Author: Crop Protection

XAG, a leading company in agricultural technology, has announced the global launch of its APC2 AutoPilot Console, an automated steering solution aimed at simplifying farm operations. The system, which allows for hands-free steering, is designed to be both cost-effective and easy to use, particularly for small and medium-sized farms where upgrading machinery has been a challenge. Farming traditionally requires significant manual effort, particularly when it comes to ensuring machinery moves in straight lines or stays on track, which demands skill and can be physically tiring. During busy seasons, the long hours and repetitive nature of manual driving can lead to…

Staff from the State Grid Zhejiang Electric Power Ningbo Zhenhai Electric Power Supply Company visited the Aming Ecological Farm in Jiulong Lake Town, Ningbo City on the afternoon of August 1st to ensure the smooth operation of a newly installed 250 kVA transformer. The upgrade is key to supporting the farm’s expanded operations and guaranteeing a stable power supply. Aming Ecological Farm, the largest quail farming enterprise in eastern Zhejiang, has faced significant challenges in recent years. Ageing infrastructure, rising labour costs, heightened breeding standards, and increased competition from neighbouring farms put pressure on the business. In response, the farm…

A renowned Italian chef will be showcasing the best of fresh fruit and vegetables at this year’s Speciality & Fine Food Fair in London. The event, taking place from September 10-11, 2024, is set to feature cooking demonstrations and tastings aimed at highlighting the quality and sustainability of produce from Italy and Europe. Chef Alexander Stancu will be leading the culinary demonstrations at stand 1930 in Olympia, London, on behalf of the “I Love Fruit & Veg from Europe” initiative. The campaign is managed by five leading Italian agricultural organisations and co-funded by the European Union. Its primary goal is…

Sustainable food technology company Novameat has secured €17.4 million in an oversubscribed Series A funding round, led by Sofinnova Partners and Forbion’s BioEconomy Fund. The round also saw renewed support from existing investors, including Unovis Asset Management, Praesidium, and Rubio Impact Ventures. The capital injection will be used to scale up production through its innovative MicroForce technology, expand its product range, and boost global market reach. Novameat, known for its pioneering plant-based products, aims to use its patented MicroForce technology to create plant-based alternatives with a fibrous texture akin to real meat. The company’s business-to-business (B2B) approach and technological scalability…

Kraft Heinz is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its annual tomato harvest at the Conesa tomato farm in Badajoz, Spain, the largest of its kind in Europe. This significant milestone highlights the company’s commitment to quality and sustainability in producing its iconic Heinz Tomato Ketchup, Beanz, and Tomato Soup. Each year, more than one million tonnes of tomatoes are harvested from over 10,000 hectares of land at the Conesa farm, an area four times the size of New York’s Central Park. The harvest, which spans up to six weeks and usually concludes in late September, is a critical operation for…

The UK Government has taken further steps to secure billions of pounds in private-sector investment to overhaul Britain’s struggling water infrastructure and address widespread pollution in the nation’s rivers, lakes, and seas. During a key meeting held in London on 10 September 2024, Environment Secretary Steve Reed and Financial Secretary to the Treasury, Lord Spencer Livermore, met with leading investors in the water industry. The roundtable discussion, hosted by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA), focused on the role of private capital in upgrading water infrastructure, boosting economic growth, and creating jobs across the UK. The Government’s…

NewEnergyBlue, a US-based clean-technology company specialising in biomass refineries, has announced the acquisition of Inbicon, a Danish biomass-conversion technology. The deal, which includes Inbicon’s international patent portfolio and global licensing rights, marks a significant expansion for NewEnergyBlue, enabling the company to broaden its reach beyond the Americas to markets worldwide. The Inbicon technology, originally developed by Ørsted, one of Denmark’s leading renewable energy companies, has been at the forefront of converting agricultural waste into biofuels and biochemicals. NewEnergyBlue plans to leverage this innovative technology to produce highly decarbonised biofuels and chemicals from a variety of feedstocks, including corn stalks, wheat…

SLB has announced a significant breakthrough in the sustainable production of lithium at scale, unveiling successful results from its demonstration plant in Clayton Valley, Nevada. The new approach integrates advanced direct lithium extraction (DLE) and conversion technologies, with the potential to transform lithium production by significantly reducing environmental impacts while speeding up the process by 500 times compared to conventional methods. The proprietary system developed by SLB offers a more sustainable way to produce lithium, a critical resource for the rapidly growing electrification economy. The company claims that its integrated technology solution, which combines subsurface expertise with surface engineering, can…

In London today, the Access to Nutrition Initiative (ATNI) gathered with food companies and investors to announce a major step forward in promoting healthier food portfolios. The coalition, comprised of dozens of prominent businesses and financial backers, has committed to adopting common standards to measure the nutritional quality of products sold by major corporations. The announcement follows a year of extensive research and consultation involving over 80 experts from the investment community, food industry, and academia. The initiative comes at a time when poor diets are contributing to an alarming rise in global health problems. It is estimated that one…

The Hain Celestial Group, a prominent global health and wellness company, has announced a major investment in decarbonisation at its primary UK manufacturing facility in Histon, Cambridgeshire. This significant move is part of the company’s broader Global Impact Strategy, aimed at reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 42% across its facilities worldwide by 2030. Histon, a key site for Hain Celestial, produces many of the company’s well-known brands, including Hartley’s® jams and jellies, Robertson’s®, Frank Cooper’s®, Rose’s® marmalades, and Clarks® maple syrup. The site’s latest upgrades are centred around enhancing its environmental sustainability through advanced waste management and energy production…