- An interdisciplinary University of Nebraska team led by the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI), has received a three-year, one million dollar grant from the International Fund for Agricultural Development to advance access and education around smallholder farmer irrigation in Africa.
- The Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute welcomes Dr. Jesse Bell to its leadership team. The new position is the result of a generous $5 million gift to the University of Nebraska from Anne Hubbard through her family’s foundation, the Claire M. Hubbard Foundation to create a new collaborative program between the College of Public Health at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, DWFI and the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources to address some of Nebraska’s most pressing public health issues associated with water and climate.
- Wrangler®, a global icon in jeanswear and casual apparel, announced plans for a new jean that celebrates the benefits of regeneratively grown cotton. Global cotton farmers who can demonstrate and document soil-carbon and biodiversity improvements are invited to apply for their cotton to be purchased for a Wrangler Retro® Premium submission as part of The Jeans Redesign project from the Ellen MacArthur Foundation. Farmers interested in applying can find more information about the submission process at soilhealthinstitute.org/regenerative-cotton/.
- Rosy Brummette has joined the National Corn Growers Association’s Washington, D.C. office as Manager of Public Policy for Market Development and Renewable Fuels.
- To further the United States Department of Agriculture’s work on the Agriculture Innovation Agenda, USDA announced it is seeking public- and private-sector input on the most innovative technologies and practices that can be readily deployed across U.S. agriculture. To help identify and accelerate adoption of ready-to-go innovations, USDA is currently accepting public comments and written stakeholder input through its Request for Information through November 9, 2020, which is published on the Federal Register.
- Lewis & Clark AgriFood, a St. Louis based food and agriculture focused investment firm, announced the closing of a $7.7 million investment round from their Lewis & Clark AgriFood Growth Fund in BinSentry, which provides digital sensor technology to help feed mills and farmers operate more efficiently. Participation from additional investors includes BDC Capital’s Industrial Innovation Venture Fund and existing investors Garage Capital and Chilligo Investments.
- While companies and schools continue to navigate the sometimes challenging path of remote learning in the U.S., CLUTCH, a hybrid consultancy and agency based in Minneapolis, is expanding one of its core offerings, learning and development programs, to meet the needs of businesses in a rapidly changing environment. CLUTCH recently bolstered its services with the addition of Michelle Jackson, a 30-year veteran in learning and development, international program management, and human resource management.
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced that University of Florida scientist Spiro Stefanou has been appointed the USDA Economic Research Service administrator. Stefanou was a professor in the UF/IFAS food and resource economics department (FRED).
