New livestock diet uses agri-waste to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
The burning of agricultural waste and the methane that's burped up by cows are two major sources of greenhouse gases. An experimental new type of animal feed, however, is aimed at reducing both the burning and the burps. Developed by scientists at Spain’s Polytechnic University of Valencia, the Read More...
The EU steps up its efforts to protect and restore the world’s forests
Deforestation is responsible for 11 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, half of which are the result of internationally traded agriculture products. On its own, the EU accounts for as much as 36 percent of all global imports of crop and livestock products associated with Read More...
A high-tech sustainable greenhouse is about to be built in coal country
Kentucky may be coal country, but that’s not stopping entrepreneurs from introducing sustainability to the state. In Morehead, a small town where roughly one in three people live below the poverty line, a company called AppHarvest is constructing a massive new 60-acre high-tech greenhouse will be Read More...
EPA to finally ban dangerous pesticide linked to development problems in kids
For decades, staple food crops in the United States, such as corn, wheat, apples, and citrus have been sprayed with chlorpyrifos – a dangerous pesticide linked to development problems in children and generally known to harm human health, water, and wildlife. Public health advocates have been Read More...
This robot could eventually rid the agricultural sector of pesticides
Nowadays, the adoption of automated robots is a common practice among many industries that seek to improve their effectiveness – from automated robots that are tightening the knots and bolts on cars to automated hoovers that clean your home. Now, in efforts to stop the use of pesticides, Read More...
High-tech indoor farming could be the answer to our agriculture problems
While agriculture is suffering from the impacts of climate change, it is also one of the leading causes of the problem. The production of this food is costly: meat and dairy have the highest global carbon footprint and the agriculture sector uses 70 percent of the world’s freshwater. This coupled Read More...
Agriculture destroyed monarch butterfly habitats–now it’s trying to save them
Over the past couple of decades, monarch butterflies, one of the most recognizable (and important) visitors to gardens across North America, have been declining in number–as much as 95 percent of the population has disappeared since the 1980s. The reasons are numerous: Mexico, where the Read More...
Solving agriculture’s labor shortages with robot farms
The first robot farm was opened in the U.S. last week. The farm can grow 30 times more produce than traditional farms through the use of artificial intelligence (AI), year-round, soilless hydroponic processes, and moving plants as they grow to efficiently use space. Investors see AI as a solution Read More...
ADM to fight deforestation in South America through its suppliers
After a marked deforestation slowdown over the past decade or so, tropical forests are under threat again, with the Amazon a primary target. In this context, agribusiness giant Archer Daniels Midland is emerging as a powerful force to counter the trend throughout the whole South American continent. Read More...
Growing agricultural investment
Photo: Africa Renewal Since little commercial lending goes to agriculture, the African continent is unable to feed its malnourished population of 200 million. Agricultural investment is seen as a risk, mostly due to the lack of data lenders have to work with when weighing the risks and benefits. Read More...