As labor shortages are a growing challenge in the U.S., this study explores Californian farmers’ response to labour shortages. It finds increasing wages is the most common adaptation strategy, followed by cultivation practices, adoption of labour saving technology, and the use of farm labor contractors. 

This study argues that despite minimal explicit government support for regenerative agriculture in Australia, policymakers are positive about the potential environmental and economic benefits. It finds that economic factors are driving the growth of regenerative agriculture, in line with Australia’s neoliberal policy setting.  

This study identified 506 fishmeal and fish oil factories in 63 different countries, providing an open source database with locations, company names and raw material types. Fishmeal and oil is a critical input for the aquaculture sector but there is little publicly available information despite many reports of unsustainable practices such as decimating fishing stocks in countries that rely on fish as an important source of nutrients. 

For the fifth part of our series on debates across the world, I zoomed into the conversations inside American farming communities with Jesse Hirsch, editor of Ambrook Research, a U.S.-based farming magazine whose readers are primarily farmers. Everyone from row crop farmers to sustainably-minded smallholders in Vermont. We explored the textured world of U.S. agriculture; from who farmers voted for to regenerative farmers who won’t use the words 'climate change'.

This book Investigates alternative healthcare that uses traditional dietary foods, plant-derived materials, and extracts to treat diabetes. It describes scientific studies using modern-day biomedical techniques. 

Gleanings from the Field argues for a holistic approach to food security education, one that acknowledges the fraught nature of wicked problems and equips students with the skills and knowledge needed for effective action. 

The UK government says the viability of the cultivated meat sector is still unclear, despite the need to reduce meat consumption. Technology, cost, and public acceptance are some of the barriers to scaling. It highlights that the social, economic and environmental implications are still uncertain, with few studies into the challenges and opportunities for the rural economy. 

This report by Friends of the Earth finds that most no-till systems — a farming practice that reduces tillage and ploughing —  are responsible for one-third of total annual pesticide use in the U.S. can be attributed to no-till corn and soy production alone. The report argues that this practice is being promoted as a climate solution but says there is no clear link between no-till and carbon sequestration. 

Researchers found that regions such as Eastern Africa and Southern Asia are highly susceptible to drought and negatively impacting agriculture, while East Asia was the most drought-resilient. They used a dataset containing 60 years of country-level drought and agricultural productivity data.