Landcorp to Scale Back Forest-to-Dairy Farm Conversion
In an effort to decrease environmental impact and increase profitability, New Zealand’s state-owned farming company, Landcorp, will cut back on original plans to convert formerly forested land to 39 dairy farms. Since 2004, the company has developed 13 farms, running 17,000 cows across 6,400 hectares, on land leased from Wairakei
Read moreMeat and Poultry Industry Will Lose Billions Is Sequestration Takes Effect on March 1st
Unless Congress passes a $1.2 trillion deficit reduction package by March 1st sequestration will go into effect making across-the-board cuts to discretionary spending mandated by the Budget Control Act of 2011. This will in turn cut $51 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS).
Read moreTen Agricultural Storylines to Watch in 2016
By Garrett Baldwin Over the long term, global food production must double by 2050 in order to meet expected demand. That creates a number of challenges and opportunities for the agriculture industry. Each step of the way toward this goal will be affected by short term trends, macroeconomic events, and geopolitics.
Read moreCoca-Cola Enters Value-Added Dairy Drinks Space in India
Coca-Cola India is entering into India’s value-added dairy drinks space with the launch of its VIO brand scheduled to be released nationwide next month. The VIO product line has been custom formulated as part of the company’s “Made in India, Made for India” platform, at the Coca-Cola India’s R&D center in Gurgaon to
Read moreIs ag the next big thing for Silicon Valley?
By Elizabeth Penney Aaron Magenheim sees agtech as the “last frontier in technology” with huge upside for tech companies, growers, and investors. Silicon Valley is always looking for the next big thing, he says, and he believes the agriculture sector offers opportunity for new products as well as fresh application
Read moreGeneral Mill’s Venture Unit, 310 Inc, Leads Series C for Rhythm Superfoods
Austin-based organic and plant-based snack company, Rhythm Superfoods, closed on a $3 million Series C round of funding led by 301 Inc., General Mills’ venture capital unit, and including the CircleUp Growth Fund. Founded in 1999, Rhythm Superfoods sells snacks including kale chips and broccoli bites at a price point of between $
Read moreThe Global Race to Capture the US Olive Oil Market
By Eric Francucci, Analyst at HighQuest Partners With nearly 10% of global olive oil consumption, and domestic production accounting for less than 5% of US olive oil demand, the US is a land of opportunity for any olive oil exporter. In the past five years, Italy has accounted for 50% of US virgin olive
Read moreAustralia: Nut Industries on Verge of Big Growth
Thanks to advances in variety breeding and farm practices, higher prices and profitability, and the newly forged China Free Trade Agreement which will phase out all tariffs on Australian nuts over five years, the Australian nut industry is well placed for increased production and growth. The Australian Nut Industry Council (ANIC) projects that
Read moreTexans Discover Oil Grows on Olive Trees as Crude Drops
Five years after a record oil boom, Texan oil well owners are turning to the production of olive oil amid dwindling incomes due to falling crude oil prices. In 2008 Texas saw a total of 80,000 olive trees planted, and by 2013 this number increased to 500,000. Going forward, by the end of 2015 the Texas Olive Oil Council expects approximately 2
Read moreRabobank: Major Shrimp Markets Surprisingly Strong in 2014
In a recent report, ‘A New Dawn for Prawn’, Rabobank states that shrimp demand in both the U.S. and the EU is better than expected as import values reached records in both markets in 2014 on high demand despite high prices. Based on a high U.S. dollar and strong macroeconomic conditions, Rabobank estimates that the U.S. imported more shrim
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