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This week: What went wrong at Monarch Tractor, and are there wider lessons for the agtech industry? Cofounder and CEO Praveen Penmetsa tells us what he would do differently if he could turn back the clock.

Elsewhere, Polybee—which operates fleets of physical AI agents for yield forecasting and pollination—offers "immediate, bankable ROI," according to one investor. We asked founder Siddharth Jadhav for his elevator pitch.

Plus:

• Patagonia: Key shareholder backs Ventura regen ag scheme​
• Making regen ag pay: Klim's new financial modeling tool​
• No added sugar: Victory for tagatose in labeling battle​
• Biomanufacturing gamechanger: Vivici's huge cell productivity boost​
• Ag robotics: Verdant Robotics enters new markets​
• Latam bio-revolution: Magdalena's new strategy​
• Ag lending in the age of AI: How to get buy-in ​

And finally... will fermentation power the next wave of natural colors? We caught up with Michroma as it rides the MAHA wave.

Have a fantastic week! Louisa, Jenn, and Elaine

​Exclusive: Monarch Tractor CEO—‘We should have pivoted harder and faster’​

While some dealers allege the tractors were “defective,” Penmetsa insists that the tech delivered, but the firm’s business model did not. Elaine Watson

🎥 Polybee scales physical AI agents for “immediate, bankable ROI” in specialty crops​

"Where our recommendations are followed, our customers have walked away with at least 10-15% higher yield" says Siddharth Jadhav. Elaine Watson

​Patagonia and Rodale Institute to transition California county to regen ag​

The funding will enable Rodale Institute to provide farmers with technical assistance and business planning. Jennifer Marston

​Behind Klim’s new tool to turn regenerative agriculture into a financial instrument - AgFunder portfolio co!

"The obvious next step was to build a tool that can quantify financial improvements of regen ag," says CEO Robert Gerlach. Jennifer Marston

​Verdant Robotics expands into grass seed and sod, “where the weeds and the crop can look nearly identical’ - AgFunder portfolio co!

Grass seed and sod fields present one of the hardest identification problems in agriculture as the weeds are grasses too. Elaine Watson

​FDA exempts tagatose from added sugar labeling​

The low-glycemic, non-cariogenic sweetener is almost as sweet as sugar but only has 38% of the calories. Elaine Watson

​Vivici sees 30% boost in titers, yield, via cell productivity tech from Enduro Genetics​

The tech can "unlock biomanufacturing from just being focused on specialty niche products to more everyday products," says Enduro. Elaine Watson

​AgriFood Signals: Nestlé & Soil Capital regen partnership, Unilever buys Grüns, John Deere lawsuit​

Plus: New leadership at Corteva spin-out company. Jennifer Marston

🎥 Guatemala as a biomanufacturing base? Sugar giant Magdalena makes its case​

"It's common that companies invest a lot in fermentation and not so much in downstream development," says the firm. "It's a huge mistake." Elaine Watson

🎥 Fermentation will power next wave of natural colors, says Michroma as it rides MAHA wave​

Michroma is tackling two of the biggest pain points in the shift away from synthetic dyes: performance and supply. Elaine Watson

​Guest article: The ag lender’s guide to AI investment​

With the wrong AI product, a lender could quickly lose trust. By guest contributor Cameron Burfood

Last chance to have your say on the future of EU agrifoodtech investment!​
​

🇪🇺 AgFunder is partnering with the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group to produce the first comprehensive European Agrifoodtech Investment Report to inform how EU funding could be allocated through 2034.

Share your insights in our 10-minute survey. We're examining capital gaps, scaling barriers, and what support mechanisms would make the biggest difference. All participants will receive early access to report findings.

• If you're an investor ​click here​
• If you're an entrepreneur or startup​ click here​

If you're an accelerator, policy maker, or ecosystem builder, select the survey above that best matches your primary perspective on the market.

The survey closes on April 22, 2026. Your input is confidential and will only be reported in aggregate, or we will ask permission to quote you.

​There are ‘credible legal questions as to whether FDA has the legal authority to eliminate self-GRAS,’ say legal experts​

"Word is there was a significant push back on this, both directly to FDA/HHS and at OMB," says Bob Durkin at Amin Wasserman Gurnani. Elaine Watson

​Miyoko’s plant-based butters, cream cheeses, will return to shelves in May, says new owner​​

"Supply chain partnerships are in place, and we're preparing to bring back distribution over the next few weeks," says Scott Fischer. Elaine Watson

​Why regen ag producers can’t get capital—and what alternative lender Steward is doing about it​

Steward's alternative financing model builds creative financing options for farmers outside of the traditional system. Jennifer Marston

​Rob Leclerc on building AgFunder, the biggest media platform and venture fund focused on food & ag ​

We the Builders

​The 2026 farm bill quietly hands big tech control over American farmland. Here's the fine print ​

Fortune

​Proposed EPA budget cuts to negatively affect product approvals​

CropLife

​Even optimistic scenarios now show elevated fertilizer prices into 2028​

Agri-Pulse

​FAO warns Strait of Hormuz crisis could trigger global agrifood catastrophe​

iGrowNews

​Farm Bureau survey reveals real impact of fertilizer availability and price​

American Farm Bureau Federation

​AI bubble: Have VCs already forgotten 2021?​

Sifted

​‘Nothing but tree skeletons’: record-breaking wildfires devastate US cattle country​

The Guardian

​Non-browning banana approved in Japan and Brazil - Featuring Tropic!

Fresh Plaza

NEW! 2026 Global AgriFoodTech Investment Report​

​​​2025 Developing Markets AgriFoodTech Investment Report​

​​2025 Global AgriFoodTech Investment Report

​​10 years in agrifoodtech: an 83-page e-zine​

​Climate Capital: Financing Adaptation Pathways for Smallholder Farmers​

​>>More AgFunder research​

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GreenLight Biosciences (Iberia)

​People services associate​

Eratani (Jakarta, Indonesia)

​Working student, soil and crop modeling​

Klim (Berlin, Germany)

​R&D pipeline team leader​

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Chinova Bioworks (US west coast)

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Resurrect Bio (London, UK)

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