AGP Executive Report

Research: A federal judge has halted the Trump administration’s plan to close Maryland’s Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, preserving a major USDA research hub and about 1,000 jobs for now. Organic Farming: England aims to raise organic farmland from 3.4% to 10% by 2036, but farmers say the transition needs reliable funding. Crop Residue: India is pressing states to curb stubble burning; incidents fell in Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, though increases in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan drew concern. Aquaculture: Ecuador’s shrimp producers warn that sharply higher electricity tariffs, alongside rising input costs, threaten jobs and the sector’s ability to compete. Water Security: Hungary plans to reuse fish-farm water to irrigate drought-hit farmland, tapping ponds that hold about 300 million cubic metres. Trade: Brazil says it has opened 700 overseas markets for farm products since 2023, while exports to the EU climbed 30.7% from May to September. Food Prices: Iraq has reopened imports of potatoes, tomatoes and onions after currency devaluation drove up food costs.

Harvests: Kyrgyzstan says grain production is up 714,000 tonnes from last year, with corn nearly doubling and potato output rising by 317,000 tonnes. Climate Risks: A possible strong El Niño has put South Africa’s 2026/27 season on alert, with key grain-producing provinces among those most exposed to hotter, drier conditions. Farm Support: Wales says advance payments have reached 90% of Sustainable Farming Scheme claimants and 94% of Basic Payment Scheme claimants, offering relief amid difficult conditions. Agricultural Tech: China’s Landy AI crop-advice tool is being used by more than one million farmers in China and ASEAN to assess crop suitability and potential returns. Trade and Infrastructure: Namibia’s cattle disease outbreak has prompted EU import suspensions, while a ₱1.5-billion Philippine investment will support farm-to-market roads and post-harvest facilities.

Crop Outlook: USDA expects India’s rice exports to fall 4% in 2027 as El Niño-hit production and rising domestic prices tighten supplies; India accounts for more than 40% of global rice exports. Livestock: The USDA lowered US beef and pork production forecasts but raised projections for poultry and eggs, pointing to diverging supply trends. Food Security: A UN Women analysis says Middle East escalation and disruption to the Strait of Hormuz could leave 11.7 million more women and girls facing food insecurity by year-end. Investment: FAO’s Hand-in-Hand forum opened with a record $20.16 billion in proposed agrifood investments across 38 countries and five regional initiatives. Irrigation: Kenya launched a $1.13 million project expected to bring year-round irrigation to 1,000 farmers and 500 acres. Value-Added Agriculture: New reports urge Canada to build more food-processing capacity and capture greater value at home rather than rely on bulk exports. Farm Policy: India urged states to step up efforts against stubble burning as farm fires rose in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Drought and Harvests: India’s Marathwada region faces a severe drought, with 74 of 76 talukas declared affected after farmers planted water-intensive crops. South Africa’s wheat harvest is forecast to fall 5% to its lowest level in eight years, as dry weather and higher fuel and fertilizer costs weigh on growers. Farm Costs: Michigan is temporarily allowing some farm vehicles to use dyed diesel on public roads to ease harvest-season fuel costs; Nebraska has also announced diesel-tax relief for agricultural haulers. Animal Health: Bird flu has been confirmed in dairy cattle on two Washington farms, prompting quarantines. Namibia has detected foot-and-mouth disease in a second region and begun emergency vaccination. Rice Emissions: Paris-based CarbonFarm raised €7 million to expand projects that help rice producers measure and reduce methane emissions. Fertilizer and Food Security: On Global Fertilizer Day, Canadian industry advocates highlighted the country’s role as a major fertilizer producer and exporter, and called for policies to strengthen the sector.

Food Security: Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy warned Russia’s Black Sea blockade could disrupt grain supplies and trigger shortages in parts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East within one to two months. Agribusiness: Corteva has split into separate seed and crop-protection companies, creating two businesses focused on different parts of the farm sector. EU Farm Policy: Irish farm groups and politicians are criticizing plans that would leave the next Common Agricultural Policy budget more than 20% below current funding; proposed EU accession changes could also put pressure on Ukraine’s farming sector. Land Access: South Africa plans to transfer about 2.5 million hectares of state land to black farmers, with title deeds, while also promising support such as finance and training. Crop Outlook: Nepal’s rice harvest fell by more than 250,000 tonnes in a year, as planted area and yields declined amid irrigation and seed-access challenges. Trade and Research: Ghana and India signed a five-year research pact, starting with tomatoes, to boost local production and cut a reported $230 million annual import bill.

El Niño Preparations: Philippine provinces are mobilizing ahead of a potentially severe El Niño, preparing water supplies and disaster funds and adjusting crop plans as drought threatens farms and livestock into 2027. Climate Pressure: September was the world’s second-warmest on record, Copernicus reported; prolonged dry conditions drove record-low river flows in parts of Europe, disrupting agriculture and water supplies. Farm Security: Suspected herders destroyed a large portion of a cabbage farm in Plateau State, Nigeria, dealing another blow to growers already facing insecurity. Agribusiness Expansion: McCain Foods agreed to buy an Indian potato processor with a supply network of more than 1,000 farms, expanding its operations in a key growth market. Crop Advice: Farmers in Pakistan’s Sahiwal district received training for the coming wheat season, with guidance on certified seed, mechanised sowing and crop diversification.

Farm Safety: A Russian drone strike set fire to an agricultural company’s truck in Ukraine’s Kharkiv region, killing the driver and injuring another person. Drought Relief: Maharashtra is planning six to eight months of support for farmers and rural residents, including drinking water, food, jobs and livestock fodder. Climate Risks: The Asian Development Bank says the Philippines can draw on a $500 million emergency facility if El Niño impacts require disaster assistance; the dry spell poses a near-term risk. Food Trade: Global food prices are rising, heightening risks for import-dependent countries. The USDA expects Philippine pork imports to rise 7% in 2027, though larger domestic stocks may temper demand as local producers warn of pressure on farmgate prices. Livestock: Sabah received 780 beef cattle from Australia as part of a programme to improve productivity and add income for oil-palm farmers. Food Security: Venezuela’s president says the country will share its agricultural production and food-sovereignty experience at the FAO’s World Food Forum in Rome.

Climate Resilience: The Philippines is expanding solar-powered irrigation in Eastern Visayas, providing year-round water to 70 hectares farmed by 87 farmers. In drought-threatened Candon, officials are preparing emergency measures for 5,000 rice farmers, including diesel aid. Farm Support: Malaysia’s higher rubber-production incentive is expected to help smallholders manage rising input costs and uncertain prices. Food Supply: Black Sea attacks are disrupting sunflower-oil shipments to India and raising concerns over fertilizer availability, with potential cost effects for farmers and consumers. Food Safety: Nigeria’s NAFDAC says it is stepping up enforcement against banned pesticides, after seizing more than ₦800 million worth in 2025. Local Production: Ireland grows less than 70 commercial vegetable farms today, while an estimated 83% of the Republic’s fruit and vegetables are imported. Animal Health: Namibia’s High Court cleared emergency construction of a border fence intended to guard against foot-and-mouth disease.

Harvest Costs: Diesel prices remain near record highs as U.S. farmers bring in crops; temporary fuel-rule relief offers only partial help. Weather Risks: Extreme rain has left Manitoba farmers facing their worst harvest in more than a decade, while erratic weather is also adding to Kenyan farmers’ financial and mental-health pressures. EU Farm Funding: Ireland’s proposed €141 billion cut to the bloc’s next budget has farm groups warning that the Common Agricultural Policy is at risk. Soil and Inputs: Bangladesh faces growing environmental concerns as heavy pesticide and chemical-fertiliser use degrades soil and threatens long-term productivity. Farm Technology: Drones are gaining ground in India’s Rayalaseema region, where farmers use them to spray crops faster amid labour shortages; the state offers an 80% purchase subsidy. Food Security: Tanzania’s food self-sufficiency rose to 133%, though officials say malnutrition and child stunting remain challenges.

Fisheries Support: Malaysia’s 2027 budget proposes RM178 million for catch incentives and fishermen’s allowances, alongside funding to expand special boat licences. Animal Health: A new alliance is targeting salmon rickettsial syndrome in Chile, where the disease costs the industry an estimated $750 million a year; Washington also confirmed its first H5N1 cases in dairy cattle, quarantining two Yakima County farms. Climate Pressure: El Niño-related drought has caused an estimated 173.7 million pesos in farm losses in the Philippines’ Bohol province, while Fiji farmers warn a continuing dry spell could threaten vegetable supplies. Water-Smart Farming: Colombia is seeking Israeli irrigation expertise for drought-prone La Guajira to improve water management and farm production. Biosecurity: South Korea faces growing risks from illegally sold imported produce, with detected agricultural-smuggling cases rising more than fourfold since 2021.

Seafood Exports: Venezuela showcased more than 100 marine products at Spain’s CONXEMAR fair, securing export letters of intent for seafood including octopus, shrimp and lobster. Harvest Risks: England is on track for its worst cereals and oilseed harvest in records dating to 1984, after extreme summer heat and drought cut yields. Farm Innovation: USDA is investing $180 million in its national plant-germplasm system, supporting crop breeding for pests, disease and climate pressures. Canada is also backing year-round food production with a planned $750 million investment in greenhouses and other controlled growing systems. Farmers’ Costs: Spanish farm groups plan a tractor protest on October 28 over rising fuel and fertilizer costs, saying government aid falls short. Water & Equipment: Bulgaria is making irrigation a 2027 budget priority, with approved projects that could extend irrigation to 40,000 hectares; in Haiti, two power tillers were donated to help farmers prepare fields and boost production.

Farm Support: USDA confirmed $13.8 billion in farm subsidies, with payouts projected to exceed 30% of net farm income. Market Pressure: A Philippine Senate inquiry will examine low hog and chicken prices as feed and production costs rise, with small producers at risk of cutting output. Climate & Water: El Niño preparations in the Philippines include revised planting schedules, water rationing and potential solar-powered pumps. In northern Ghana, a new rainfall-index insurance scheme aims to protect smallholders from poor seed germination. Industry Competition: The FTC and USDA are asking farmers about equipment repair and competition, as regulators investigate agricultural machinery markets. Farmland: Canadian cultivated farmland values rose nearly 4% in the first half of 2026, though tighter crop margins are making buyers more selective.

Drought and Crops: A central team began a four-day assessment of Maharashtra’s drought, including crop losses, water shortages and livestock fodder needs. In Pakistan, cotton output is estimated 30% below target, while rice is forecast 11% above. Food Prices: India’s weak monsoon is adding pressure to staple costs: onion prices rose 93% year on year in September, sugar 28% and rice about 8%. Farm Finance and Equipment: U.S. farm debt has reached a record, with official figures potentially understating the burden; meanwhile, the USDA and FTC are investigating competition in farm equipment markets. Agricultural Innovation: China plans to develop 10,000 high-potential agtech firms, while researchers in India are studying climate-resilient rice seeds with farmers. Aquaculture: Abu Dhabi is exploring a land-based seafood project targeting annual production of 30,000 tonnes to strengthen food security and cut import reliance.

Climate Pressure: El Niño heat has triggered fish kills in Romblon, Philippines, and threatens the livelihoods of more than 2,000 fishers and 50 fishpond operators. In Papua New Guinea’s Mul region, drought losses reached K3.2 million, affecting thousands of farmers and a range of crops and livestock. Farm Funding: Ireland’s 2027 budget adds €4 million for tillage and €21 million for water measures, but keeps most farm allocations flat; a €46.1 million fertiliser fund is expected to provide about €34 per tonne. U.S. Grants: USDA is investing $26.5 million in 194 projects to help producers develop value-added products and new markets. Seed Security: African Union leaders are pressing for a continental seed and genetic resources bank to protect crop diversity and improve farmers’ access to resilient, affordable seed. Harvest Watch: Mongolia has stockpiled 52,600 tonnes of wheat toward a 100,000-tonne target, as harvests continue nationwide.

Drought Preparations: Malaysia is seeking advice on using AI and science to prepare for temperatures nearing 40°C, with water shortages threatening crops and livestock. Cebu has proposed a coordinated plan to protect water supplies and farming from a forecast Super El Niño. Research and Resilience: USDA is investing $180 million to sequence its national seed collection, aiming to help breeders develop crops better able to withstand pests and disease. Agrifood Investment: Malawi is urging businesses to invest in processing and value chains, as it seeks to cut imports and grow exports. Smart Farming: Kenya’s deputy president called on farmers to adopt precision tools such as drones to raise yields and reduce input waste. Animal Health: H5N1 bird flu has reached Australia, spreading among wild birds and mammals and raising risks for poultry and wildlife.

El Niño Drought Watch (Philippines): Pagasa warns drought risk is rising from October 2026 to March 2027, with drought expected in more areas as El Niño persists, threatening crops and farm livelihoods. Food Safety Alarm (Australia): A new residue report finds multiple pesticide detections on fruit and vegetables at major supermarkets, including PFAS “forever chemicals,” renewing pressure on testing and regulation. Fuel Cost Relief (UK/US): Suffolk farmers and hauliers say diesel at record highs is “crippling” because they can’t pass costs on, while in the US Trump’s executive order expands tax-exempt agricultural diesel and dyed-diesel relief for harvest season. Animal Health (Mongolia): Biocombinat plans to release first FMD vaccine doses in November, aiming to cut reliance on imports. Biosecurity/Exports (PNG): Australia backs a new PCR testing facility for PNG’s biosecurity lab to speed detection of plant and animal diseases. Land, Water, and Planning (Kenya/US/UK): Kenya ramps rainwater harvesting and irrigation plans ahead of El Niño; US local councils weigh annexations affecting cropland; and UK planning applications keep targeting agricultural land. Community & Education: West Coast AgFest 2026 returns with AgriKids, and a new farming classroom building opens in Bridport to boost hands-on ag learning.