Author: Hithaishi CB

To secure sustainable future for forestry The future of sustainable forestry received a significant boost with the official launch of Australia’s $100 million Australian Forest and Wood Innovations (AFWI) program. AFWI is a collaboration between Australia and the University of Tasmania, committed to advancing research and innovation in Australian forest and wood products. AFWI would also shortly be announcing the opening of the first of four, $5 million annual national open calls for forestry research projects. The annual national open calls will be open to applications from all Australian-based researchers supporting the forest industry, and not be limited to the…

Moa’s next-generation bioherbicides, designed to tackle the global threat to food production from increasing weed resistance Moa Technology, the leading agricultural biotech company, and Croda International plc, the global life sciences and consumer care company, have formed a strategic partnership to tackle the global problem of declining food crop yields by using marine science. The partnership aims to develop next-generation bioherbicides for land-based farms by combining Croda’s extensive research into the marine microbiome – developed by its Nautilus Biosciences subsidiary in Canada – with Moa’s own unique herbicide discovery engine. Croda’s advanced manufacturing capabilities will help bring to the field new…

Reviews possibilities for amending provision requiring commercial milk processors and domestic dairy cooperatives Philippines Department of Agriculture is drawing up plans to significantly increase local dairy milk production, including seeking support from local milk processors to bolster investment in the industry and increase dairy cattle population. Philippine Chamber of Agriculture and Food, Inc. (PCAFI), Agriculture Secretary Francisco P. Tiu Laurel Jr. discussed that the DA will review Republic Act 7884, or The National Dairy Development Act of 1995, particularly its provision requiring commercial milk processors and domestic dairy cooperatives to agree on the volume of locally produced milk that will…

First-ever briefing towards sustainable solutions in APAC wildlife–health and livelihoods nexus to foster collaboration, and shape policy frameworks The interplay between the wildlife–health and livelihoods nexus in the Asia-Pacific region is currently at a critical juncture, requiring immediate attention and action, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) announced in recognition of World Wildlife Day (3 March). The Information Brief, drafted with inputs from more than 120 experts, emphasizes balancing wildlife use for rural communities and Indigenous Peoples while reducing zoonotic disease risks. The recommendations in the Information Brief will further contribute to shaping future FAO interventions in…

CLARITY™ Prime extends real-time plant performance data and visualization solutions for fertilizer industry Clariant, a sustainability-focused specialty chemical company, announced the release of CLARITY Prime, an advanced digital service for syngas plants, an upgrade of its cloud-based service portal CLARITY. The upgraded solution leverage automated catalyst health alerts and machine-learning-based performance projecting tools, combined with advanced technical support to improve the operation of Clariant catalysts. Lorena Oviol, Head of Applied Catalyst Technology at Clariant, commented, ″CLARITY Prime is available for ammonia, methanol, and hydrogen producers and enables forecasting of catalyst performance by combining actual data with predictive scenarios. This allows…

Veramaris has received authorisation for the use of algal oil in salmonid aquafeeds in Canada Veramaris, a producer of an algae-based alternative feed ingredient, has completed the necessary three-year registration process for its incorporation into aquafeeds for Canadian salmon farming. As the first authorisation of its kind, this marks a significant step towards increased sustainability within the Canadian salmonid aquaculture industry. The authorisation will allow Veramaris to provide the Canadian salmon industry with an environmentally responsible source of essential nutrients for fish health and welfare. The algal oil, produced in Nebraska, USA, is a regional solution that contributes to the…

The single-site certification for Mahachai Plant, located in Thailand’s Samut Sakhon province west of Bangkok Thai Union Feedmill, a leading manufacturer and distributor of aquaculture and commercial animal feeds, has become the first feedmill in Asia to receive the Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) Feed Standard certificate, setting a new benchmark for sustainable feed production in the region. The ASC Feed Standard, a globally recognized certification that underscores a commitment to environmental sustainability and social responsibility in aquafeed production, was awarded to Thai Union Feedmill’s Mahachai Plant. The certificate is valid for three years. “Securing the first ASC Feed certificate in…

Expert generative AI system has been trained by Bayer agronomists and proprietary data to benefit farmers, agronomic advisors, other industry users Bayer announced the pilot of an expert GenAI system to benefit farmers and up-level agronomists in their daily work. The company has been using proprietary agronomic data to train a large language model (LLM) with years of internal data, insights from thousands of trials within its vast testing network, and centuries of aggregated experience from Bayer agronomists around the world. Bayer has developed an expert system that quickly and accurately answers questions related to agronomy, farm management, and Bayer…

The company expects to start construction in 2025 and enter commercial operation in 2028. Atlas Agro, the green fertilizer company, announced that it had awarded a dual competitive engineering contract to two engineering and construction consortiums to perform parallel competitive project engineering development for the Company’s first Brazilian green nitrogen fertilizer plant in Uberaba, MG, Brazil. After this first development phase, Atlas Agro plans to roll the project over into FEED (Front-End Engineering Design). The company expects to start construction in 2025 and enter commercial operation in 2028. Atlas Agro’s plant will consume 2.5 TWh of renewable energy annually. In…

Innovative approach enables high-quality natural algae astaxanthin production at faster and more affordable rates Kuehnle AgroSystems (“KAS”), a leading microalgal innovation and production company, has raised a $3 million Series A2 funding round led by S2G Ventures. The funding will accelerate the commercialization of KAS’s pioneering method for producing natural astaxanthin from microalgae, a key component in sustainable aquaculture systems as well as a clinically proven human nutraceutical. KAS has patented an innovative process that uses dark fermentation in closed vertical tank systems to produce high-quality natural algae astaxanthin. Utilizing a more sustainable feedstock and production method than current natural and synthetic astaxanthin production…