Madhu Khanna, University
of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
“Cows,
Crops and Energy: Experiments Explore Multi-Use Farmland”
By: KBIA –
October 2, 2025
“A big reason for the
opposition that we are seeing towards solar from agriculture communities is
because of the loss of access to land and the loss of farming lifestyle… A lot
of projects are getting delayed and canceled because of community opposition.”
“We're
Stretching': As Grocery Prices Continue to Climb, Shoppers Redefine Their
Staples”
By: Pittsburg
Tribune-Review – October 6, 2025
“There’s been a
convergence of factors: lingering supply-chain issues from covid, the effect of
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, avian influenza and consumer demand, which has
been significantly higher over the past two years.”
“The herd size was
already smaller, and any heifer retention efforts will further reduce near-term
fed cattle slaughter volumes… “We historically import a large volume of lean
beef to support domestic ground beef production.”
William Ridley, University
of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign Stephen Devadoss, Texas Tech University
“Once
Dominant, US Agricultural Exports Falter Amid Trade Disputes and Rising
Competition”
By: Phys.org
– October 8, 2025
"Row crops are the
backbone of U.S. agricultural exports, but markets are shifting as trade
conflicts create uncertainty and instability. One of the main factors causing
exports to nosedive is the ongoing trade dispute with China.”
“How
Might Leftover Corn Stalks Halt Fugitive Carbon?”
By: Eos –
October 8, 2025
“My impression was they
were looking at this from the firm perspective, not exactly the farmer
perspective. A base capital cost of 1.28 million? No farmer would invest in
that. If they were going to spend $1.28 million, they’d probably buy more
land.”
“Study
Finds Consumers Trust Farmers Most in Food Chain” By: National Hog Farmer– October 8, 2025
“Where Do
People Spend the Most and Least on Groceries in the US?” By: Akron Beacon journal– October 8, 2025
Bradley Lubben, University
of Nebraska-Lincoln
“Rural
Nebraskans Have Diverse Priorities Regarding Trade Policy”
By: Norfolk Daily News –
October 8, 2025
“These responses show
that rural Nebraskans view trade policy through the lens of their household
budgets and local economies. Protecting jobs, keeping prices manageable and
supporting agricultural exports rise to the top because they directly affect
rural livelihoods. The data remind us that trade decisions made in Washington
have very real consequences for families, businesses and communities across
rural Nebraska.”
“Mostly
High Farm Input Costs, ‘Double Squeeze’ to Persist”
By: Capital Press
– October 9, 2025
“Low crop prices
and still-high production costs in many categories create a “double squeeze. On
the input side, prices remain at very elevated levels.”
“Tennessee
Farmers Warn of ‘Crisis Not Seen in Decades’ as Lawmaker Asks Trump For Relief”
By: WKRN –
October 1, 2025
“Farmers would much
rather a more stable trading environment and a more stable global market than
the type of uncertainty we are seeing today in the likelihood of bailouts.
Tariffs may eventually yield better trade terms but cautioned that not every
farm will survive long enough to see those benefits.”
Shawn Arita, North
Dakota State University Joana Colussi, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign David Ortega, Michigan State University
“Loss of
China Soybean Market Hits Chicago Fed District Hard”
By: The Fence Post
– October 1, 2025
“That overall U.S.
agricultural exports to China are down 53%. And while the Seventh District
states are hit hard, North Dakota soybean producers are really fearful because
the state is even more dependent on soybean exports to China, shipping them
through West Coast ports.”
“Brazilian agriculture
has become much more productive in recent years due to the expansion of land
and to better yields. There are 70 million acres of pasture land that could be
converted to soybean production. Brazil has also increased corn production, but
its corn yields are only about half those in the United States. Brazil has
traditionally made ethanol from sugar but is increasingly using corn as the
base for ethanol production.”
“China is becoming less
reliant on U.S. agricultural products,. While it is importing from other
countries, particularly Brazil and Argentina, China is also investing
significant amounts of dollars in public research and development while the
United States has reduced public investment in agriculture.”
“East
Tennessee farmer focusing on his cattle while soybeans sales struggle”
By: WBIR –
October 1, 2025
“The beef industry is
complex, and some are doing well. If you look down the supply chains to the
cow-calf producer, there are folks that are probably making some of the best
profits that they've seen in a long time, because of this demand and short supply
of feeder cattle."
“How a
California Clean Energy Program Became a Boon for Big Dairies”
By: Sentient Media
– October 1, 2025
“No other fuel in the
program gets credit in that way. Landfills can also generate biogas, but they
do not get credit for avoiding methane emissions because the baseline is that
you would have had some other way of stopping the methane.”
Amitrajeet Batabyal, Rochester
Institute of Technology
“Why Air
Pollution Fuels Crime and the Policy Lessons for India” By: Basis Point– September 22,
2025
“What
Drives the Quality of Internet Searches – Better Algorithms or Access to
More Data?” By: Rochester Business Journal– September 26,
2025
Ani Katchova, The Ohio
State University
“Protecting
Ohio Farmland”
By: Brownfield
– September 4, 2025
“We have a tremendous
amount of demand for farmland,” she says. “This demand comes from agricultural
uses. That can be a good opportunity for farmers to increase their land
holdings. But, there’s also demand for farmland for non-agricultural uses like
housing and development.”
Christiane Schroeter, California
Poly - San Luis Obispo
“Want Big
Change? Start with Small Steps”
By: TEDxFolsom
– September 16, 2025
“In this talk, I explore
how small, intentional actions - what I refer to as micro-habits - can lead to
sustained personal and professional development. The framework, called Petite
Practice™, is grounded in behavioral economics and informed by my work in
health behavior and decision-making.”
“Trump’s
Tariffs, Deportations and Climate Change Are Making Groceries More
Expensive” By:CNN– September 20, 2025
“Grocery
Prices Are Jumping Up. We Explain Why” By: USA Today– September 23,
2025
Sylvanus Kwaku Afesorgbor, University
of Guelph
“Economic
Sanctions Need a Rethink: Evidence Shows They Raise Food Prices and Hurt the
Poor Most”
By: The
Conversation – September 22, 2025
“Economic sanctions are
widely viewed by academics and policymakers as a better alternative to military
interventions to pressure governments to change objectionable policies. The
idea is simple: instead of using weapons, squeeze the ruling elite economically
until they change their behaviour.”
“There are four main
factors which will drive the demand for agricultural products in the remainder
of this century: population growth, income growth, the expanded dietary demands
associated with income growth, and policy-driven growth in biofuel demand.”
“Soybean
Farmers Caught in Looming Crisis as US Trade War With China Cripples Sales”
By: ABC News
– September 28, 2025
“For American farmers
who export their harvests directly to Asia, the evaporation of Chinese demand
for soybeans -- at a time when fertilizer and other inputs have become more
expensive -- could potentially be devastating, and lead to bankruptcies and foreclosures.
It's just a massive shock to our markets," Cory Walters.”
The circular bioeconomy aims to enhance the productivity of agriculture, forestry, and fisheries by optimizing the use of natural resources in these sectors. It emphasizes recycling residues and waste products to generate energy, chemicals, and pharmaceuticals, while also enabling carbon sequestration. These efforts contribute significantly to the transition from non-renewable resources, such as petroleum, to renewable ones—helping to mitigate and adapt to climate change, while also enhancing rural development and preserving biodiversity.
Although the circular bioeconomy is a relatively new concept, it has recently gained significant momentum as countries develop their own plans and programs. Because the bioeconomy is diverse, it takes different forms depending on national contexts and environmental conditions. This month, I participated in several events that highlighted both the hopes and challenges associated with building the bioeconomy.
The Californian Visit to Denmark
I was part of a California delegation to Denmark aimed at building collaboration between the Danish government, Danish companies, and the state of California. California has a strong agricultural sector and is a leader in bioeconomy research and environmental innovation. However, the Central Valley, where most of California’s agricultural activity takes place, remains relatively impoverished.
The premise of the visit was that Denmark, with its world-class agricultural sector and leading life science and agribusiness companies, could offer valuable lessons on how to build a thriving bioeconomy. At the same time, collaboration with the University of California could help advance technology-based products and innovations.
We were impressed by Denmark’s ability to balance the interests of agriculture, industry, government, and the environment in pursuit of initiatives that are broadly beneficial to society. Denmark stands out as a model country, combining a strong capitalist ethos with a world-class welfare state. We also enjoyed the high quality of life in Copenhagen, particularly the creative architectural design that seamlessly integrates the old with the new. A big surprise was the food; we visited Noma, which has been ranked the world’s best restaurant four times in its history, and were amazed by the attention to detail and the beauty of the ambiance.
During our visit, we were particularly impressed by the Danish dairy farms and regional recycling models, which successfully circularize multiple waste streams to generate valuable products—ranging from natural gas to food products. The Danish universities have shown us a wide variety of research initiatives, including one that is transforming carbon into valuable products that can replace concrete in construction. The Danes recognize the folly of the EU’s restriction on the use of GMOs and CRISPR, and I expect Danish companies to establish the capacity to produce new products using modern agricultural biotechnologies in California. I also hope that we will be able to establish a regional joint venture in the Central Valley that will circulate waste products from agriculture and forestry to produce valuable products and reduce pollution and the risk of fires.
The Black Soldier Fly Conference in Cambridge
One of the greatest challenges of the bioeconomy is developing technologies that can convert waste into valuable products. However, the black soldier fly (BSF) has this capacity. Its larvae can consume a wide range of organic waste—including food residues, manure, and even forestry by-products—and transform it into protein, oil, and fertilizer. Scientists face challenges in breeding high-quality fly strains, designing effective feeding systems, and producing high-value outputs. Because different feedstocks generate distinct products, a major challenge lies in establishing supply chains that minimize overall costs while ensuring safety in both production processes and final products.
I was fortunate to be invited to speak at the BSF conference at St. John’s College, Cambridge. The college is renowned for its grand chapel, extensive historic buildings, and the Bridge of Sighs, which spans the River Cam. Punts—flat-bottomed boats propelled by a long pole—are a common sight on the river, offering iconic views of the college and a source of income. Dining in the centuries-old halls felt like a Harry Potter experience, and staying in the “New” Court (a 200-year-old collection of palaces) offered the unique combination of historic charm and modern amenities.
In my talk, I suggested that the BSF sector is in a takeoff phase: it is already commercial, generating close to a billion dollars in sales, yet still constrained by costs, regulations, and technical risks. Production facilities now exist in Europe, North America, Africa, and Asia, with some capable of processing tens of thousands of tons of organic waste annually. BSF protein is already used in aquaculture, poultry, and pet food. The industry has developed advanced technologies, including vertical farming of larvae, automated rearing and harvesting, and biorefineries that extract protein, fat, and other co-products. Market estimates project the BSF industry will reach $2–3 billion by 2030.
The sector’s future, however, depends on continued innovation to expand the range of feedstocks that BSF larvae can consume, reduce processing costs, attract new investment, create market opportunities, and navigate evolving regulations. Regulation is especially crucial, as restrictions on allowable feedstocks and the use of biotechnology to improve BSF strains could significantly limit the industry’s potential. Much of today’s innovation originates in the EU, yet the region also enforces some of the world’s strictest regulations. In contrast, China is rapidly scaling its BSF industry, viewing it as a strategic tool to reduce reliance on imported American soybeans for livestock feed. I speculated that within ten years, BSF revenues could surpass one billion dollars in China and India, reach hundreds of millions in Africa and North America, but remain much smaller in Europe unless regulatory frameworks become less restrictive.
Presentation at Brussels
I was invited to Brussels to present my perspective on how Europe can build a stronger circular bioeconomy to address major global challenges, including climate change, food security, biodiversity loss, and rural development. I emphasize that the challenges are both scientific and political, requiring compromises between the needs of the present and the responsibilities to future generations, as well as between risk-taking and benefits.
The bioeconomy is diverse and has many forms, including a biotechnology-focused bioeconomy that emphasizes genetics and synthetic biology. A resource-oriented bioeconomy, centered on agriculture, forestry, and fisheries. A circular bioeconomy, which reuses waste and creates new value from by-products. A green or eco-bioeconomy, which protects biodiversity and provides ecosystem services. Every country should find its optimal combinations. Building the bioeconomy requires a substantial investment in research that will lead to the development of supply chains consisting of growing feedstock, processing, and distributing it.
The bioeconomy faces real challenges. Scaling up technologies is costly, returns are uncertain, and rules differ across countries. Regulations often restrict the types of waste that can be used or slow down the adoption of biotechnology. Social acceptance, competition with fossil fuels, and uneven global investment also hinder progress.
For Europe, the bioeconomy is already significant, contributing around €2.4 trillion (about 5% of GDP). The region has strengths in sustainability, research, and consumer demand, but faces constraints: high costs, limited biomass, and fragmented regulations. Meanwhile, the United States and Asia are investing heavily and growing rapidly, with China viewing the sector as a means to reduce its dependence on imported soybeans.
My main message was: if Europe embraces innovation, reduces unnecessary regulatory barriers, and invests in circular systems, it can become a global leader in the bioeconomy. This would not only support climate action and biodiversity but also create new industries, jobs, and opportunities for rural and coastal communities.
The lessons of my European trip are global. Humanity is facing major challenges, including climate change, loss of biodiversity, food insecurity, and excessive dependence on non-renewable resources. The bioeconomy can provide many solutions; building it will involve investments in research, development, education, and human capital, as well as awareness, which are essential to establish new circular bioeconomy industries. It will require policies that strike a balance between risk and benefits, provide the right incentives, and leverage new scientific insights. Building the bioeconomy will entail some risk, but not taking the challenge will be riskier.
Scott Irwin, University
of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign
“Illini
Insider | My Campus: College of ACES' Scott Irwin”
By: The
News Gazette – September 9, 2025
“Meet
SCOTT IRWIN — a self-proclaimed “Iowa farmboy” turned Laurence J. Norton
Chair of Agricultural Marketing at the University of Illinois, with a reach
like few others in his field.”
Amitrajeet Batabyal, Rochester
Institute of Technology
“Examining
Mamdani’s Proposal for Free Public Transit - in NYC and Beyond”
By: WXXI News – Septmeber 13, 2025
"What
would happen if cities offered free public transit for anyone who wants to
use it? New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani wants to do just that.
Economist Amit Batabyal recently examined some data to see what the impact
would be - and the answers were not what many of his readers in the Rochester
Beacon expected. We’ll discuss what could happen if transit were free and
widely accessible."
