Select U.S. states are considering bans on using SNAP benefits to pay for sugary snacks and sodas, causing controversial backlash between industry groups. If approved, the current administration would be the first to ban these specific foods from the program.
Castillo Hermanos has made a bold $1.5 billion move to acquire Harvest Hill Beverage Company, home to brands like SunnyD. While SunnyD’s surprising sales growth defies health-conscious trends, Castillo Hermanos plans to leverage evolving consumer needs and Harvest Hill’s infrastructure to unlock growth opportunities.
Facing a volatile egg market, the USDA is leveraging global partnerships to stabilize U.S. supplies amid sanitation challenges, bird flu impacts, and tariff threats, with egg imports from countries like Turkey and South Korea. Complex trade opportunities remain for food industry leaders to navigate.
Despite high awareness, only a small fraction of consumers understand and consistently pay premiums for regenerative agriculture products, highlighting significant psychological and economic barriers. However, with increased crop yields and profits for farmers and the potential for nutrient-rich produce, the industry stands on the brink of transformative growth.
The proposed tariffs by the Trump administration on Mexico and Canada are expected to significantly increase fresh produce costs in the U.S.
Amid erratic cocoa price fluctuations, some major companies continue to raise prices. Meanwhile, Blue Stripes is innovating by upcycling entire cacao pods to create more sustainable and valuable products.
Walmart is partnering with India-based agritech company GreenPod Labs to clean up its supply chain: the tech innovation endeavors to minimize produce spoilage during transportation.
A Trump administration official is advocating for vaccination and improved biosecurity measures to combat bird flu. Meanwhile, Turkey has started exporting eggs to the U.S. to address shortages caused by the virus.
Agritourism, a growing, $4.5 billion industry, helps farmers and ranchers cope with economic instability by attracting visitors for entertainment and education, thus generating additional income. Despite its benefits, agritourism is often a supplementary activity due to external factors like weather.
Egg shortages and soaring prices are being driven by the double whammy of severe weather and the bird flu, which has wiped out millions of birds and tightened supplies nationwide. As a result, grocers are implementing measures like purchase limits.
In 2025, the U.S. meat and poultry processing industry is leveraging advanced materials and automation to enhance efficiency across its supply chain. Innovations in blade technology and nanotechnology in packaging are transforming operations.
Demand for avocados is surging. Fueled by eased import restrictions, growing interest in ethnic flavors, and heightened awareness of health benefits, U.S. avocado consumption has skyrocketed, driving significant economic contributions across both the U.S. and Mexico.
Amid extreme weather, water scarcity, and economic instability, duckweed is emerging as a low-cost, eco-friendly protein source that grows year-round. The fast-growing aquatic plant also contains all nine essential amino acids, setting it apart from other plant-based protein sources like soy.
A tentative deal granting U.S. dockworkers a pay hike averted a potential supply chain crisis, while opening the door to modernizing ports.
The FDA and USDA are taking steps to understand how consumers interpret common food date labeling terms such as “Sell By” and “Use By” to understand whether it is leading to confusion.
Congress narrowly avoided a government shutdown by passing a stopgap spending measure that prolongs the U.S. farm bill for another year. Experts warn that failing to modernize the farm bill within the next year could exacerbate food price volatility.
Donald Trump has nominated Brooke L. Rollins, a farm-raised leader of the America First Policy Institute, as his pick for agriculture secretary. She’s expected to focus on tightening regulations around foreign ownership of U.S. farmland.
With the world’s population expected to reach nearly 10 billion by 2050, manufacturers are looking for unique solutions to satisfy the growing consumer base’s nutrient-dense needs. Can precision fermentation be the key?
Dr. Tsipi Shoham, a cancer researcher turned CEO, believes “quantum farming” – an innovative, AI-driven agriculture method – could improve public health. She also feels she has found the answer to indoor farming’s short-comings.
Bioengineers have developed a farming method that essentially replaces photosynthesis with a solar-powered chemical reaction, which could enhance sustainability and restore ecosystems.
The juice market is struggling as consumers increasingly seek healthier options. Experts at one recent industry event emphasized the need for brands to seize upon trends like sugar reduction.
Hurricane Milton, a Category 5 storm with winds up to 180 mph, is expected to hit Tampa Bay Wednesday, causing billions in damage to real estate and crops. Florida state officials have issued urgent warnings.
Hurricane Helene caused significant agricultural damage in the Southeastern U.S. recently, affecting crops like soybeans and peanuts, along with poultry production. The storm’s long-term impact could strain supply chains too, experts note.
Japan is facing a rice shortage, with stocks at a 25-year low and prices at an 11-year high. The crisis highlights the vulnerability of Japan’s rice supply chain and may prompt efforts to develop new rice varieties.
Google trends analysis shows a 60% rise in searches for pistachios since 2019, putting product manufacturers, restaurateurs, and grocers in a unique position to leverage this explosive growth to their advantage.
The Philippines has begun rolling out an unproven African swine fever vaccine produced in Vietnam to try to stem an outbreak of the virus plaguing pig farming across three continents, SciDev.Net reported. ASF is caused …
Extreme weather is damaging or destroying crops globally of late, especially coffee, cocoa and avocados – and climate scientists are concerned.
Could a combination of the animals we eat and antimicrobial resistance eventually trigger another pandemic? Some university researchers fear that possibility is real.
The average Brazilian farmer was 46 in 2021, with the latest census putting the average age of U.S. farmers at 58 years old.
Researchers at Michigan State University have produced a breakthrough that promises better-tasting – and longer-lasting – potatoes.
Citrus, once the dominant crop in Florida, has declined 92% in the past two decades, the victim of disease and extreme weather.
Cost reduction was a central theme at the recent IFT FIRST industry event. Exhibitors offered a range of solutions to reduce costs in the short-term and future-proof supply chains in the long-term.
Florida’s shift from citrus groves to pongamia plantations is a move towards sustainability and resilience, offering new economic opportunities with biofuel and plant-based proteins.
HPAI is spreading across dairy farms and, at last report, was present in 143 herds, with 53 new herd infections over the past month.
“Food wars” are simmering, as geopolitical tensions have inspired a rise of protectionism amid concerns about dwindling supplies, according to one of the largest global agricultural commodity traders, Olam Agri. The Singapore-based agri-business is part of the Olam Group, which supplies food worldwide.
Hurricane Beryl raked Mexico and the Caribbean before setting its sights on Texas, devastating crops and killing livestock in its rampage toward land. Damage should lessen as the storm heads north, however.
