Trade turmoil continues: Trump reacts to Supreme Court decision with new tariff plan
The Trump administration is not giving up the use of tariffs as a tool to shape economic and trade policy quite yet
Policy & regulation
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
Will Trump’s farmer bailout be enough to address volatility in 2026?
One-time bridge payments might not be enough for farmers to meaningfully address increasing expenses, low commodity prices, and uncertain market access
FCC ban to spark shake-up in US ag spray sector
The Federal Communications Commission has barred new foreign-made drones from operating on US communications infrastructure, citing national security risks – a move set to reshape the agricultural drone landscape
From the Editor's Desk
The new normal of ag volatility: Why 2026 may (or may not) be more of the same
The ag ecosystem was marked by volatility in 2025, amid changing trade relationships, evolving regulations, higher crop input prices, and tense geopolitics
EU pesticide overhaul sparks clash between health advocates and industry
The European Commission’s plan to streamline pesticide approvals promises faster access to innovation – but health groups warn it could weaken safeguards
Agtech promise falls short: UK official report highlights disconnect between innovation and on-farm reality
Influential former NFU president Baroness Batters calls for a “new deal” for British farming, highlighting that despite enthusiasm for technology it too often fails to align to business needs or find practical application on farms
American Autonomy targets US data-security fears as NDAA deadline puts Chinese ag drones on notice
Rebranded from Rantizo, American Autonomy is launching a US-built software platform that promises farmers full control of their drone data – and a practical path off proprietary Chinese ecosystems – just as a new federal audit deadline threatens market...
U.S., Mexico resolve water rights dispute, following Trump’s tariff threat
Trump raised the specter of tariffs on Mexico, if the Latin American country failed to deliver the water guaranteed under a 1944 treaty
MAHA in action: USDA commits $700m to Regenerative Pilot Program
The Trump admin bolsters regenerative agriculture with a pilot programme, as part of the broader Make America Healthy Again initiative
Trump admin bails out farmers to the tune of $12bn, blames Joe Biden for ag volatility
The bailout or bust cycle continues in the U.S., as farmers prepare to receive a one-time bridge payment to manage market volatility, but the Trump administration is not accepting any fault
Spain probes lab link as ASF outbreak rocks Europe’s top pork exporter
Spain controls 26% of EU pork production and supplies roughly 25–30% of China’s pork, reports Kemiex
EU delays deforestation rule, but industry pushes ahead on soy initiatives
AIC sets date for new sustainability scheme, ForFarmers in alliance with Bunge
Rigid loan rules ‘risk killing UK innovation’ warns Wootzano as it fights for survival
Despite growing orders, British agri-robotics firm Wootzano is facing imminent closure after a Scottish court froze its bank accounts following a winding-up petition filed by Innovate UK Loans Limited
Seed secure: China’s home-bred crop varieties reach 95% as livestock seeds exceed 80%
China’s ag ministry touts seed security as home-bred crop varieties reach 95% and domestic livestock and aquaculture brood stock surpass 80%, marking strong gains over its five-year seed revitalisation drive.
US, Mexico open sterile fly facility in Tampico to fight New World Screwworm
The U.S. and Mexico are continuing their fight against the New World Screwworm with sterile fly technology and government collaboration
Breaking the bailout or bust cycle: Why some farmers are cautious about more govt support
Will a bailout for U.S. farmers raise fertiliser prices?
Tesco urges national farm data framework to safeguard UK food security
The UK’s largest supermarket is expanding its environmental baselining programme and calls for consistent standards to help farmers capture soil, water, and nature data at scale – critical for resilience and sustainability
EUDR: Collaboration vital as deadline looms over Indonesia’s smallholders
Indonesia’s palm oil smallholders face mounting pressure to meet the Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (EUDR) traceability and certification standards, underscoring the need for stronger collaboration across public and private sectors
‘Break the cycle’: Complex political landscape hinders biological adoption in ASEAN
Political influence over fertiliser markets is a major challenge slowing the adoption of biological solutions across the ASEAN region, says experts
McCain’s Farmdex reveals alarming trends among UK farmers
McCain Foods has issued a stark warning to government and industry leaders: farmers must be supported if the agtech sector is to thrive