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This week, Elaine explored how a bacterial toxin could have crept into some of the world's largest infant formula brands, and Jenn analyzed why crop protection giants need to embrace external innovation to get the next generation of products to market.

Elsewhere, fermentation startup baCta is chasing astaxanthin’s “collagen moment” with AI-optimized yeast strains, and Bindbridge raised funds to tricks weeds’ cellular machinery into destroying proteins essential to their survival.

- Climate-smart perennials: Why Amatera is "2x faster and 10x more cost-effective" — AgFunder portco!

- Ag biotech: The US still leads the world in discovery, but Brazil and China are winning the race to deploy it at scale, says guest contributor Achal Shah.

- Biogeographical context: Smarter strategies for biologicals R&D with IdeeLab

Finally, and very sadly, we remember Rob Trice, a founding voice in agrifoodtech, a friend to many in our industry, and one of AFN's earliest champions. He will be sorely missed. May he rest in peace.

Louisa, Jenn, and Elaine.

​Remembering Rob Trice, a founding voice in agrifoodtech​

Much of agrifoodtech's early identity was shaped through conversations with Rob Trice and the connections he made. Louisa Burwood-Taylor

​Infant formula cereulide recall: an isolated supplier lapse or a structural vulnerability?​

"Tightly regulated fermentation systems manage risk, they don’t eliminate it entirely," say industry insiders. Elaine Watson

​With crop protection at a crossroads, it's time for big ag to embrace its big pharma moment​

Major agrochemical companies should look to pharma's recent history to address their current structural struggles. Jennifer Marston

​Can fermentation undercut synthetics? baCta chases astaxanthin’s ‘collagen moment’​

baCta grows astaxanthin in fermentation tanks from yeast strains optimized at “unprecedented speed” with robotics and generative AI. Elaine Watson

​Bindbridge raises $3.8m for targeted protein degradation platform for next-gen crop protection​

Targeted protein degradation tricks the internal machinery of cells in weeds to destroy proteins that are essential to their survival. Elaine Watson

​Amatera raises $7m to accelerate climate smart crop development by tackling screening bottleneck - AgFunder portfolio co!

Amatera’s approach is “2x faster and 10x more cost-effective” than current industry standards for perennials, claims the firm. Elaine Watson

​‘Biogeographical context’ is key to accelerating R&D in biologicals, says Brazil CDMO IdeeLab​

A roadmap for taking ag biologicals from molecules to markets around the world. Jennifer Marston

​Guest article: America invents, Brazil and China deploy. Can the Farm Bill fix Washington’s ag biotech bottleneck?​

The US leads the world in ag biotech, but its lead is eroding, not in the lab, but in the gap between discovery and deployment. Guest contributor Achal Shah

​AgriFood Signals: Syngenta ditches paraquat, TARGAN bags $100m for animal health, AeroFarms for sale​

Plus: AeroFarms signs letter of intent to sell the company. Jennifer Marston

​How AI, automated labs and CDMOs are replacing agrifood’s R&D playbook​

Developments that historically took years can now be compressed into a few months. Jennifer Marston

​Magdalena plans 650,000-L precision fermentation facility in Guatemala​

The Latam sugar giant is "reallocating capital, talent, and governance toward industrial biology," says biochem unit director Andrés Rodas. Elaine Watson

​DJI appeal sets stage for legal showdown over future of US ag spray drone market​

The FCC ruling—which has upended a sector dominated by overseas vendors—is “procedurally and substantively flawed,” argues DJI. Elaine Watson

​Guest article: How to stop playing the old ag innovation game​

While other sectors build for uncertainty, ag keeps betting the old model will hold, and innovators pay the price. By guest contributor Christine Gould

​Iran conflict: What does this mean for global food sector?​

FoodNavigator

​The food system's information monopoly is ending​

Antony Yousefian, LinkedIn

​How refrigeration ruined fresh food​

MIT Technology Review

​‘A big burden for farmers’: Gulf shipping crisis threatens food price shock​

The Guardian

​Consumer trends, food & beverage, 2026​

The New Consumer

​Sales at record high, Americans view meat as part of a healthy, balanced lifestyle​

The National Provisioner

​Trump administration affirms support for Bayer in glyphosate case​

Civil Eats

​How Misfits Market went from selling ugly produce to becoming the Amazon Prime of perishable food​

Forbes

​IntegriCulture and Sumitomo Riko take ‘scale-out’ cell ag global with Singapore production push - Featuring IntegriCulture!

Protein Production Technology

​​​2025 Developing Markets AgriFoodTech Investment Report​

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​Climate Capital: Financing Adaptation Pathways for Smallholder Farmers​

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