The headline in a March 2018 story in the Western Farm Press reads “The alfalfa industry wants more favorable farm policy for its forage crop.” It argues that alfalfa doesn’t get the support and respect it deserves, given that by value, it is the number three field crop grown in the U.S., behind corn and […]
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When Amazon, the king of online retail, bought Whole Foods for $13 billion in 2017, many saw a future of on-demand delivery of affordable organic produce and packaged foods. Financial disclosures revealed in Amazon’s 2017 annual report demonstrate that the company is betting on this future too, in the form of a huge investment in […]
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When General Mills bought the beloved organic food company Annie’s Homegrown in 2014 for $820 million cash, many wondered what this would mean for the future of one of the organic food industry’s iconic brands. When the deal went down, Jeff Harmening, the Chief Operating Officer for General Mills, told the New York Times that […]
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What is driving the growth in organic apple production in WA state? First and foremost, consumer demand. Over the last five years or so, most of the fruit buyers for major supermarkets, food companies, restaurants, and exporters have been pushed by their customers to expand the diversity and quality of organic apple offerings. Since Washington […]
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A new opinion piece recounts how a Syngenta-linked PR firm has apparently started a non-profit front-group to challenge Bayer’s acquisition of Monsanto. Opposition to the union of these two industry leaders rests in the fear of anti-competitive activity, leading to adverse impacts on farmers in the wake of higher seed prices and limited choices in the genetic […]
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The proposed acquisition of biotech giant Monsanto by Bayer would combine two of the world’s largest producers of pesticides, biotech traits, and both conventional and GE seed. If the deal goes through, German-based Bayer would emerge as the dominant industry leader. The company would exert more influence over the future of food than any national government, or all […]
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We cover today a new estimate of the increase in carbon emissions per year from renewable-fuels-driven land conversion over a five year period (2008-2012) in this “In the News” item. This latest study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison will surely not settle the ongoing debate over whether corn ethanol and soy biodiesel increase or decrease […]
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While Bayer’s $57 billion deal to acquire Monsanto has received regulatory approvals in most of the world, it has not in the European Union. EU competition law is, in general, stricter than U.S. law. There are also huge differences, especially now, in willingness to enforce existing competition laws in Europe versus the U.S. An active […]
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Out west in Washington State, Stemilt is rapidly expanding the acreage producing organic apples. Its supply of organic apples will be up 55% in 2017, compared to the 2016 crop. Honeycrisp volume will rise 250%, and fuji volume will be up 90%. Today, about 30% of Stemilt’s extensive apple acreage is managed organically. Virtually all […]
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The tagline in the remarkable New York Times story on junk food in Brazil reads: “As growth slows in wealthy countries, Western food companies are aggressively expanding in developing nations, contributing to obesity and health problems.” The Times story appeared September 16, 2017 and is accessible online. The authors, Andrew Jacobs and Matt Richtel, explain […]
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