Food

RSS

The average value of American cropland across the country rose sharply by about 14% in 2022 as strong commodity prices and inflation eclipsed rising input and other production costs. It was the second straight year farmers saw substantial increases in the value of their land, with some of the biggest jumps in the Northern Plains, Corn Belt and Lake States, according to new USDA data.

Four years after the farm bill legalized industrial hemp nationwide, crop acreage is falling as the industry struggles to get regulatory clarity and infrastructure for products derived from the plant’s grain and fiber.

Recognizing the challenge of climate change on coffee production, and the high carbon footprint of the daily habit, food tech start-ups have hit the lab to produce something that will provide the same sensation — and kick — with less environmental impact.

A new licensing agreement between three parties will allow CRISPR-Cas9 and similar gene editing tools to be used to produce camelina varieties for biofuel advancement.

The climate funding package that Senate Democrats have agreed on should make it easier to pass the next farm bill while helping consumers and producers deal with climate change, says a Democrat on the Senate Agriculture Committee, Tina Smith of Minnesota.

USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service has proposed long-awaited regulations covering animal welfare for organic producers that largely track changes made in a rule issued just before President Barack Obama left office, ruling out the use of screened-in porches as outdoor access for poultry.

 

Global prices for food commodities dropped sharply in July, led by declines in vegetable oil and grain markets, but food costs overall remain 13% above the level a year ago.

Bioengineered food ingredients are safe for consumers, the Food and Drug Administration reiterated in a collection of educational materials released Thursday as part of a congressionally funded initiative.

A Foundation created under the 2014 farm bill released a large grant to support studies on regenerative agriculture in vineyards.  

The Department of Agriculture invites urban producers and the public to attend the Federal Advisory Committee for Urban Agriculture and Innovation Production’s second public meeting on August 5.