Land O’Lakes, Inc. is making a strategic investment in its Tulare, California, dairy processing facility to expand into high-value dairy protein production. The move will position the cooperative to meet rapidly growing global demand for protein-rich nutrition, while also creating new opportunities for its farmer-owners. The investment will enable production of ultra-filtered milk; unlocking greater value from member milk, providing …
DWFI Podcast 53 – Validating the Future of Carbon Markets
Five years ago, the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI) was tapped by the U.S. Department of Energy to tackle a critical challenge: scientifically validating carbon sequestration in Midwest corn and soybean production. With this $3 million project now in its final 120-day closeout phase, DWFI Director of Research Christopher Neale discusses this initiative at the intersection of energy, …
Japanese Soy Milk Exchange Launches
Officially launching today, the Japanese Soy Milk Exchange (JSME), is a new initiative that brings together soybean innovators, culinary experts, nutrition professionals and food industry executives to introduce Japanese soy milk in the United States and establish it as a distinct premium category. Soy is at the heart of Japan’s food culture, and Japanese soy milk is rooted in centuries …
2026 Alltech® Agri-Food Outlook
Alltech, a global leader in the agriculture industry, has released its 2026 Agri-Food Outlook, a report that includes the results of the company’s annual global feed-production survey. Based on that data, global feed production in 2025 reached an estimated total of 1.44 billion metric tons (mt) — representing an increase of 2.9% and 40.136 million mt from 2024. Most regions …
Cropin Launches AI-first Agrifood ‘Ecosystem’
Cropin, the world’s largest deployed AI platform for food and agriculture, has launched a unique agrifood ‘ecosystem’ connecting agriculture and the digital world by combining data from the field onwards with artificial intelligence. Cropin founder Krishna Kumar says Cropin Ecosystem will provide a plug-and-play model to help agri-food businesses at every stage in the chain better navigate the complex challenges …
DWFI Podcast 49 – Irrigation as a Service: A New Paradigm
In our first episode of 2026, host Frances Hayes discusses a unique approach to supporting access to irrigation for smallholder farmers with Erin Anders, Senior Program Manager at the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute. Farmers of all sizes in all parts of the world need access to water, inputs and financing to grow food. Irrigation as a Service (IaaS) …
Water for Food Institute Names New Executive Director
A new executive director of the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute (DWFI) at the University of Nebraska has been appointed. Joe Sanders will step in to the role just vacated by the retirement of Peter McCornick at the end of 2025, after nearly a decade of dedicated service to the institute. Sanders will officially assume the executive director position …
Land O’Lakes Doubles Down on Hunger Relief for the Holidays
Land O’Lakes, Inc. today announced a $1 million hunger relief investment aimed at supporting rural communities ahead of the holiday season. Grants will go to 15 Feeding America® partner food banks across Land O’Lakes’ member-owner and employee footprint, as well as to Feeding America. This commitment effectively doubles the cooperative’s 2025 hunger relief impact, building on nearly 4 million meals …
DWFI Podcast 48 – A Decade of Daugherty Water for Food Leadership
In this special episode, host Frances Hayes sits down with Peter McCornick, Executive Director of the Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute, as he concludes nearly a decade of leadership. This deep-dive conversation covers Peter’s distinguished career, from his early life on a farm in Scotland and pivotal international work in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, to what drew …
Addition of Phosphate to Critical Minerals Applauded
The U.S. Geological Survey recently added phosphate to its 2025 List of Critical Minerals, recognizing its importance for crop nutrition and food security. Texas-based biotechnology company MetaPhite Genetics applauded that action, since phosphorus is one of the three primary nutrients essential for crop growth, yet much of the global phosphate supply is concentrated in a small number of countries. The …