China: Stuck Between Corn and COVID

China: Stuck Between Corn and COVID

China’s zero-COVID policy means zero corn for some farmers who have found themselves locked in and kept out of fields that need to be planted.  It shucks: Smallholder farmers often take winter jobs in cities, and many still remain stranded in those cities. Farmers in...
Battle in the Breadbasket Rages On

Battle in the Breadbasket Rages On

As the Russian invasion of Ukraine enters its fourth week, the humanitarian crises are mounting.  And as the world watches, the state of agriculture remains a grave concern upon the steppe. Planting prognosis: On Tuesday, agriculture analysts at APK-Inform noted that,...
French Farm Insurance Booster

French Farm Insurance Booster

Extreme weather conditions have prompted a much-needed insurance revamp for French farmers. The situation: French President Emmanuel Macron said the nation will set aside 600M euros ($709M USD) a year to finance the new system. Why now? An agricultural disaster has...
Taliban Takeover Spells Trouble for Farmers

Taliban Takeover Spells Trouble for Farmers

The U.S. is out, and the Taliban is in (again). Amid the humanitarian crises witnessed over the past several weeks, the Afghan people are now facing another looming problem: agricultural instability and food insecurity. In a country where 70% of people live in rural...
Vilsack Soundbites

Vilsack Soundbites

Mad cow disease has spontaneously popped up in two separate locations in Brazil and the “atypical” cases have halted Brazilian beef exports to China. China and Brazil have an animal health pact that allows Beijing to evaluate the problem, halt imports, and decide when...