood production to 4m tonnes by 2030
South Korea aims to raise annual seafood production to four million tonnes by 2030, outlining measures to ensure industry economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable.
‘Things are not good,’ Rabobank analyst gives the U.S. ag economy a pulse check
The U.S. farm economy continues to navigate a complex set of challenges in 2026, but do not count the country’s ag sector out just yet
‘Act now or face decline’: Industry warned over critical ag labour gaps
A UK report calls for a national skills campaign as labour shortages threaten future food security
What does the re-emergence of industrial policy mean for the future of U.S. agriculture?
Governments around the world are embracing industrial policy again, as threats to the global supply chain demonstrate the need for domestic production and consumption, one ag economist argues
‘A strong start’: China outlines six priorities to advance agricultural development after five-year plan success
China’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA) highlights six key areas that it will focus on for 2026 to boost agricultural development following the achievements of the 14th Five-Year Plan.
‘Trade chaos hurts farmers,’ Tariff turmoil upends planning for 2026 growing season
U.S. trade policy continues to put farmers and rural communities at financial risk, according to growers who are experiencing tariff impacts firsthand
No relief: Australia’s new mandatory code will leave the most vulnerable wine grape growers ‘unprotected’
Australia’s new mandatory wine grape code aims to boost fairness and transparency amid market volatility, but the industry’s most vulnerable growers fall outside its protection.
Thailand tightens animal feed imports with ‘burn-free’ maize regulations
Thailand’s Ministry of Commerce has introduced four new import regulations for animal feed maize and wheat for 2026, including a requirement that the former must be produced without crop burning.
4 macro trends driving Brazil’s agribusiness sector in 2026
Brazil’s ag sector grew in 2025, but tariffs, tense politics, and trouble in the farm economy are blowing headwinds towards the Latin American country in 2026
USDA reveals 2026 Dairy Margin Coverage enrollment, plan to buy $80m in specialty crops
The USDA shared details on the 2026 Dairy Margin Coverage program and plans to purchase specialty crops for food banks
Capital bottleneck: Banks the missing link in Vietnam’s million hectare low-emission rice ambitions
Banks need to be more than mere partners for Vietnam to fulfil the ambitions of its One Million Hectares of High-Quality, Low-Emission Rice initiative, says Lộc Trời Group chairman.
What will be the significance of the Mercosur signing for the European agri-tech sector?
EU governments have just given their provisional green light to the long‑delayed EU-Mercosur trade deal. Though it is not fully in force yet and still needs approval from the European Parliament, it promises to reshape competitive pressures in European...
Brazil breaks ag export records in 2025, as EU-Mercosur deal opens opportunities for 2026
Brazil’s ag sector broke numerous export records in 2025 thanks to strong production and demand of major crops like soybeans, changing geopolitics, and government policies that boosted market access for growers
Trinity AgTech’s Agrimetrics acquisition: Lifeline for UK agri-tech or the death of a national data dream?
The transfer of Agrimetrics’ satellite analytics technology to Trinity AgTech has been hailed as a victory for innovation continuity – but critics argue it signals the collapse of the UK’s ambition to build an open, national farm data platform akin to...
U.S. farmers worry about trade uncertainty, Brazil competition, Purdue reports
U.S. farmer sentiment on the ag economy slipped slightly in Dec. 2025, but most producers think the country is on the right track, including with tariffs