Agriculture / Agribusiness: Latest News 2023 - vegconomist: the vegan business magazine

Green peas in close up

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The Pea Project: £1 Million Mission to Replace Soy’s Reign With “Flavourless” Peas in the UK

June 1, 2023May 31, 2023

A £1 million climate-smart project in the UK will research new pea varieties to sustainably produce a local and reliable pea protein source to replace soy in human food. The Pea Project is a collaboration between grass and forage seed specialist Germinal and seed breeders. It is part-funded by Defra’s Farming Innovation Pathway via Innovate UK, which is part of UK Research and Innovation. Germinal will deliver the project with IBERS at Aberystwyth University, the John Innes Centre, and PGRO. Replacing soy with UK protein The programme also aims to reduce the country’s reliance on soy imports, reaching four million tonnes annually for use in human and animal feeds. Innovate UK states vegan and vegetarian foods use half a million tonnes. Peas are suited to the UK …

Oatly F.A.R.M. The Future Agriculture Renovation Movement

© Oatly

Oatly Launches Regenerative Agriculture Movement to Slash Climate Footprint by 70%

May 22, 2023

Oatly has announced the launch of a global regenerative agriculture movement that will work with farmers to dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Called F.A.R.M (Future Agriculture Renovation Movement), it aims to restore carbon, improve biodiversity, and support farm viability. The movement will test several different models of regenerative agriculture; pilots are currently taking place in Canada, Sweden, the US, Finland, and the UK, and will scale globally if successful. In 2022, 22 corn and soy farmers participated in the pilot schemes by adding oats as a third crop in their rotation. Oatly says it consults with farmers to find out what works and provides financial incentives to those who take part in the pilots. “The whole idea of planting clover and other cover crops kind …

Organisations and Brands:Oatly

AIM for Climate

© AIM for Climate

150 Sector Leaders to Attend AIM for Climate Summit to Support Food System Innovation

May 8, 2023

Hosted as part of an initiative co-led by the USA and the UAE, the AIM for Climate Summit starts today (May 8) and will continue until May 10. Launched by President Biden at COP26, the Agriculture Innovation Mission (AIM) for Climate initiative has accelerated investments of over $8 billion in climate-smart agriculture and food systems innovations. The aim is to address climate change, global hunger, and food insecurity challenges, and the initiative has been supported by numerous countries and non-governmental partners. Over 150 sector leaders will attend the summit, such as Minister Luis Planas from Spain’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food. Others include US Climate Envoy John Kerry, former US vice president Al Gore, and UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment HE Mariam …

Organisations and Brands:AIM for Climate

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RESPECTfarms

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RESPECTfarms: “Cultivated Meat is Not Disadvantageous to Agriculture, But Rather a Model for Farms”

April 20, 2023

RESPECTfarms has the vision of being the first farm in the world to cultivate meat directly from animal cells. The project aims to help all farmers diversify their business models to benefit from the economic, environmental, and social advantages of cultured meat. The idea is to make use of the expertise, networks, and entrepreneurial spirit of farmers, rather than seeking to replace them. This will allow for a fair and just transition to a more sustainable food system. We spoke to RESPECTfarms co-founder Florentine Zieglowski to learn more about this forward-looking project. RESPECTfarms wants to become the first cultivated meat farm in the world. What made you turn to cellular agriculture? RESPECTfarms grew out of the world’s first publicly funded research into cultivated meat, which …

Organisations and Brands:RESPECTfarms

© Biocyclic Vegan Agriculture International

Animal-Free Organic Farming Attracts Significant Interest at BIOFACH 2023

March 27, 2023

After attending the organic trade fair BIOFACH in Nuremberg, Germany, Biocyclic Vegan International has found that there is significant interest in cycle-based, animal-free organic farming. Professional visitors were introduced to the concept of farming without animal husbandry or fertilizers of animal origin, and had the opportunity to taste produce grown in this way. There was discussion of the climate benefits of reducing livestock numbers, along with the potential of biocyclic humus soil to sequester carbon. One visitor was Dr. Ophelia Nick, The Parliamentary State Secretary of the German Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Experts in biocyclic vegan agriculture also hosted events at BIOFACH, including a podium discussion on food system transformation in partnership with the German Association of Organic Food Producers (AöL) and a …

Organisations and Brands:Biocyclic Vegan International

Nepra Foods canneloni

©Nepra Foods

Nepra Foods Partners with Scoular to Develop and Market Specialty Plant-Based Ingredients

March 24, 2023March 23, 2023

Plant-based foods company Nepra Foods NPRFF (OTCMKTS) announces it has entered a manufacturing and distribution partnership with Scoular, a global agribusiness company. Together, the partners will collaborate on developing and marketing specialized plant-based ingredients. According to Nepra, the partnership will involve new product development that utilizes Nepra’s R&D team as well as specialty ingredients from both companies. The partnership will also provide for sales and marketing, with Scoular offering Nepra products through its global supply chain network, benefitting both companies. “This partnership with Scoular represents a transformational step for Nepra and its ability to continue pushing the boundaries of novel food development and broadening market access,” said Chadwick White, CEO of Nepra Foods. “Scoular is a leader within the agricultural supply chain and a pioneer …

Organisations and Brands:Nepra Foods Scoular

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Mathilde Chatin

Mathilde Chatin, image supplied

Op Ed: Mathilde Chatin, Head of Food and Agriculture, Penta

February 20, 2023

Mathilde Chatin advises some of the world’s largest clients in the food and agriculture space and is primarily involved in corporate communication projects at Penta, formerly Hume Brophy. Mathilde has held several positions in diplomatic and international organisations such as the French embassies in Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay, the EU Delegation to the UN and other international organisations in Geneva and the Delegation of the Bahamas to UNESCO. The Importance of Communication in Alt Proteins, By Mathilde Chatin Alternative protein sources have morphed – in just a few years – from a niche product to a mainstream phenomenon. Big players in the meat industry have come aboard this movement, and they must now work to communicate the sizeable impact of this trend for the industry, …

Protein Canada

© Protein Industries Canada

Protein Industries Canada Receives $150M CAD in Federal Funding for Next Five Years

February 14, 2023February 14, 2023

Protein Industries Canada (PIC) announces it has received $150M CAD in funding from the Canadian government to continue to accelerate plant-based protein innovation. François Philippe Champagne, the country’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, today announced the renewal as part of a $750M investment into the Global Innovation Cluster program. The renewed investment brings the total funding of the consortium to $353M from 2018 through to 2028, including $30 million from the Pan Canadian Artificial Intelligence Strategy. “As a global agricultural powerhouse, Canada has the means, resources, and skill to turn crops into food – and transform the way the world eats, while also bringing solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges, including global food security, the environment and human health,” said Bill …

Organisations and Brands:Oat! Canada Protein Industries Canada Wamame Foods

biocyclic pomegranate

Image courtesy Biocyclic Vegan International

Suppliers of Biocyclic Vegan Certified Products to Present at BIOFACH 2023

February 9, 2023

For the first time since the Biocyclic Vegan Standard was included in the IFOAM Family of Standards in 2017, biocyclic vegan agriculture will be presented at its own international joint stand at BIOFACH in Nuremberg (14-17 February 2023, stand 8-413). The stand, organised by BNS Biocyclic Network Services and the German association Förderkreis Biozyklisch-Veganer Anbau e. V., responsible for the German-speaking countries, will give visitors the opportunity to find out more about the current international dissemination and potential of this new cultivation standard. Globally applicable cultivation principles In biocyclic vegan agriculture, new paths are being taken that help to solve the significant challenges facing agriculture worldwide in a sustainable and, at the same time, amazingly efficient way. Here, it is not a matter of new …

Organisations and Brands:Biocyclic Vegan Standard BNS Biocyclic Network Services

President, North America

©Equinom

Equinom Appoints New President of North America and CSO As It Prepares to Launch First Products

February 8, 2023

Israeli ingredients company Equinom announces the appointment of Ephi Eyal as its new North America President and Adi Costa as Chief Science Officer. Eyal and Costa join the company as it prepares to accelerate the commercialization of its minimally-processed plant proteins and continues to develop its Manna™ technology platform. According to the company, Eyal brings significant leadership experience in the food and nutrition industries, where he helped drive growth and innovation for specialty ingredients companies like J.M. Huber, CP Kelco, and Innovative Food Processors. At Equinom, Eyal will oversee the North American commercial and farming operations as the company scales up its seed, grain and ingredients through different strategic partnerships. “Equinom is on a quest to become the food industry’s end-to-end ingredient innovation partner starting …

Organisations and Brands:Black Sheep Foods Equinom

© Impossible Foods

GFI Report: Plant-Based Meat Uses Up to 99% Less Land Than Conventional Animal Meat

February 7, 2023

A GFI report has compared the environmental impact of various meat alternatives with that of their animal-based counterparts. The report looks at four environmental issues: land use, water use, greenhouse gas emissions, and aquatic eutrophication. It shows that plant-based products (made by Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods, and Morningstar Farms) consistently perform far better than animal meat. Beef alternatives offer biggest impact The impact is most striking when it comes to beef alternatives, which use up to 99% less land and water than the equivalent animal product. Greenhouse gas emissions are reduced by up to 90%, and eutrophication potential by up to 91%. GFI notes that switching to grass-fed beef is not a solution, since there is only enough pasture in the US to support 27% …

Organisations and Brands:The Good Food Institute (GFI)

Laurence-Candy-Northwood-Farm

Northwood Farm

PETA UK Celebrates “Sowers of Compassion” With First Farming Awards

February 3, 2023

The first ever PETA UK Farming Awards has taken place, recognising ten farms across the country for their contributions to ethical, animal-free farming. The winners include growers of seafood, a producer of soybeans for tofu, and a former beef farmer who sent his cows to a sanctuary. The award winners are as follows: Aweside Farm — A grower of organic edible flowers, leaves, and herbs. The farm is also working to create habitats for wildlife, such as ponds, meadows, and hedgerows. IC Mushrooms — Producing oyster mushrooms, shiitakes, and more using sustainable raw vegan ingredients. Courses in mushroom growing are also offered at the farm. Northwood Farm — A former beef farm, Northwood sent its cows to a farm sanctuary and now produces beans and …

Organisations and Brands:PETA

fermentation-derived beef fat

© Melt&Marble

Researchers Upcycle Agricultural Waste to Produce Fats for Alt Meat

February 2, 2023

Researchers from Connectomix Bio are investigating a method to transform agricultural waste into lipids for use in meat alternatives. The method will involve turning discarded parts of crops, such as corn husks, into a gas. This gas will then be used to feed microbes, which will produce lipids via fermentation. The resulting fatty acids could be added to cultivated and plant-based meats, improving their taste and texture. The researchers will tailor the lipids to particular applications, such as chicken, beef, or pork alternatives. They will also investigate different processes — for example, the biogas that is initially produced could be converted into another type of gas or a liquid to make the method more economical. Funded by GFI, the project will be run by a …

Organisations and Brands:Connectomix Bio The Good Food Institute (GFI)

Producing upcycled broccoli protein

© upp

Upp Raises £500K for AI-Harvested Upcycled Broccoli Protein

January 26, 2023

UK agritech specialist upp has secured £500,000 from impact investor Elbow Beach Capital. The funding will be used to pilot upp’s unique technology for producing upcycled broccoli protein. The UK is a major broccoli producer, but currently the crop must be hand-harvested by seasonal workers. With these increasingly scarce due to factors such as Brexit and the pandemic, many farmers are struggling. Additionally, 80% of the broccoli plant — including the stem, leaves, and root — is currently wasted, despite being food-grade. Upp has set out to solve both of these issues. The company has developed a new type of harvesting equipment that uses cameras and machine learning to detect when a plant is ready, even if it is partially obscured. A tractor-towed tool, which …

Organisations and Brands:Elbow Beach Capital upp

Biocyclic Vegan International

Axel Anders. Photo Credits: Biocyclic Vegan International

Biocyclic Vegan International: “Purely Plant-Based Farming is Possible Without Any Losses in Yield”

January 23, 2023

Biocyclic Vegan International works to promote cycle-based organic farming without the use of commercial livestock, animal slaughter, fertilisers, or animal inputs. The association raises awareness of the advantages of organic vegan farming and helps farms to convert. It also aids research projects on the increase of soil fertility through the use of biocyclic vegan methods. Co-founder Axel Anders spoke to us about the association’s highlights and challenges in 2022 and goals for 2023. How did 2022 turn out for biocyclic vegan agriculture? After the general slowdown caused by the pandemic, 2022 was an extremely successful year with an increasing public awareness of biocyclic vegan agriculture. In many circles, agriculture without animal husbandry or the use of fertilisers of animal origin is still considered unrealistic and …

Organisations and Brands:Biocyclic Vegan International