🐟 Future of Fish Farming + Fieldin Plows Ahead, Ida Blows Up Trouble Up in Ag, and more...

Grab a bottle of tartar sauce and slip on a pair of shades—the future of fish farming is bright.

Seafood sensation: According to the UN, global fish consumption has jumped an average of 3.1% annually since 1961, outpacing consumption of all other animal proteins combined.

And it’s not slowing down: projections foresee a $245.2B global market by 2027.

Asia maintains the lion(fish)’s share of global aquaculture production (a whopping 92%), but in the U.S., most seafood we consume comes from overseas:

Americans import 90% of their seafood.
Over two-thirds of imports are farmed fish.
The U.S. ranks 17th globally in aquaculture production.

Climate issues and the global market could prod the U.S. to dive deeper into fish farming, too.

Flying fish: Hot temperatures out west have prompted scientists to lend salmon a helping fin by shooting them over dams with air cannons—aiding with migration before they’re fried in their native rivers and streams.

With the future of these species in jeopardy, aquaculture may be the only sustainable solution to keeping our Friday night seafood buffets.

And a recent survey released by the Environmental Defense Fund shows 84% of American voters support proposals to study and implement more nearshore and offshore sustainable aquaculture operations.

Where this goes: Aquaculture’s bright future is garnering the attention of big meat. Cargill is looking into fish production deals, and JBS SA, the world’s largest meat producer, recently reeled in a big one by acquiring an Australian salmon producer for $314M.

Quick Hits

→ Armyworm invasion. University of Missouri entomologists are saying dry weather is contributing to the worst fall armyworm outbreak in 30 years, damaging pastures and row crops across the U.S.

→ U.S. eggs on a roll. Exports of shell eggs grew 18.1% for the first half of 2021 over 2020. And at the current pace, look for all-time yearly sales records to fall.

→ Farmers want to fast-track ROI on tech. A recent Farm Journal Technology survey found that 67% of farmer respondents say they expect to see a return for technology purchases within three years, while 22% expect it within one.

→ Florida fruit is furious. The state’s Ag Commissioner says Mexican fruit imports are hurting the state’s producers of tomatoes, berries, and melons to the potential tune of $4B.

→ Carbon neutral flour is here. ADM announced all 22 mills in its milling portfolio have met carbon-neutral status.

→ Brazil is nervy. The country’s ag ministry is investigating a suspected case of mad cow disease in the southeastern state of Minas Gerais.

Thanks to ag digital startup Fieldin, farmers could gain a sixth sense.

Fieldin, founded in 2013, has raised $55M to help specialty crop operations improve efficiencies by giving them access to info they couldn’t have seen with the naked eye.

The U.S. and Israel-based company helps orchards, vineyards, and other specialty crop operations use real-time data (via specialty sensors) and machine learning at every stage of the growing cycle.

Outstandin’: Fieldin’s technology creates a digitized farm by gathering data through sensors installed on tractors, implements, and other machinery. Growers get the data on a dashboard that provides information on comparative performance and opportunities to improve.

For instance, a specialty crop grower can see if they’ve missed a row of spray application, or if the application speed is too high or too low. During harvest, the platform can determine shaking patterns (like for almond trees, not dance moves) and yield data.

Sound Bitin’: “Today’s growers are challenged by many factors like chronic labor shortages, strict regulations, pests, unpredictable weather, water shortages, oil prices, and more,” says Iftach Birger, Fieldin’s co-founder and COO. “Fieldin is driving the strategic utilization of agricultural resources against these constraints, not only optimizing operations and reducing costs, but also making a positive global contribution through better food, higher yields, and environmental impact management.”

Performance-Drivin’: Fieldin’s technology is currently used on five of the 10 largest farms in California. As for those almonds, they are providing support for 20% of the global almond industry. That’s really somethin’.

Imagine a world where prospects, customers, and stakeholders actually look forward to reading your content.

No buzzwords or hype. Just direct, clear content and copywriting that drives to the point and isn’t afraid to have a little bit of personality.

That’s Imagine Content.

A content house built on the back of the Magnetic newsletter, we’re wordsmithing our way into the ag industry’s heart one blog post, white paper, or case study at a time.

Already serving a variety of agribusinesses, agtech startups, commodity organizations, and agency partners, we find ways to bring old content new life and drive new content from all corners of your team.

It’s a no-brainer. See how Imagine Content can elevate your marketing and communications today.

If you didn’t catch the family name, you might never guess that Kassi Tom-Rowland is helping lead one of the largest, most progressive family farms in the country.

When she's not running the ‘People’ function of Tom Farms, you can find her advocating for agriculture through her work with the Farm Journal Foundation or even her side venture, Tom Farms Thread.

From chatting about the farm’s challenges with labor to her dad’s (Kip Tom) work with the UN Agencies for Food and Agriculture, we dive into all the details of what Kassi and Tom Farms are facing in the ever-changing farm landscape.

Read the entire Q&A with Kassi here.

Hurricane Ida has left devastation in her wake, and that includes the agriculture industry.

Long story short… she’s idled the largest producer of glyphosate, blew ag exports off course, and shuttered sugar plants.

First up: Bayer Crop Science’s Luling, La., glyphosate plant remained offline as of Monday after a small emergency crew sheltered in place in the locked-down facility.

But the bigger story is the shipping delays. The storm’s 150 mph winds have impacted grain shipping facilities in the Port of South Louisiana, the largest grain port in the U.S. More than 50% of all U.S. grain exports annually pass through the key export area along the lower Mississippi.

And finally: Power line damage has kept two large sugar refineries offline, and reports of sugarcane damage have packed a punch to the sugar industry. As the second-largest producer behind Florida, Louisiana’s sugar industry is important for supply, and the industry is waiting for agronomists and farmers to fully assess the situation in the field.