Oliver Morrison

French agtech company Elicit Plant has been named “Climate Adaptation Solution of the Year” at the 2026 AgTech Breakthrough Awards, recognising its phytosterol-based technology designed to help crops withstand drought and other environmental stresses before they occur

Syngenta Group increased first-half 2026 profitability despite a 2% drop in sales, driven by a strategic pivot away from low-margin activities toward premium crop protection technologies, biologicals, and AI-powered agriculture. The company’s EBITDA rose 2% to $2.4bn with improved margins, supported by growth in proprietary technologies and digital platforms like CROPWISE® AI. Significant gains were seen in markets such as China and Brazil, while ongoing portfolio reshaping further reduced exposure to less profitable segments. Under new CEO Hengde Qin, Syngenta is prioritizing profitability over volume through innovation, digitalization, and cost discipline.

The Climate Smart Food Broadcast Series, organized by FoodNavigator and AgNavigator, returns in September with a two-day webinar event focused on how the food industry is adapting to climate-related challenges through sustainable sourcing, regenerative agriculture, and climate-smart innovation. Day one examines strategies for securing sustainable supplies of critical ingredients like cocoa, coffee, and rice, with discussions on adapting sourcing, supporting growers, and investing in resilient systems. Day two highlights practical measures food and beverage manufacturers are taking to reduce climate risk, featuring industry leaders such as Nestlé, Danone, and Mondelez, and topics including emissions reduction, water stewardship, and regenerative agriculture. Case studies from PepsiCo and Tilda illustrate successful climate-smart farming initiatives that improve both environmental outcomes and farmer profitability.

Corteva is preparing to spin off its seed and genetics business as Vylor in October 2026, launching a new investment platform called Vylor Edge focused on accelerating agricultural technology development. While Vylor Edge will inherit several investments from Corteva's existing Catalyst platform and target similar innovation areas such as gene editing and digital agriculture, the company has not clarified how the two platforms will operate separately or how responsibilities and assets will be divided post-separation. Key details about the transition and future investment strategies remain undisclosed.

Corteva's UK field trial of gene-edited soybeans demonstrated that targeted genetic modifications can dramatically accelerate the crop's maturity, allowing varieties traditionally suited to southern Europe to thrive in Britain's cooler climate. The trial, conducted in collaboration with INRAE, showed that editing just three flowering suppressor genes could shift soybeans by two to three maturity groups, with gene-edited plants visibly outpacing conventional varieties in development. This success suggests that commercial soybean production in the UK could become viable, reducing reliance on imports and benefiting from the country's supportive regulatory environment. The project highlights gene editing's potential to quickly adapt crops to new environments, though commercialisation in the UK remains a future goal.

Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato didn't want to announce her pregnancy right away. She turned 40 this year, which makes her pregnancy higher risk.

Norwegian agtech company Nofence has launched the N3 cattle collar, expanding its offering beyond virtual fencing to a comprehensive precision livestock management platform. Funded by a €30m ($35m) Series B round, the N3 integrates grazing management, animal health, and reproductive monitoring into a single app, using continuous data collection and advanced connectivity. The device aims to streamline operations for producers by consolidating previously disconnected systems and is designed for durability and performance in challenging environments. Early adopters report significant time savings and improved decision-making due to the platform’s unified approach.

Bayer and Neste have finalized a commercial agreement to scale Bayer’s newgold® winter canola as a renewable feedstock, responding to growing energy security concerns and increasing demand for sustainable aviation fuel and renewable diesel. The partnership will establish a dedicated value chain in the US Southern Great Plains, aiming to boost domestic supplies of lower-carbon-intensity feedstocks and offer farmers a profitable rotational crop. This move reflects Bayer’s broader renewable fuels ambitions and highlights the strategic importance of biofuels amid geopolitical tensions and hard-to-electrify transport sectors.

New research shows unanimous support for regenerative agriculture among UK food industry professionals, who view it as crucial to the future of British farming, but significant gaps in knowledge and commercial concerns remain. While most businesses are already using or considering regenerative ingredients, competitive pricing, proven environmental benefits, and improved traceability are key factors influencing wider adoption. Barriers include limited understanding, availability, lack of consumer demand, and difficulty verifying environmental claims. The findings highlight a strong need for better education, communication, and clear standards to help the food sector realize the full benefits of regenerative farming.

Researchers from North Carolina State University and collaborators have found that biological indicators such as microbial biomass, microbial necromass, and enzyme activity can provide early signals of improved soil carbon storage from regenerative farming practices, years before traditional soil carbon tests can detect changes. Their study in loblolly pine and pecan agroforestry systems showed that these microbial metrics are closely linked to the soil carbon cycle, with microbial necromass being especially important for long-term carbon storage. The research highlights how different agroforestry systems and management practices influence these biological proxies, and suggests that minimum tillage remains effective for soil carbon accumulation. This approach could enable faster assessment and refinement of regenerative agriculture strategies by offering earlier evidence of soil health improvements.