AGP Executive Report

Food Prices & Supply Chains: The UN FAO says global food prices climbed in September to the highest in nearly four years, driven by tighter supplies, Black Sea logistics disruptions, and El Niño-linked weather worries—pushing up sugar, cereals and vegetable oils. Disease Control & Biosecurity: Philippines’ Department of Agriculture declared Quezon province avian-influenza free after depopulation, cleaning, movement restrictions and negative follow-up tests. Seedlings & Productivity: Kenya’s Kirinyaga farmers are getting cheaper, disease-free seedlings from a local propagation centre, aiming to cut time and costs while boosting horticulture yields. Farm Policy Pressure: In the UK, Durham-area MPs and farmers are pushing budget asks ahead of a major farming budget, including longer-term certainty, water resilience funding, and succession support. Fuel Relief Fight: Kentucky’s agriculture commissioner urged the governor to pause a ban on untaxed diesel on public roads to ease harvest transport costs. Water Quality & Diversification: Iowa’s agriculture secretary candidate Chris Jones framed the race around improving water quality and expanding crop diversity beyond corn and soy. Conservation Funding: Tennessee’s NRCS is accepting applications for conservation programs for fiscal year 2027, with deadlines set for late November. Agriculture Meets Innovation: A military-derived 3D fabric tested on strawberries helped boost harvestable fruit up to 3.56 times in field trials while blocking insects. Market Risk: Ohio completed a grain audit of United Equity Inc., triggering access to the state grain indemnity fund for eligible farmers.

Aquaculture Push: Zambia’s fisheries leadership says it’s transforming aquaculture with private investment, citing output rising from 30,085 tonnes (2016) to over 100,000 tonnes (2025) and highlighting new feed investment. Harvest Watch: Saskatchewan crop progress improved with warm, dry weather, with 63% of crops harvested provincewide (up 22% week-on-week), though still behind long-term averages. Regenerative Funding: USDA expanded its Regenerative Agriculture Pilot for FY2027 to $1 billion, including $650m via EQIP and $350m via CSP, aiming to lower barriers and boost technical help. Food Prices: FAO reports global food prices hit a nearly four-year high in September, driven by shipping disruptions and weather shocks, with cereal, sugar and vegetable oil up. EU Farm Politics: COPA re-elected Confagricoltura’s Massimiliano Giansanti and warned EU budget talks are “now or never” for farm incomes and CAP. Water & Irrigation Law: Moldova updated its irrigation and drainage framework to remove hurdles for irrigation water users and attract investment. Livestock Reality Check: Ukraine’s small dairy farms are shrinking fast as costs, EU rules and war pressure producers, with larger enterprises gaining share.

Budget & Fuel Relief: The Philippines House panel approved an extra P16B for the 2027 agriculture budget, including more fertilizer support and solar pump irrigation funding as El Niño threatens output. In the US, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz eased weight limits for trucks hauling farm and timber products to cut diesel costs during harvest. In the UK, diesel hit record highs and officials are weighing emergency fuel-saving rules that could hit rural food supply chains. Climate Monitoring: DOST Eastern Visayas installed an automatic weather station in Leyte under Project SARAI to give farmers localized, near-real-time weather data. Food Security & Inputs: At the G20, India’s minister warned fertilizer shortages could turn into a food crisis. Risk Management: US lawmakers highlighted $13.8B in ARC/PLC farm safety-net improvements. Biosecurity: Palawan confirmed its first African swine fever case and launched quarantine and depopulation steps. Invasive Threats: Georgia expanded tracking and eradication of invasive yellow-legged hornets to protect pollinators. Research & Resilience: A study found Parthenium-derived biochar can reduce salt stress in sorghum; Fiji trials identified taro varieties with better drought tolerance. Tech for Farmers: Punjab is pushing AI tools to help forecast yields and productivity, while Nigeria’s IFC says less than 5% of bank lending goes to agriculture.

Fuel Relief & Policy: Kentucky’s agriculture commissioner Jonathan Shell urged the governor to temporarily loosen dyed-diesel road restrictions so farmers can cope with record diesel prices during harvest. Market Signals: USDA reported old-crop corn stocks at 2.10 billion bushels (+35% year-on-year), while wheat stocks fell 14% and soybeans were down 3%. Farm Bill Watch: U.S. Sen. John Boozman said Farm Bill 2.0 is moving after Senate committee action, but final votes likely wait until after the November election. El Niño Resilience: The Philippines’ House subcommittee approved an extra P16B for the Department of Agriculture, including more fertilizer help and solar pump irrigation funding to prepare for super El Niño. Irrigation Push: Zimbabwe’s Mashonaland Central is advancing six irrigation projects to buffer farmers against El Niño drought risk. Agribusiness & Jobs: Pennsylvania secured a $152M Bell & Evans expansion with $2M in state support, targeting 382 new jobs. Aquaculture Investment: Curaçao’s CurAqua plans a land-based fish farm using recirculating water and renewable energy. Community & Diversification: Southwest Missouri’s Millsap Farms shows how crop diversification and community-supported agriculture can scale a small vegetable start into a major operation. Global Input Crunch: Reports link West Asia supply disruptions to fertilizer shortages that are lifting corn and soybean prices.

Animal Health Watch: Namibia is investigating the origin of an FMD outbreak, with samples sent to Botswana and a new infected veterinary zone being set up while officials prepare farmer notices. Input Access & Timing: In Zambia’s Nalolo District, only 20 of 500 farmers have started redeeming 2026/27 FISP inputs, blamed on delays and the lack of an FRA depot locally. Climate Pressure: Cebu is bracing for a “very strong” El Niño, with water and power utilities tightening preparations as rainfall patterns shift. Policy & Compliance: Northern Ireland’s Nutrients Action Programme is facing more changes after an environmental watchdog said proposals don’t go far enough, especially for intensive livestock farms. Tech for Farming: Quezon province in the Philippines is using VTOL drone mapping over 2,377 hectares to improve planning for agriculture and disaster preparedness. Market & Food Trends: McDonald’s is leaning into chicken growth as beef prices stay high, reflecting shifting consumer demand. Risk & Safety: California’s CDFA recalled and voided air-testing results for three VOCs after a faulty lab standard may have skewed readings.

Black Sea Fisheries Cooperation: Bulgaria and Romania met in Burgas to deepen joint management, monitoring and control of Black Sea fisheries, with plans to coordinate with GFCM and Ukrainian authorities. Food Safety at Home: University of Arkansas research shows packing-house-style sanitizers can sharply cut salmonella on cutting boards—soap-and-water dropped it 83%, while alcohol/quaternary ammonium and peracetic acid mixes hit about 99%+. Fuel Relief for Farmers: Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders suspended penalties for dyed diesel in on-road use for qualified farmers and loggers for a month, aiming to ease harvest-season costs. Diesel Pressure in South Dakota: South Dakota’s Rhoden order temporarily raises hauling weight limits and waives overweight fees, but farmers’ groups say it won’t fully offset ~$6/gallon diesel. Organic Market Demand: Rodale Institute’s “Farmer’s Toolkit 2026” maps organic production gaps and buyer priorities, highlighting strong growth in organic beef sales. Drought Response in the Philippines: In Caraga, the agriculture department sought P6.2M for cloud seeding to help October–November rains after drought damaged tens of thousands of hectares. Irrigation Monitoring Breakthrough: A UW study found a NASA satellite can track water levels in hundreds of thousands of kilometers of irrigation canals across Asia, improving water management visibility. US Trade Leadership: Trump sent Greg Ibach’s nomination to lead USDA trade and foreign agricultural affairs to the Senate.

Queensland Infrastructure: The first project under Queensland’s $500m Beef Roads program is finished, with a 3km Clermont-to-Alpha road section sealed to improve freight access for the beef supply chain. Poultry & Smallholder Upgrades: Bhutan’s poultry model in Samphelling shows how government support and tech can modernize production, while a new six-year IMPACT-style effort targets turning eastern smallholders into commercial farmers. UK Farm Labor Pressure: Norfolk fruit giant Place UK warns the seasonal worker visa “cliff edge” could disrupt output, even as it leans on overseas labor and automation plans. Mechanisation for Emerging Farmers: South Africa’s North West province handed over a tractor plus implements to Tigane CPAs to tackle machinery gaps for small-scale growers. Cotton Awards: Australia’s cotton industry named its 2026 award winners, spotlighting growers and researchers driving yield and risk management. Climate Watch: Scientists warn this year’s “super” El Niño could bring major rainfall and heat swings, with knock-on effects for agriculture worldwide. Trade Signals: China’s tariff relief talks exclude US soybeans, likely shifting demand toward Brazil and Argentina. Policy & Enforcement: Hong Kong’s AFCD launches a month-long crackdown on illegal feeding of wild animals to protect public safety and wildlife behavior. UK Harvest Update: Dry weather left UK winter wheat and spring barley yields below average in the final AHDB assessment.

Irrigation Push in Asia: Malaysia’s Agriculture and Food Security Ministry is urging Budget 2027 to prioritize modernising irrigation and drainage in paddy areas, alongside mechanisation and tech to boost productivity and attract younger farmers. Zimbabwe Drought Warning: President Mnangagwa told parliament agriculture rose 27.9% in 2025, but warned the 2026/27 season may bring below-normal rainfall and outlined a six-pillar drought resilience plan. Trade Boost for South Africa: China’s zero-tariff policy is driving “exponential” demand for South African bulk exports via Port of Ngqura, including chrome, magnetite, iron ore and corn. EU Trade Tension: The EU court rejected Poland’s bid to pause the EU-Mercosur free trade deal, saying Poland failed to prove serious harm to farmers, consumers or the environment. Fish Value Addition: Zimbabwe is pushing aquaculture beyond selling whole fish, with EU-supported efforts aimed at longer processing and marketing value chains. CAP Definition Debate: EU agriculture ministers face a major fight over the “active farmer” definition, with the commissioner calling it a huge challenge. US Policy on Seeds: A US appeals court heard arguments over whether neonicotinoid-coated seeds were wrongly exempted from pesticide registration rules. Diesel Costs Hit Farms: Spain’s agrarian groups plan further mobilizations after saying diesel relief measures won’t cover soaring fuel and input costs. Tech for Crops: Kyrgyzstan plans to launch a domestically built nanosatellite to monitor crops and early drought signals. Local Food Systems: Kentucky Proud is promoting CSA Week, encouraging direct farm subscriptions for seasonal fall produce.

Fuel Cost Relief: U.S. states moved to ease record gas and diesel prices as Trump said costs should fall after the Iran war ends; California suspended its summer-blend gasoline rule and Georgia paused its fuel taxes for 30 days—hitting farmers and food logistics directly. Farm Inputs & Drought Response: Zambia’s Vubwi district reported 2,720 of 8,000 FISP beneficiaries have redeemed inputs, with officials urging early-maturing, climate-resilient crops ahead of expected El Niño. Food Safety Watch: U.S. investigators added two new outbreaks—Listeria and E. coli O157:H7—sickening 65 people total, with the implicated foods still not identified. Protein Feed Push: A new EU-funded project (PROCEED) will build local grain-and-forage protein supply chains to cut reliance on imported soybean meal. Livestock Supply Chain Shock: In Kansas, federal immigration enforcement disrupted beef processing, with cattle slaughter down 16% in a week. Animal Health & Public Health: Bhutan received WHO validation for eliminating dog-transmitted rabies as a public health problem, ahead of World Rabies Day. Biosecurity Data Tools: Tasmania launched a real-time H5 bird flu dashboard, joining other Australian state maps. Water for Crops: Indonesia’s Bekasi deployed pumps to irrigate 600 hectares after drought reports and field checks diverged. Farm Economics & Policy: New Zealand’s climate commission warned progress stalled after axing agricultural emissions pricing, while the government says it still expects to meet its emissions budgets.

Trade & Market Access: The EU suspended imports of Brazilian meat products over antibiotic and antimicrobial compliance gaps, with some importers looking to pivot to the U.S. Irrigation & Water Security: Kenya’s Mengit Dam expansion will nearly triple storage to support irrigation on about 600 acres and improve dry-season farm reliability. Climate Finance for Farmers: Bangladesh launched a $112M IFAD-backed project to boost climate-resilient rural livelihoods in flood- and drought-prone regions. Weather & Farm Risk: Montana’s Mesonet education open house (Oct. 3) will show farmers how to use new high-tech weather monitoring to make decisions. Prices & Farmgate Pressure: Nepal reported farmgate prices rising at the slowest pace in eight years while consumers still pay much more. Animal Health & Biosecurity: Namibia cooled fears after an FMD detection, clearing traced livestock and saying the outbreak remains localized. Policy & Regulation: England’s £253m SFI scheme closed within hours, sparking farmer anger and calls for earlier, better-managed funding. Ag Tech & Supply Chains: South Korean corn buyers toured U.S. grain supply sites, focusing on quality factors like broken corn and moisture. Food Systems & Rural Livelihoods: UNDP and the Green Climate Fund say climate services and irrigation are reaching nearly 50,000 people in southern Zimbabwe.

US–China trade: The U.S. and China agreed on a “30 by 30” framework to review reciprocal tariff cuts on about $30B of goods each way, with an agricultural working group expected to meet before year-end; China’s commerce ministry also issued a tariff-cut list for many U.S. farm items, but soybeans were excluded and still face an extra 10% tariff. Baltic pollution: Researchers are tackling pharmaceutical pollution in the Baltic Sea by looking beyond wastewater treatment to the full medicine life cycle, including prescribing and unused-drug return. Fertiliser & livestock rules: Bahrain opened applications for subsidised urea via a GPIC-backed scheme, while new rules require rapid reporting of serious ruminant diseases to speed outbreak detection. Climate risk for farms: Kenya and counties are ramping up El Niño preparations, with warnings of flooding and landslides that can disrupt agriculture and livelihoods. Soil nutrients from waste: A global study says human and poorly used livestock excreta could supply about 13% of crop nutrient needs, cutting reliance on mineral fertiliser if scaled. Pests & losses: Japan reports rising raccoon crop damage, now spreading into cities.

Local Governance vs. Big Livestock: Wisconsin towns face a new legal fight over local control of large swine CAFOs after farm groups and dairy interests sought records tied to Cumberland LLC’s proposed 26,350-pig operation. Animal Health: Namibia’s Grootfontein Show continues without livestock auctions and exhibitions after Foot-and-Mouth Disease restrictions forced animals back to farms. Food Security & Climate Risk: A UK analysis warns most essential food crops are grown in drought-risk areas, with England’s fresh produce heavily concentrated where water stress is already high. Trade & Tariffs: India’s former WTO chief warns a full US free-trade deal would be especially sensitive for agriculture, while the Philippines proposes a phased pork tariff hike to protect falling hog prices. Policy & Procurement: The Philippines’ National Food Authority adopts a purchase order system for locally produced palay to improve monitoring and buffer-stock planning. Regional Agriculture Support: Jamaica’s ROJ pledges $1m to back the Caribbean Week of Agriculture, and FAO warns the Horn of Africa faces an El Niño-linked funding gap for emergency and resilience plans. Farm Infrastructure: Andhra Pradesh launches Palle Panduga 3.0 with major rural works aimed at boosting roads, cattle sheds, and horticulture.

El Niño hits farms in the Philippines: The Department of Agriculture says drought linked to a “very strong” El Niño has damaged crops and affected hundreds of thousands of farmers across 14 regions, with water stress and heat risks rising as the dry season drags into 2027. India drought relief: Maharashtra declared 265 talukas drought-affected and activated its drought code, moving toward crop-damage assessments plus loan restructuring, land revenue concessions and power bill support. Flood damage to food crops in India: Odisha’s Baleshwar saw rivers cross danger marks, submerging paddy fields and vegetables and disrupting roads, while more flooding reports spread across districts. Agri trade and market access: India’s APEDA flagged off a GI-tagged Kalaburagi tur dal shipment to the Maldives, highlighting higher prices for farmers via export-linked channels. Food safety and chemicals enforcement: India’s CCPA fined Amazon, Flipkart and JioMart over sales of an unregistered herbicide product, ordering takedowns and compliance checks. Tech for farming: A Gautam Buddha University display at UP’s trade show drew interest in an agricultural drone prototype for crop monitoring. Global trade signals: The US and China agreed on more favorable tariffs for $30bn in non-sensitive goods and set up an agricultural market access working group.

El Niño Food-Buffer Moves: Malaysia’s FAMA says it set up an El Niño prep committee two months early and plans to buy and store agro-food buffer stocks nationwide as “Super El Niño” odds rise. Trade & Tariffs for Ag: The US and China agreed on reciprocal tariff reductions covering $30B in non-sensitive goods, with US exports including agricultural products and a new working group focused on agricultural market access. Fertilizer Logistics Boost: Indiana’s Superior Ag broke ground on a new 32,000-ton fertilizer terminal on the Ohio River, targeting late-2026 operations and faster barge and truck distribution for regional farmers. Drought Relief in India: Maharashtra declared drought in 265 talukas and activated its drought code “Trigger-1,” pairing crop-loan restructuring and land revenue concessions with electricity bill relief for farm pumps. Extension That Reaches Markets: Ghana calls for upgrading agricultural extension beyond yields toward storage, processing, standards, logistics, finance, and agribusiness skills. Farm Safety on the Ground: UFU in Northern Ireland helped get obstructing junction signage moved back to improve tractor-driver visibility and reduce road risk.

Agro-Climate Shock: El Niño-linked drought in the Philippines’ Bicol region has driven P97.67M in farm losses, hitting rice hardest and prompting October drought forecasts. Rural Finance & Credit: Bank of Uganda is pushing wider access to affordable agricultural credit, citing Shs1.35T lent to 11,000+ beneficiaries to boost machinery, inputs, storage and agro-processing. Farm Safety & Biosecurity: Missouri urges poultry owners to tighten biosecurity as fall migration raises HPAI risk, including limiting wild-bird contact and monitoring flock health. Food Safety: The USDA recalled 83+ tons of meat nationwide after falsified inspection stickers and lack of proper federal inspection. Ag Tech for Livestock: South African researchers are using smart sensors to track nighttime jackal attacks and improve livestock protection. Policy & Land Use: Vermont is reviewing Act 250 rules for accessory on-farm businesses, while Namibia postponed key livestock congresses due to foot-and-mouth disease. Global Ag Investment: Ten African countries pledged nearly US$9M to IFAD14, aiming to accelerate rural transformation. Agri-Industry & Trade: Azerbaijan reported a 38% jump in agricultural output over a decade, while Cyprus said organic farming hit 8.6%—ahead of its 2027 target.

Climate Funding (US): New York’s Climate Resilient Farming grant program opened with $16.8M to help farmers cut greenhouse gases, protect water quality, and boost soil health. Agri-Tourism Boost (US): Gov. Kathy Hochul launched the NY State of Cider campaign, pairing the New York Cider Association with Airbnb to drive orchard and cider tourism. Farm-to-School (US): New York also made $10M available under Round 4 of its Regional School Food Infrastructure grants to expand local food use in K-12 meals. El Niño Preparedness (Philippines): The Philippines’ Department of Agriculture earmarked P9.7B for fuel and fertilizer support plus solar irrigation ahead of a “very strong” El Niño. Drought Planning (Lesotho): Lesotho is preparing for hotter, drier conditions with drought-tolerant seeds and advice to stock lucerne feed and water. Food Safety (US): USDA recalled 83+ tons of meat tied to a Georgia distributor after inspection sticker falsification concerns. Blue Economy (Global): A World Agriculture Forum report calls for more investment and research to keep aquaculture and oceans on track for food security. PFAS Research (US): Michigan is funding nearly $2M in PFAS-in-agriculture studies and declared PFAS Awareness Week. Animal Welfare Tech (EU): An Irish-developed AI system (“PigTail”) won recognition for detecting pig tail injuries to improve welfare monitoring. Farm Bill (US): The Senate Agriculture Committee advanced the 2026 farm bill on a party-line vote, including provisions like year-round E15 and country-of-origin labeling.