1. Whole Foods Expects Ultra-Urban Farming to Take Off in 2022 

Whole Foods Market global buyers and experts unveiled their top 10 anticipated food trends for 2022 in the retailer’s seventh-annual Top 10 Food Trends report. Ultra-urban farming, buzz-less spirits, yuzu, reducetarianism, and functional beverages made with prebiotics and botanicals are among the food influences expected to rise in popularity in the next year.      Read More

2. OTA Names 2021 Leadership Awards Honorees

The Organic Trade Association announced the names of their 2021 Organic Leadership Award honorees: five visionaries who have advanced organic by promoting the industry’s climate change mitigation practices, investing in social responsibility initiatives, leading organic transition programs, and keeping the organic community safe during COVID-19. This year’s awards include two new categories—Community Service and Climate Action.      Read More

3. Microlearning to Yield Big Results for Organic Stakeholders

Before coming to the USDA National Organic Program (NOP), Laura Gallagher worked on farms and with community gardening organizations in the Midwest and Northeast providing training and education. Now Laura helps NOP manage the Organic Integrity Learning Center (OILC) and the Human Capital Capacity Building Initiative to help build the future of the organic workforce.      Read More

4. University of Rhode Island Students Win Soil-Judging Contest Held at Rodale Institute

Rodale Institute in Kutztown, PA, was the site for the 2021 Northeast Regional Soil Judging Contest on Friday, October 15, 2021, hosted by the Delaware Valley University Soil Judging Team. Sixty-three students from eight colleges throughout the Northeast competed in this year’s contest. The students saw a wide variety of different soils in materials that developed from Pre-Illinoian glacial till as well as residual/colluvial soils that formed in shale and limestone.        Read More

5. Berry Growers Introduce Innovation Challenge

Fresh berry leader Driscoll’s has partnered with Think Beyond Plastic to launch an inaugural Agricultural Plastics Innovation Challenge, which aims to stimulate new recycling processes and the development of alternatives to conventionally used field plastics. Innovators, entrepreneurs, research institutes, startups, and institutions are encouraged to submit applications for innovative solutions, and winners will have the opportunity to pilot their innovations in a commercial environment. A dedicated Ag Plastics Innovation portal is available for submissions with a deadline of Nov. 30.      Read More