Trace Genomics has built the first scalable soil microbiome test to help farmers predict soil disease, soil health, and crop quality, using high-throughput DNA sequencing and machine learning.
“GMOs are an old, bludgeon tool that feels dated,” said Sam Kass, food entrepreneur, former White House chef and senior policy advisor for nutrition, founder
The World Bee Project Hive Network will start monitoring beehives using sensing technologies from two UK startups — BuzzBox and Arnia — which will transmit the data they collect into the cloud for analysis.
“Pivot Bio is addressing one of the largest sources of GHGs on the planet – the potent nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide emissions associated with the use of synthetic fertilizers,” said Carmichael Roberts of Breakthrough Energy Ventures.
BioPhero develops insect pheromones that are used as active ingredients in products to control pests in crops.
The clash over consumers’ demand for fast food chains to improve the animal welfare requirements that they use when sourcing meat hit new heights last week when the third largest public retirement fund in America, New York Pension Fund, penned a letter to McDonald’s warning it about “potential financial and reputational risks associated with McDonald’s chicken welfare practices.”
On Monday, a United Airlines plane powered by biojet fuel made a landmark non-stop voyage from San Francisco to Zurich.
The New Food Economy recently investigated those ethical eaters (dubbed conscious carnivores) who choose to consume meat only under certain standards such as locally sourced and humanely raised without antibiotics.
According to the report, some $85 million worth of farmland in its first fund — Vital Farmland LP — generated a financial return of 67%, but also $21.4 million in ecosystem service value, which accrues to the surrounding communities and environment.
A non-profit consortium of venture funds, banks, corporations, universities, and foundations has launched a platform to invest in startups and projects addressing some of the food system’s major challenges.
Implementing conservation practices like nutrient optimization, crop rotation, conservation tillage, and cover crops can put money back in farmers’ pockets, according to a new report.
Last week, Enterra Feed Corporation, an insect farming business from Canada, announced its latest round of funding and plans to construct three new insect factories in Canada and the US.
Institutional investors managing over $5 trillion have joined companies including McDonald’s and Walmart to support the ‘Cerrado Manifesto,’ showing the strong demand for zero-deforestation food products, writes Aarti Ramachandran.
While the demand for local food has never been greater, many grocers are ill-equipped to serve customers who are willing to pay more for local food, according to a survey conducted by Forager.
While it was a positive first step that the FDA addressing the space, how it will play out is still uncertain as participants debated who should regulate the products, what it should be called, and how its safety will be determined.
Kevin Chen writes about the different methods and technologies being introduced to reduce or eliminate the use of chemical pesticides in farming.
Professor Louise Fresco, the president of Wageningen University & Research and former Assistant Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) addressed delegates at the AgriVest conference in Tel Aviv last week.
The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals have created business opportunities for small companies, according to speakers at Techonomy NYC this week.
As Bayer waits for the final go-ahead from regulators to merge with Monsanto, the company is coming to terms with what its role could be as the largest corporation in agriculture.
If your resolutions skew toward agriculture and food rather than the treadmill, there is a whole host of startups with technology that can help.
