It was a tumultuous year for the agtech sector, with a string of once-promising startups declaring bankruptcy or downsizing in the face of a tough economic environment. Investors gravitated toward more established startups amid market uncertainty, with biostimulant maker Sound Agriculture raising $25 million in venture funding and Carbon Robotics nabbing $70 million for its laser-powered, weed-killing robot. An...
Author: Agriculture Dive
Agtech seedlings: Amazon-backed Windfall Bio hits commercial milestone for methane-eating microbes
Amazon-backed startup Windfall Bio said it successfully scaled production of methane-eating microbes, a milestone in sustainable fertilizer development. Windfall Bio said fermentation of the microbes reached 17,000 liters, representing commercial-scale production of its methane removal solution. The microbes consume methane and transform “into nitrogen-rich biomass that can be processed into high-value organic fertilizer,” according to the...
USDA must do more to regulate genetically modified crops, judge rules
The court’s ruling reverses an effort by the Trump administration to overhaul regulation of biotechnology products with the goal of streamlining the review process to accelerate innovation in agriculture. The changes meant that genetically modified crops would be subject to regulation if they’re deemed to be “noxious weeds,” which is determined based on traits from...