Opinion

The latest opinion pieces by industry thought leaders

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  • Aerial view of the Maryland Bioenergy Center in Jessup, Maryland.
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    Permission granted by American Biogas Council
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    How biogas can support the US strategy for reducing food waste

    Anaerobic digestion can help drive progress on climate, but we have only just started to tap into the technology's potential, writes the head of the American Biogas Council.

    Patrick Serfass • Aug. 21, 2024
  • Farm data displayed as charts and graphs on acreage.
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    stock photo via Getty Images
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    Digital twins can mitigate risk for today’s farms. Here’s how.

    New technology could allow growers to utilize virtual replicas of farms to boost climate resiliency and efficiency.

    Jamie Fowler and Mike Johanns • Aug. 5, 2024
  • A man in a tractor looks at a grain bin being filled with corn
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    Scott Olson via Getty Images
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    Why the US doesn’t have a case against Mexico’s GMO corn ban

    Restrictions on corn imports are unlikely to wreak havoc on global commerce despite what U.S. farmers and officials argue, a trade expert writes.

    Ernesto Hernández-López • July 29, 2024
  • White Oak Pastures
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    Permission granted by White Oaks Farm
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    Inside my journey to revitalize my family farm

    Will Harris, a fourth-generation cattleman, transformed an old farming model into a sustainable and lasting one. He writes about how expanding federal programs can help others like him.

    Will Harris • July 9, 2024
  • A fisherman with his hood up unloads fish as other fishermen stand in the background near a boat
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    Billy H.C. Kwok via Getty Images
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    The seafood industry must recognize that healthy seas require safeguarding human rights

    While businesses have made strides in becoming more environmentally responsible, they must also hasten efforts to eliminate labor abuses or risk consumer backlash and legal repercussions.

    Ryan Bigelow • June 7, 2024
  • A row of cows stand
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    William Thomas Cain via Getty Images
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    The critical climate action meat and dairy companies should prioritize now

    To quickly curb the rate of global warming, businesses can prioritize acting on one of their largest sources of supply chain emissions — methane.

    Meryl Richards and Vrashabh Kapate • June 5, 2024
  • A farmer presses his hands into bare soil
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    Maksym Belchenko via Getty Images
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    Brands need a new model of sustainability. Here’s how we can flip the script

    Companies need to shift their focus from selling to doing, writes Kenny Fahey, president and CEO of Leading Harvest. 

    Kenny Fahey • May 23, 2024
  • chicks chickens
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    Ryan J Lane via Getty Images
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    A secret about eggs

    The industry kills millions of male chicks each year because they don’t lay eggs. Here’s why and how we should end this grisly practice as some European countries already have, writes Alex Crisp.

    Alex Crisp • Updated April 22, 2024
  • A tray of milk cartons in a school lunchroom with students in the background.
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    John Moore via Getty Images
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    The dairy industry’s influence in Congress is harming kids’ health

    A pediatrician writes that the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act would circumvent dietary guidelines and increase saturated fat content in school meals.

    Yami Cazorla-Lancaster • March 27, 2024
  • an aerial view of a tractor on a farm
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    Bim via Getty Images
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    Multiply partnerships to tackle food security this National Ag Day

    Farmers and food companies need to leverage their relationship to address one of the world’s most pressing problems, writes Tony Mellenthin, a Wisconsin soybean farmer.

    Tony Mellenthin • March 19, 2024
  • A tractor is seen in a field with defined ridges
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    Christopher Furlong via Getty Images
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    Agtech helped transform Europe’s potato industry. Here’s how.

    If we want to unlock sustainability in agriculture, farmers have to be on board.

    Charles Miller • Feb. 23, 2024
  • Livestock cows in New Zealand
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    Permission granted by Silver Fern Farms
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    The Farm Bill provides a rare conservation opportunity. Let’s not waste it.

    Climate-smart agriculture should be top priority in congressional negotiations. Here's why.

    Valerie J. Stull and Margaret Krome • Feb. 9, 2024
  • Cherry tomatoes
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    akinoreV via Getty Images
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    Why a new ‘tomato tax’ is rotten to the core

    Suspending the tomato trade agreement between the U.S. and Mexico would cost jobs and lead to higher prices for retailers and consumers, a NatureSweet exec writes. 

    Skip Hulett • Feb. 1, 2024
  • kellogg rice farming ag farmers
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    Courtesy of Kellogg
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    Bridging the divide between food companies’ wants and farmers’ needs

    Driven by the urgency to be more environmentally responsible, businesses sometimes fail to fully grasp the multi-faceted challenges faced by suppliers. Here’s how to get everyone on the same page.

    Ofir Ardon • Jan. 30, 2024
  • A man in uniform leads another man and a child through a farmfield.
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    Mario Tama via Getty Images
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    Why farmers bear the cost of a rise in border crossings

    Growers are left on the hook for addressing potential safety concerns, which can cost thousands of dollars, writes a former Arizona Supreme Court justice.

    Andrew Gould • Jan. 17, 2024
  • US capitol building
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    Jemal Countess via Getty Images
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    Here’s how to get the farm bill to the finish line

    The current extension is a temporary fix and only protects the status quo. Former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns weighs in on what’s needed to reach a deal in Congress.

    Mike Johanns • Jan. 9, 2024
  • Banners reading "COP28 UAE" are seen
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    Chris Jackson via Getty Images
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    Don’t fall for the meat industry’s COP out

    Meat and dairy industry representatives made a big show at COP28 claiming that they want to be a part of the solution to combat climate change, but some see it as just greenwashing.

    Gene Baur • Dec. 20, 2023
  • The words "The World Needs You" are projected on a screen.
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    Chris Jackson via Getty Images
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    Making agtech smarter needs to be a COP28 priority

    To accelerate climate action, a broad coalition of stakeholders must come together to advance agricultural innovation and find more efficient production methods.

    Wendy Gonzalez • Dec. 1, 2023
  • Silhouettes of ranchers are seen on the horizon
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    Lisa Maree Williams via Getty Images
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    Devising a just transition for sustainable livestock agriculture

    As national leaders and industry stakeholders prepare to convene on climate change at COP28, frameworks to ensure neither farmers nor ranchers are left behind should be top of mind.

    Danielle Nierenberg, Dr. Lee Recht, Dr. Harpinder Sandhu and Didier Toubia • Nov. 20, 2023
  • fruits and vegetables in bowls
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    Christopher Furlong via Getty Images
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    The fresh produce industry is more volatile than ever. Can tech help?

    Improved data and collaboration will be key to bringing fruits and vegetables supply chains into the 21st century.

    Patrick McCullough • Nov. 10, 2023
  • Farm workers are seen in an aerial shot harvesting zucchini
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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    Sustainable land management requires a shift in mindset — and metrics

    To incentivize companies to invest in farm-level action, we must address the inherent challenges and shortcomings of current greenhouse gas accounting methodologies.

    Alexi Ernstoff • Oct. 16, 2023