GSR Solutions advocates for nutrient recovery from organic waste as a complement to conventional fertilizer production. The company argues that capturing nitrogen and phosphorus from livestock manure, food waste, anaerobic digestate, and other organic residuals can reduce nutrient runoff and expand the supply of crop nutrients.

In a company perspective published in May, Founder and CEO Anju Krivov stated that agriculture will continue to depend on various fertilizer sources, including synthetic, organic, biological, mined, and recovered nutrients, to meet rising global food demand. The company notes that nutrients in organic residuals can become environmental liabilities when they enter water bodies rather than being returned to agricultural use.

According to GSR Solutions, nutrient recovery technologies can convert nitrogen- and phosphorus-rich waste streams into fertilizers suitable for agriculture. The company states that recovered nutrients are intended to complement, not replace, existing fertilizer sources and can support broader nutrient stewardship while adding value to agricultural and food-processing byproducts.

The company notes that nutrient management technologies such as composting, solids separation, struvite recovery, ammonia capture, and filtration are already in use. GSR states that the effectiveness of these methods depends on aligning technologies with specific feedstocks, regulations, economics, and market needs. The company adds that recovered nutrients must be processed into standardized fertilizer products with consistent nutrient content, handling, and labeling to achieve broad adoption by growers.

GSR Solutions states that its technology recovers nitrogen and phosphorus from organic waste streams produced by dairy and livestock operations, anaerobic digestion facilities, food processors, municipalities, and other sources. Through its NutriHarvest platform, the company aims to connect recovered nutrient products with agricultural markets, providing an additional outlet for nutrients from digestate and other biological waste streams.

Krivov stated that nutrient recovery addresses two related challenges by reducing nutrient losses to waterways and increasing the availability of fertilizer products for agriculture.

The U.S. litigation over the herbicide paraquat is entering a critical phase, with nearly 6,700 lawsuits consolidated in federal multidistrict litigation (MDL No. 3004) in the Southern District of Illinois and the first California state court trial scheduled for March 1, 2027. The lawsuits have become one of the largest product liability cases involving agricultural chemicals in recent years, raising questions about pesticide safety, worker protection, and manufacturers’ responsibility to warn users about potential health risks.

Most plaintiffs are farmers, licensed pesticide applicators, agricultural workers, landscapers, and rural residents who allege that years of exposure to paraquat caused them to develop Parkinson’s disease. The lawsuits primarily target Syngenta and Chevron, companies that manufactured or distributed paraquat-based herbicides marketed under brands including Gramoxone, Firestorm, Helmquat, and Parazone.

The defendants deny that paraquat causes Parkinson’s disease and have maintained that decades of scientific reviews by regulators worldwide support the product’s continued registration when used according to label directions. The litigation remains ongoing, and no court has determined that paraquat causes Parkinson’s disease.

California trial expected to become a landmark case

One of the most closely watched proceedings is Anderson v. Syngenta AG et al., scheduled to begin on March 1, 2027, in California’s Contra Costa County Superior Court.

According to the complaint, California walnut farmer Keith Anderson handled paraquat products between approximately 1994 and 2022 while mixing, loading, and spraying herbicides on his farm before being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2021. The lawsuit alleges that repeated occupational exposure through inhalation, skin contact, and incidental ingestion caused his illness.

Attorneys representing the Anderson family argue that the case could establish an important precedent for thousands of similar lawsuits pending across the United States.

“This trial will be a critical opportunity to give agricultural workers and their families their day in court,” Brent Wisner, managing partner at Wisner Baum, said in announcing the trial date.

Why paraquat remains controversial

Paraquat is one of the world’s most widely used non-selective herbicides and has been applied for decades to control weeds in crops including soybeans, cotton, corn, orchards, vineyards, and other specialty crops. Because it acts rapidly and is effective against herbicide-resistant weeds, many growers consider it an important management tool.

However, paraquat is also among the most acutely toxic herbicides if swallowed, leading the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to classify it as a Restricted Use Pesticide. Only certified applicators who complete mandatory training may purchase or apply paraquat in the United States.

Beyond concerns over acute poisoning, scientific debate has increasingly focused on whether chronic exposure may contribute to neurodegenerative diseases. Several epidemiological studies, including research from the federally funded Agricultural Health Study, have reported an association between occupational paraquat exposure and increased Parkinson’s disease risk. Laboratory research has also shown that paraquat can damage dopamine-producing neurons through oxidative stress mechanisms.

At the same time, regulatory agencies have reached differing conclusions regarding whether the available evidence establishes a causal relationship. The EPA has previously concluded that existing evidence does not demonstrate a clear causal link between paraquat exposure and Parkinson’s disease, although the agency continues to review emerging scientific data as part of its pesticide registration process.

Growing regulatory and political scrutiny

The litigation comes as political and regulatory attention toward paraquat continues to increase.

Earlier this year, EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin announced that the agency would reassess paraquat’s safety, while lawmakers in multiple states have introduced legislation seeking to ban or further restrict the herbicide.

Paraquat has already been banned or severely restricted in more than 70 countries. Nevertheless, it remains registered for agricultural use in the United States, subject to strict handling requirements.

The outcome of the ongoing litigation could influence future regulatory decisions, pesticide labeling requirements, and manufacturer disclosure obligations, regardless of whether the cases ultimately proceed to jury verdicts or are resolved through settlements.

What plaintiffs allege

Plaintiffs contend that manufacturers knew or should have known for decades that paraquat posed neurological risks and failed to adequately warn users. Attorneys involved in the litigation argue that internal company documents obtained during discovery may shed light on what manufacturers understood about the herbicide’s potential health effects.

Manufacturers have rejected those allegations, stating that paraquat has undergone extensive scientific review by regulatory authorities worldwide and remains approved for use when applied in accordance with the approved label instructions.

No jury has yet ruled on the merits of these allegations.

Potential implications for agriculture

The paraquat litigation extends well beyond the courtroom.

If plaintiffs ultimately prevail in significant numbers, the cases could reshape how agricultural chemicals are tested, monitored, and labeled in the United States. The litigation may also influence future worker safety standards, personal protective equipment requirements, and the evaluation of long-term neurological risks associated with pesticide exposure.

For growers, the lawsuits also highlight the continuing challenge of balancing effective weed management with evolving scientific research, regulatory oversight, and occupational health protections.

Understanding the U.S. paraquat lawsuits

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced a major reorganization of the Foreign Agricultural Service to streamline operations, reduce facility costs, and bring support functions closer to agricultural regions. The initiative will establish a new operational support hub in Kansas City and gradually relocate much of the agency’s Washington-based domestic workforce, while core trade policy and diplomatic functions remain in Washington.

Under the plan, selected headquarters operations will move to Kansas City, and additional mission support positions will transfer to the George Washington Carver Center in Beltsville. USDA stated the phased transition will not result in workforce reductions or affect FAS personnel overseas or at U.S. agricultural diplomatic posts. Agency leadership, trade policy, market access negotiations, congressional relations, and interagency coordination will remain in Washington to support national and international trade.

Deputy Secretary Stephen A. Vaden stated the changes aim to eliminate underused facilities and modernize the department’s structure, strengthening its service to U.S. agriculture. Under Secretary Luke J. Lindberg noted that relocating support functions to the agricultural heartland will bring programs closer to farmers, ranchers, and rural communities. FAS Administrator Daniel Whitley emphasized that the agency will work closely with employees during the transition to provide support and ensure operational continuity.

Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) has committed $600 million to Dangote Group’s $7 billion fertilizer expansion program, which aims to increase Africa’s domestic fertilizer production and enhance food security. The funds will be provided to Greenview Fertiliser Corp., Dangote’s fertilizer holding company, as part of a broader strategy to expand manufacturing in Nigeria and build a new facility in Ethiopia.

Dangote plans to increase Nigeria’s annual urea production capacity from 3 million to 9 million metric tons and build a 3 million metric ton per year urea plant in Ethiopia. These projects are expected to reduce Africa’s reliance on imported fertilizers, boost agricultural productivity, and strengthen the continent’s position in global fertilizer markets. AFC stated that the investment addresses long-term challenges such as population growth, rising food demand, climate pressures, and supply chain disruptions.

Dangote President and CEO Aliko Dangote stated that the investment marks the next phase of the company’s fertilizer growth strategy and demonstrates AFC’s ongoing support for its industrial projects. AFC President and CEO Samaila Zubairu noted that Africa consumes about 6 million metric tons of urea annually, compared to 40 million in India and 50 million in China, despite similar population sizes. He emphasized that expanding domestic fertilizer production is essential for food security, job creation, and strengthening Africa’s industrial base.

This financing extends AFC’s long-standing partnership with Dangote Group. AFC previously served as co-coordinating bank for the $3 billion syndicated financing of the Dangote Refinery and provided a $300 million senior term loan for its development. Since 2007, AFC has invested over $19 billion in 36 African countries, focusing on infrastructure, industrial development, energy, transport, logistics, and food security.

Brazil faces a sharp rise in farm auctions as financial distress spreads through its agricultural sector. Rising debt, high interest rates, lower grain prices, and volatile weather are pushing more producers into default. Reuters data show that rural property auctions have increased significantly, with troubled agricultural loans now representing nearly one-fifth of Brazil’s outstanding rural credit portfolio.

According to Brazil’s central bank, problematic rural loans—including delinquent debt, defaults, renegotiated loans, and restructured payments—have more than quadrupled in the past two years to 171.2 billion reais (approximately USD 33 billion). Distressed loans now make up 19.6% of all rural credit, up from 5.5% two years ago. Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture described the sector’s debt burden as “extremely delicate.”

The deteriorating financial situation has prompted lenders to accelerate the seizure of farmland. Auction marketplace Leilao Imovel reports that rural properties listed for auction reached 14,219 in 2025, a 30% increase from the previous year. Out-of-court foreclosure auctions nearly doubled in 2024 to 2,398 properties. While the company expanded its survey to include more auction houses, executives note that long-term data from major auctioneers indicate a clear upward trend in financial distress, especially in soybean and grain-producing regions.

The debt crisis has worsened due to increasingly severe weather events. Farmers are still recovering from the 2024 floods in Rio Grande do Sul, and forecasts of a potential “super El Niño” raise concerns about further crop losses. Fertilizer prices have also increased following the conflict involving Iran, leading some Brazilian growers to scale back planting. Analysts warn that persistently high interest rates—Brazil’s benchmark rate has risen to 15% from 2% over five years—along with uncertain commodity markets and climate risks, are likely to keep financial pressure on producers high.

Source: Reuters

The U.K. Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) has released a revised corporate net-zero standard that allows companies to include specific environmental credits and carbon-removal measures in their climate strategies. This marks one of the organization’s most significant policy changes since the introduction of its corporate framework.

Under the updated rules, companies can count market-based mitigation measures, such as sustainable aviation fuel credits and other environmental certificates, toward their net-zero strategies. Previously, SBTi required businesses to focus almost exclusively on reducing emissions within their own operations and supply chains. The nonprofit stated that the revised framework acknowledges some emissions are beyond a company’s direct control, but physical decarbonization should remain the primary objective.

The new standard permits companies to use carbon-removal technologies, such as direct air capture and reforestation projects, to neutralize residual emissions that are technically or economically impossible to eliminate. These measures may apply only from 2035 onward, after companies have taken all reasonable steps to reduce emissions through direct decarbonization.

SBTi stated that the revised framework adopts a “best-efforts” approach, requiring companies to set science-based targets, implement practical emissions reduction plans, and disclose where structural barriers limit further progress. Chief Executive David Kennedy said the standard aims to better align climate ambitions with business realities and to encourage continuous improvement rather than a one-time compliance exercise.

The organization decided not to require companies to adopt hourly electricity emissions accounting for target-setting, despite growing support from some environmental groups and academics. Instead, companies with significant electricity consumption, including technology firms, must disclose, on an hourly basis, the share of electricity matched with low-carbon power to improve transparency. SBTi also confirmed that power purchase agreements for renewable electricity will continue to help companies reduce emissions, especially where local renewable energy generation is limited.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

As corn and soybean crops develop, producers face a rapidly closing window for post-emergence herbicide applications. Crop growth stage and weed size determine both the effectiveness and legality of treatments, making timely application essential to protect yields.

Dwight Lingenfelter, a weed science extension specialist, notes that many herbicides have strict label restrictions based on crop development, harvest timing, and intended use for grain, forage, or livestock feed. While harvest interval requirements rarely affect grain production, they are important for early-harvested corn or soybean forage due to potential herbicide residue concerns.

For soybeans, glyphosate remains effective against many annual weeds in herbicide-tolerant varieties, but it offers little control of glyphosate-resistant species such as marestail, Palmer amaranth, and waterhemp. Other post-emergence herbicide groups, including ALS inhibitors, PPO inhibitors, and glufosinate-based products, control specific broadleaf weeds, though their effectiveness depends on the target species and the presence of herbicide resistance. Extension experts recommend adding residual Group 15 herbicides to post-emergence tank mixes for overlapping control of later-emerging weeds.

The guidance outlines maximum crop growth stages for many herbicides in corn and soybeans. In corn, application cutoffs range from pre-emergence to the V8 growth stage or specific plant heights, depending on the product. In soybeans, products such as Liberty Ultra, Enlist One, Engenia, Tavium, and glyphosate each have specific growth-stage and pre-harvest restrictions that must be followed to comply with label requirements.

Specialists emphasize that growers should consult herbicide labels before application, as crop stage and weed size can significantly reduce treatment effectiveness later in the season. Once weeds are too large or crops exceed labeled growth stages, chemical control options become limited, which may increase yield losses and complicate resistance management.

Source: Farm Progress

OceanWell, based in California, is working on a new way to turn seawater into drinking water that could use much less energy. As drought, population growth, and aging infrastructure strain freshwater supplies worldwide, this technology could help. The company recently reached the semifinals of the USD 119 million XPRIZE Water Scarcity competition after showing how its subsea desalination system works. By using natural ocean pressure to power reverse osmosis, the system can cut energy use by up to 40% compared to traditional desalination methods.

Traditional desalination plants pump seawater to shore and then push it through high-pressure membranes. In contrast, OceanWell’s modular subsea pods operate at depths of more than 400 meters (1,300 feet) below the ocean surface, using natural pressure to support desalination. Freshwater is sent to shore, while the leftover brine is returned to the sea, reducing environmental impact and avoiding the need for large coastal facilities. Each pod can make up to one million gallons of freshwater daily, and several pods can be grouped together to form large ‘water farms.’

OceanWell finished a successful pilot project with the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District in Southern California. Now, the company is teaming up with 25 California water agencies to build Water Farm 1, a commercial project planned off the coast near Malibu. This facility could eventually provide 50 to 60 million gallons of drinking water per day starting around 2030. OceanWell is also looking at different ways to power the offshore system, such as connecting to onshore electricity or using future offshore wind power.

OceanWell’s recent momentum also includes a memorandum of understanding with France’s Eau d’Azur to evaluate deployment opportunities in the Mediterranean region, as well as support from Kubota Corporation, the European Water Tech Accelerator, and Boston Consulting Group’s Social Impact Accelerator.

According to the company, its modular subsea design aims to address several longstanding challenges associated with conventional desalination, including high energy consumption, concentrated brine discharge, extensive coastal infrastructure, and environmental impacts on marine ecosystems, while providing a scalable, climate-resilient source of freshwater for water-stressed regions.

Recycled phosphorus fertilizers derived from waste materials could help reduce agriculture’s dependence on finite phosphate rock reserves, according to a new international study that found some recycled phosphorus sources move more effectively through soil than conventional mineral fertilizers.

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen and partner institutions in Denmark, Brazil, Germany, Lithuania, Switzerland, and Canada used advanced analytical techniques at the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan to examine how phosphorus from recycled fertilizers behaves in different soil types. The study found that phosphorus recovered from sewage sludge and other recycled materials can become more available to plants over time, while conventional mineral phosphorus fertilizers typically become less available as they react with soil minerals.

Using synchrotron technology, the researchers identified the chemical forms of phosphorus present in fertilizers and soils with greater precision than conventional laboratory methods. The findings showed that phosphorus from sewage sludge-based fertilizers moved farther through the soil profile than mined phosphorus, potentially improving plant access to the nutrient. However, the researchers also found that fertilizer performance depended heavily on soil characteristics, with some soil-fertilizer combinations enhancing phosphorus availability while others restricted it.

The authors said the results highlight the need for site-specific fertilizer management rather than a one-size-fits-all approach when using recycled phosphorus products. They added that the findings represent an important step toward developing circular agricultural systems that reuse waste materials as nutrient sources, although additional field trials will be needed before practical recommendations can be made for farmers.

Source: Canadian Light Source

Electrolyzer maker Ohmium has signed a cooperation agreement with Polish developer Hynfra to support front-end engineering and design (FEED) work on large-scale green ammonia projects in Mauritania, Jordan and Oman.

Under the master cooperation agreement announced June 17, California-based Ohmium will provide proton-exchange-membrane (PEM) electrolyzer technology and technical support as the three developments advance through design. The projects are intended to produce renewable ammonia that meets the European Union’s standards for certified green hydrogen derivatives.

The largest of the three, a green ammonia plant in Oman’s Duqm zone, carries a $5.4B price tag and targets 400,000 tonnes per year of output powered by 2.6 GW of renewables. The Mauritania project near Nouakchott would produce about 100,000 tonnes per year, while the Jordan development has secured government approval and is targeting a final investment decision by September 2027.

Hynfra chief executive Tomoho Umeda said Ohmium is one of the company’s PEM electrolyzer partners, adding that it maintains at least two qualified suppliers for each technology category.

For fertilizer markets, the projects add to a growing pipeline of renewable ammonia aimed at both export to Europe and regional supply, though most remain years from production.

Source: gasworld

Atome’s flagship Villeta green fertilizer project in Paraguay faces financing uncertainty after the government abruptly revoked a presidential decree that underpinned the project’s fixed-tariff power agreement.

The UK-listed developer said a decree issued on January 16, 2026, which set electricity tariffs for a fixed-rate power purchase agreement with state utility ANDE, was canceled without notice and replaced. The new decree tasks ANDE with setting fresh investment conditions and withdraws the previously mandated tariffs, leaving the agreed power deal unsigned.

The power purchase agreement was a condition precedent for the first disbursement under the project’s financing. Atome said it is urgently engaging with ANDE, the Paraguayan government, and lenders, including the International Finance Corporation, IDB Invest, and the European Investment Bank, and warned there is no certainty it can secure revised terms acceptable to financiers.

The setback follows the project’s $665M final investment decision earlier this year. The 260,000 tonnes-per-year plant would produce low-carbon calcium ammonium nitrate using Paraguayan hydropower, with all output committed to Yara under a decade-long offtake deal.

Chair Peter Levine said the company had received assurances at the highest level that the agreed power deal would be executed before the end of June. Atome said it would update shareholders in due course.

Source: TipRanks

The European Commission has proposed a €540M relief package to help farmers cope with surging fertilizer costs, the first concrete funding step under its Fertilizer Action Plan.

The Commission will channel €300M of fresh money from the 2026 EU budget into the agricultural reserve, on top of remaining funds, bringing the total to €540M. Member states may top up the support with national funds by up to 200%, raising the potential package to €1.5B.

Alongside the direct aid, the Commission proposed targeted changes to the Common Agricultural Policy. These include a new crisis liquidity scheme under the rural development program, the option for member states to bring forward direct payments, and higher advance payment rates before October 16 to ease farm cash flow.

Fertilizer prices have climbed sharply since the Middle East conflict disrupted nitrogen supply. Nitrogen fertilizer prices in April 2026 ran 71% above the 2024 average, according to Commission data, while the bloc imports 40% to 45% of the fertilizers its farmers use.

“Now is the time to choose our food security, our strategic autonomy and our competitiveness,” said Agriculture Commissioner Christophe Hansen.

The agricultural reserve proposal goes to member states for a vote, with final adoption scheduled by the end of July.

Source: European Commission

What to know about the EU’s €540 million fertilizer relief package

The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has forecast a summer dead zone of about 7,027 square miles in the Gulf of Mexico, an area of oxygen-starved water larger than the 39-year average and the biggest projected since 2017.

The annual hypoxic zone forms when excess nitrogen and phosphorus, much of it from fertilizer and other agricultural runoff across the Mississippi-Atchafalaya watershed, fuel algal blooms that decompose and strip oxygen from bottom waters. The watershed drains about 40% of the continental United States across 22 states.

NOAA’s 2026 estimate sits below the record 8,776 square miles measured in 2017 but above the long-term average of 5,223 square miles. The forecast draws on May nutrient and river-discharge data from the U.S. Geological Survey, fed into an ensemble of models developed with Louisiana State University, the University of Michigan and other partners.

The Interagency Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico Hypoxia Task Force is targeting a five-year average dead zone of 1,900 square miles by 2035, a goal the latest forecast far exceeds. The figure underscores the persistent link between nitrogen-use efficiency on farms and downstream water quality.

A NOAA-supported survey will confirm the actual size of the zone in early August.

Source: NOAA

Wheat roots release natural compounds that suppress the soil microbes responsible for nitrogen loss, according to research highlighted on June 10, pointing to a route toward more efficient fertilizer use and lower emissions.

The finding reframes benzoxazinoids, plant chemicals long studied for their role in pest and disease defense, as active players in soil nitrogen management. If breeders can harness the trait, wheat could retain more applied nitrogen in the root zone, reducing both fertilizer waste and nitrous oxide emissions, a potent greenhouse gas.

How benzoxazinoids act as natural nitrification inhibitors

Nitrification is the microbial process that converts ammonium, a stable form of nitrogen, into nitrate. While plants can use nitrate, it leaches readily into groundwater and is vulnerable to denitrification, in which microbes convert it into nitrogen gases, including nitrous oxide. Both pathways represent lost fertilizer and environmental cost.

The research indicates that benzoxazinoids exuded from wheat roots suppress the microbes that drive nitrification, slowing the conversion of ammonium to nitrate. The effect keeps nitrogen in a form less prone to loss, leaving more available to the crop throughout the season.

Why a plant-made inhibitor matters for fertilizer efficiency

Synthetic nitrification inhibitors already exist and are sold as coatings or additives for nitrogen fertilizers, designed to extend the time nitrogen stays available to crops. They add cost and an extra step at application.

A crop that produces its own inhibitor through its roots could deliver a similar benefit without a purchased product, an approach researchers describe as biological nitrification inhibition. For wheat, one of the most widely grown cereals and a heavy consumer of nitrogen fertilizer, even modest gains in nitrogen-use efficiency would carry large aggregate effects across global acreage.

From discovery toward commercial wheat varieties

The practical payoff depends on whether the trait varies enough between wheat lines to be selected and bred into commercial varieties. Researcher Khatri, who worked on the study, framed the compounds as a previously overlooked lever in how wheat manages soil nitrogen rather than a finished tool for farmers.

Translating a root-exudate trait into a reliable field outcome is a multi-year effort. Exudation rates can shift with soil type, temperature and microbial community, and a benefit measured in controlled conditions does not always hold across diverse growing environments.

What to watch next

For fertilizer markets, the work adds to a growing body of research on biological nitrification inhibition that could, over time, reshape how nitrogen products are formulated and how plant breeders value below-ground traits. The nearer-term significance is scientific: it positions a familiar class of plant defense chemicals as a tool for keeping nitrogen where crops can use it.

Source: Phys.org

Canadian National Railway (CN) has signed a transportation agreement with BHP to haul potash from the Jansen mine in Saskatchewan to West Coast export terminals, the railway said on June 10.

The deal links Jansen to Pacific gateways including Westshore Terminals near Vancouver, drawing on CN’s network of almost 20,000 route miles across Canada and the United States. It supports the mine’s initial production phase.

Janet Drysdale, CN’s executive vice-president and chief commercial officer, said the agreement supports BHP’s entry into the potash market and builds on collaboration between the two companies. Sandra Ellis, CN’s vice-president of bulk, said the railway has added capacity to handle the new volumes.

BHP’s Jansen project is among the largest potash developments under construction. First output from Stage 1 is set to lift global supply, and reliable rail access to tidewater is central to reaching buyers in Asia and Latin America.

The agreement underscores the role of logistics in potash competitiveness, where the cost of moving ore to port can shape margins for new entrants.

Source: World Fertilizer

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a new $125 million annual investment in agricultural research infrastructure, opening the fiscal year 2026 funding opportunity under the Research Facilities Act program. The initiative, backed by President Donald Trump’s Working Families Tax Cuts legislation, is designed to address decades of deferred maintenance and modernize research facilities at land-grant universities across the United States.

Speaking at a roundtable in Washington, D.C., USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said aging research infrastructure has increasingly threatened the ability of universities to conduct world-class agricultural research. The new funding is intended to support innovation that benefits U.S. farmers and ranchers while strengthening the nation’s food security. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said land-grant universities have played a central role in advancing agricultural science and technology for more than a century, adding that the investment would help maintain U.S. competitiveness in the sector.

The USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) will administer the competitive grant program, which will support the renovation, expansion, and construction of research facilities. Applicants must provide a dollar-for-dollar non-federal cash match and may receive funding for only one project at a time. Grants will be available across four categories, ranging from planning grants of $100,000 to $200,000 to large-scale research complexes receiving between $10 million and $30 million.

According to USDA Under Secretary for Research, Education, and Economics and Chief Scientist Dr. Scott Hutchins, the program is intended to ensure future agricultural research is conducted in modern facilities equipped with advanced technologies. NIFA Director Dr. Jaye Hamby said the investment would help accelerate the transfer of research from laboratories to farms and markets while supporting the next generation of agricultural scientists and producers.

Applications for the FY2026 funding opportunity are due by July 17, 2026.

Source: National Institute of Food and Agriculture

U.S. urea exports to Canada reached 144,619 tonnes in April, the highest for any month since records began in 2008, according to the U.S. Census Bureau data reported by Argus.

The volume was up 99,086 tonnes from a year earlier and ran 94,946 tonnes above the five-year average for April. The surge reflects reduced Canadian domestic production rather than any shift in trade policy.

Several Canadian nitrogen plants cut output over the spring. Nutrien carried out a turnaround at its Carseland plant in Alberta in April, while Yara scheduled maintenance at its Belle Plaine facility in Saskatchewan in late May.

The maintenance left Canadian buyers leaning on US-produced urea during the spring application window, when demand for nitrogen peaks across the Prairies and the northern United States.

The shift puts the United States on track to remain a net exporter of urea to Canada through the 2025-26 fertilizer year, reversing the more typical flow seen in some earlier periods.

Source: World Fertilizer

What to know about the US-Canada urea trade shift

ThyssenKrupp Uhde has won pre-front-end engineering design (pre-FEED) contracts for two green ammonia plants in Brazil from developer Fuella, the company said on June 10.

The projects, PeGA at the Port of Pecém and AçuGA at the Port of Açu, will each produce 400,000 tonnes per year of green ammonia using renewable power. ThyssenKrupp Uhde will supply its ammonia synthesis technology and integration engineering, including electrolysis.

Nadja Håkansson, chief operating officer of thyssenkrupp Decarbon Technologies and chief executive of thyssenkrupp Uhde, said the contracts advance the company’s low-carbon ammonia portfolio. Dr Thorsten Helms, managing director of Fuella, said Brazil’s renewable resources make it competitive for green ammonia production.

Green ammonia, made with hydrogen from renewable-powered electrolysis rather than natural gas, is being pursued as a low-carbon fertilizer feedstock and a potential marine fuel.

Brazil’s combination of wind, solar and port infrastructure has drawn a wave of green hydrogen and ammonia proposals. Pre-FEED marks an early engineering stage, with final investment decisions still ahead.

Source: World Fertilizer

Aphea.Bio has entered a strategic research partnership with Bayer to develop a new generation of bioinsecticides targeting sap-sucking pests, the companies announced on June 10 following a signing ceremony in Monheim, Germany.

Aphea.Bio, a Ghent-based spinout of VIB, Ghent University and KU Leuven, will apply its microbial natural product (MNP) discovery platform to identify candidate molecules. Bayer will lead development, regulatory work and global commercialization.

The collaboration targets aphids and thrips, which transmit plant viruses and cause heavy crop losses. Initial focus is on pome and stone fruit, citrus and grapes, with later expansion into vegetables and row crops such as cotton and soybean.

The products are based on non-living microbial derivatives rather than live organisms, which the partners say offers longer shelf life and more consistent field performance than many conventional biologicals.

Chief executive Isabel Vercauteren said the partnership pairs Aphea.Bio’s discovery engine with Bayer’s scale. Chief technology officer Steven Vandenabeele leads the company’s research effort.

Demand for biological crop protection is rising as regulators tighten rules on synthetic insecticides and resistance spreads across major pests.

Aphea.Bio and Bayer: five things to know

Source: AgroSpectrum Asia

Burpee, one of the oldest seed companies in the United States, is marking the country’s 250th anniversary by introducing seed collections inspired by the gardens of figures such as Thomas Jefferson and Martha Washington, offering modern gardeners access to historic varieties dating back to the Revolutionary era.

The Pennsylvania-based company, founded in 1876, continues to rely heavily on its mail-order roots, with roughly 35% of its estimated annual revenue of more than USD 110 million generated through catalog and online sales. Burpee distributes vegetable, herb and flower seeds through more than 24,000 retail locations across the U.S. and Canada, including Walmart, Home Depot and Tractor Supply. Chairman George Ball, who acquired the company in 1991, said gardening remains both a patriotic act and an enduring hobby for American households.

Over its 150-year history, Burpee has introduced several influential crop varieties, including iceberg lettuce in 1894, hybrid cucumbers and tomatoes, and the widely adopted Big Boy tomato introduced in 1949. The company continues to develop products aimed at home gardeners, with its 2026 catalog featuring personal-sized watermelons and snack peppers. According to Forbes estimates, Burpee generates EBITDA margins exceeding 10%, while Ball has indicated he intends to keep the company privately held despite its strong market position.

Burpee benefited significantly from the surge in gardening during the COVID-19 pandemic, when more than 18 million Americans took up the hobby, according to the National Gardening Association. Although demand has moderated since then, consumer spending on Burpee products remains approximately 120% above pre-pandemic levels. The company said it has continued to gain market share in the garden seed sector by focusing on varieties bred specifically for home gardens rather than for commercial production.

Source: Forbes

The US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) has approved $4.07M in project-development funding for Argentina Potash’s El Ceibo project in the Neuquén Basin, the company said on June 16.

It is the DFC’s first project-development award in Argentina and the first to align with the US-Argentina Critical Minerals Framework signed in February 2026. Washington designated potash a critical mineral in November 2025.

The funding will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the company, taking Phase 1 development to $8.15M. The work targets a 50,000-tonnes-per-year demonstration plant, scaling to 1 million tonnes per year of muriate of potash (MOP) at the commercial stage.

El Ceibo holds a resource of 1,606 million tonnes of sylvinite, equivalent to 391 million tonnes of contained potassium chloride. Chief executive Dr Chris Cornelius said the award validates the project’s role in diversifying potash supply.

Argentina Potash is targeting a listing on NYSE American in early 2027 under the ticker KCL. Argentina imports almost all of its potash, and a domestic source would cut reliance on Canadian, Russian and Belarusian material.

Source: World Fertilizer

Indian authorities have intensified inspections around a Tata Electronics facility in southern India after state regulators alleged that wastewater discharged from the plant contaminated nearby agricultural land and groundwater, Reuters reported.

Officials from the district administration surveyed farmland surrounding the Tata factory in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, on June 15 alongside local farmers who had raised concerns about water quality and crop yields. The facility, located about 25 miles south of Bengaluru, manufactures back panels and other components for Apple’s iPhone and plays a key role in the company’s strategy to diversify production beyond China.

Tamil Nadu’s pollution control board previously warned Tata Electronics that it could face a forced shutdown unless it explains findings from inspections conducted between December 2025 and May 2026. Regulators alleged that wastewater discharged into a rainwater harvesting pond overflowed and affected groundwater in open wells used by neighboring farms.

District official N. Velu confirmed to Reuters that authorities were assessing conditions in the area but declined to provide further details. Local farmer P. Pushparaj said he had filed complaints after observing foul-smelling discharge from the factory, adding that crop yields had declined in recent years.

Tata Electronics has disputed the allegations, stating that its independent analysis found the company to be compliant with environmental regulations. The company said it remains committed to responsible business practices and protecting local communities. Apple and Tata did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment on the latest inspections.

The environmental scrutiny presents another challenge for Apple’s manufacturing operations in India. A fire at the same Tata facility in September 2024 temporarily disrupted iPhone component production, while a 2023 fire at a former Pegatron plant halted manufacturing for several days. In 2024, Reuters also reported allegations of discriminatory hiring practices at a Foxconn plant in India, claims the company said were inconsistent with its policies and legal obligations.

Source: Reuters

Bifox has acquired a 16.7% stake in Fosfatos del Pacífico (Fospac), the owner of the 550-million-tonne Bayovar 9 phosphate rock project in northern Peru, for $10M in cash, with an option to acquire the remaining stake.

The stake was purchased from Fossal, part of the Hochschild group, Bifox said. The company holds a call option over the remaining 83.3% of Fospac, exercisable for $50M following a planned pre-IPO fundraising.

Bayovar 9 holds a total resource of 550 million tonnes, comprising 209.3 million tonnes in the measured category, 183.6 million tonnes indicated and 153.3 million tonnes inferred. The deposit sits about 15 km from a port on Peru’s northern coast, giving it direct access to seaborne export routes.

The company plans initial output of 2.5 million tonnes per year, with capacity expandable to 5 million tonnes. Chief executive Tim Koster said the deal positions Bifox as a supplier of phosphate rock, a material classed as critical by the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Japan, Canada and South Korea.

Production timelines will follow the pre-IPO raise that triggers the buyout option.

Source: World Fertilizer

Large-scale cropland expansion in northern China has delivered declining agricultural benefits while imposing growing ecological costs, according to a new study published in Communications Sustainability. Researchers found that farmland reclamation in four northern provinces—Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia, Heilongjiang, and Jilin—significantly increased grain production in the early 2000s, but its contribution to yields weakened after 2010 as cultivation expanded into less productive marginal lands.

The study found that between 2000 and 2020, about 85,000 square kilometers (32,800 square miles) of new cropland were created in the four provinces, accounting for 35% of China’s total reclaimed farmland during the period. Much of the new farmland came from grasslands, forests, and wetlands, contributing to a nearly 1% decline in the regional Biodiversity Intactness Index. Around 15% of newly reclaimed cropland overlapped with Key Biodiversity Areas, highlighting growing conflicts between agricultural expansion and conservation goals. Stable cropland consistently produced higher yields than newly reclaimed land, suggesting that expansion into marginal areas has become increasingly inefficient.

Researchers concluded that improving productivity on existing low-yield farmland could provide a more sustainable path to food security. Scenario modeling showed that upgrading low-yield fields could raise grain production by up to 30.8 million tonnes while avoiding as much as 70,300 square kilometers (27,100 square miles) of additional cropland reclamation. The findings support China’s strategy of developing high-standard farmland and suggest that agricultural intensification, combined with land conservation measures, may better balance food production and biodiversity protection.

Source: Nature

Kazakhstan has approved the construction of a major ammonia and urea complex in the western city of Aktau, a project valued at 804.2 billion tenge (approximately USD 1.6 billion). The country’s Ministry of Industry and Construction and KazAzot Prime signed an investment agreement, while Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov formalized the project through a government decree, according to Interfax citing the ministry’s press service.

The facility is expected to begin operations in 2030 and will create around 1,500 jobs during construction and 700 permanent positions once operational. The complex is designed to produce up to 660,000 metric tons of ammonia annually, approximately 580,000 tons of urea, and 500,000 tons of ammonium nitrate, significantly expanding Kazakhstan’s domestic nitrogen fertilizer production.

Kazakhstan currently does not produce urea domestically and relies on imports from neighboring countries to meet agricultural demand. Authorities said the new plant will help supply farmers with locally produced fertilizer, reduce import dependence, and strengthen the country’s export potential. KazAzot remains Kazakhstan’s only nitrogen fertilizer producer today, but additional urea projects are also being developed by KazESTA and KMG PetroChem in partnership with CNPC-Aktobemunaigas. With all planned investments completed, Kazakhstan projects ammonia production capacity to reach 2.3 million tons annually by 2030.