Today's AgriFood Tech News

Good morning readers. Among the news that we have for you:

• Purely Elizabeth has partnered with Mad Agriculture to launch the Regenerative Impact Program, targeting regenerative farming practices for their granola ingredients. 
• Atarraya Inc is hosting a harvest celebration on May 23, 2023, to showcase Shrimpbox, the world’s first plug-and-play shrimp farm. 
• VertiFarm, a global trade show focused on urban farming innovations, is slated for September 26 to 28. 
• Lastly, a new study suggests that melatonin and methyl jasmonate can enhance wheat plants' heat stress tolerance, offering a potential solution to climate change impacts on agriculture.

Purely Elizabeth Launches Regenerative Impact Program with Mad Agriculture

Purely Elizabeth , the renowned maker of nutritious granola and breakfast foods, has announced a three-year pilot project with Mad Agriculture (Mad Ag), named the Regenerative Impact Program. Additionally, the company has set an ambitious goal to source one-third of its ingredient volume from regenerative agriculture practices by the close of 2026.

Since its launch, Purely Elizabeth has consistently demonstrated its commitment to promoting the healing power of food, recognizing a direct link between the health of our farms and the health of our food.

The newly announced Regenerative Impact Program, created in partnership with Mad Agriculture, will span the next three years. The program will focus on three main areas: converting farmland to regenerative practices, sourcing ingredients from regenerative agriculture, and advancing research and education.

A highlight of the initiative will be the introduction of Purely Elizabeth’s best-selling Original Ancient Grain Granola in an exclusive size. Made with Regenerative Organic Certified® coconut sugar and coconut oil, the product will be available at Whole Foods Market stores nationwide and via the company’s website, purelyelizabeth.com.

Elizabeth Stein , CEO and Founder of Purely Elizabeth expressed her enthusiasm for the project, stating, “The scale of food production is enormous, but I believe it also is our greatest opportunity to make a positive impact. We want to support the farmers taking on the challenging work of creating a more regenerative food system. Working with the visionary team at Mad Ag was instrumental in getting us started.”

Atarraya Hosts Harvest Celebration for World’s First Sustainable Plug-and-Play Shrimp Farm

Atarraya Inc , a pioneer in sustainable shrimp farming, invites media, industry leaders, and potential shrimp farmers to participate in the world’s first harvest celebration of their innovative Shrimpbox farm. The event, set to take place at their Indianapolis shrimp farm on Tuesday, May 23, 2023, will allow guests to tour the unique Shrimpbox farm and enjoy the freshest shrimp ever tasted, locally grown and harvested in Indianapolis.

Shrimpbox, the world’s first plug-and-play shrimp farm, is a game-changing concept housed in specialized cargo containers. The event aims to bring together journalists, government officials, international chefs, and prospective shrimp farmers, offering a first-hand experience of this revolutionary approach to shrimp farming.

Special guests for the event include Chef José Dávila from Pigtail by José Andrés in Chicago and Chef Joshua Whigham, culinary advisor of Atarraya. Both chefs will prepare delectable farm-to-table shrimp dishes for attendees.

The event will also feature a panel discussion about the future of food with Atarraya CEO Daniel Russek and Agrinovous President and CEO Mitch Frazier. Other celebration highlights include live music, cocktails, fresh shrimp for sale, and a discount on Atarraya’s new e-commerce offering.

VertiFarm Showcases Innovations for Tomorrow’s Urban Farming Opportunities

VertiFarm , the international trade show that caters to next-generation farming and new food systems, is set to make its second appearance from September 26 to 28, offering a comprehensive platform for stakeholders in the agriculture, food, and pharmaceutical industries. The event, positioned as the global hub for future urban food supply systems, provides vast information on controlled production systems for vegetables, fruits, salads, herbs, alternative protein sources, micro greens, medicinal plants, and new fish and insect farming advancements.

VertiFarm aims to bring fresh perspectives and innovative solutions to one of the most pressing global challenges: securing sustainable future supplies of local, healthy, fresh food. The show is supported by numerous entities, including the  Association for Vertical Farming (AVF), the North Rhine Westphalia Retailers’ Association, the Retail Industry Climate Protection Campaign, the Westphalia & Lippe Agricultural Association, and the German Pharmaceutical Industry Association (BPI).

Exhibitors from various corners of the globe, including Norway, Sweden, Italy, the UK, the Netherlands, North and South America, and Asia, will present trends, new technologies, and systems related to modern cultivation techniques, providing a comprehensive overview of the realms of aquaponics and hydroponics.

Melatonin and Methyl Jasmonate Enhance Wheat Plants’ Heat Stress Tolerance

In a new study led by Zebus Sehar and her team, findings suggest that melatonin (MT) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) can enhance the heat stress tolerance of wheat plants. Published in 2023, the research offers hope for addressing the growing challenge of climate change on agricultural productivity.

Melatonin and methyl jasmonate play crucial roles in helping plants adapt to various stress factors by adjusting their stress tolerance mechanisms. Therefore, the research focused on the effect of these compounds on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), a staple crop worldwide. 

The researchers exposed wheat plants to 40°C for six hours a day over 15 days and then allowed them to recover at 28°C. As expected, this heat stress resulted in enhanced oxidative stress and antioxidant metabolism, increased activity of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) synthase (ACS) and ethylene production, and decreased photosynthetic performance.

However, the team found that applying melatonin and methyl jasmonate exogenously or from outside the plant had a dramatic impact. These compounds reduced oxidative stress and improved sulfur assimilation by 73.6%, boosted the antioxidant defense system by 70.9% (SOD), 115.8% (APX), 104.2% (GR), and 49.5% (GSH), optimized ethylene level to 58.4%, and improved photosynthesis by 75%.

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