The hottest Agriculture Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Business Topics

A Massive Win, and What It Means

The Crucial Years • 2002 implied HN points • 26 Jan 24
🌞 Climate & Environment Policy Energy Health Agriculture Research
  1. A huge victory against the fossil fuel industry has been achieved by halting new licenses for LNG export terminals.
  2. Biden's decision sets a climate test for American fossil fuel expansion plans, signaling a transition from natural gas as a 'bridge fuel'.
  3. The fight for climate justice needs to include considerations for impacts on communities and involve effective monitoring and engagement with frontline leaders.

Getting back to the root of coffee

Longer Tables with José Andrés • 628 implied HN points • 05 Feb 24
🍲 Food & Drink Coffee Agriculture Ethics Culture Community
  1. Cxffeeblack founders aim to honor the roots of coffee and shift the industry's narrative to support communities of color.
  2. Renata and Bartholomew highlight the importance of recognizing the African heritage of coffee to preserve the future of the crop and support indigenous farmers.
  3. Consumers are encouraged to find gratitude in their coffee consumption, embrace peace, and consider the deeper stories behind the products they consume.

Should We Be Talking About Pesticides Instead of Sulfites?

Not Drinking Poison • 353 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🍲 Food & Drink Wine Agriculture
  1. The natural wine community believes that discussing the elimination of synthetic chemical pesticides in agriculture is more important than debating sulfite reduction in winemaking.
  2. Consumer expectations often clash with the natural processes and limitations of natural wine production, highlighting misconceptions about the industry.
  3. Natural wine serves as a platform to expose the 'Big Lie' in the wine world, revealing how production methods can impact the environment and quality of the final product.

How to be a farmer like you mean it

Figs in Winter: New Stoicism and beyond • 530 implied HN points • 19 Jan 24
🚌 Education Ancient Wisdom Life philosophy Literature Agriculture
  1. Ancient wisdom from farming communities can offer valuable insights on life and work.
  2. Hesiod contrasts the benefits of cultivating land with the destructiveness of war, highlighting the value of peaceful, agricultural pursuits.
  3. Considering a return to nature-based lifestyles, even for city dwellers, can offer a sense of renewal and connection to the earth.
Get a weekly roundup of the best Substack posts, by hacker news affinity:

Agriculture, but make it precise

Topsoil • 550 implied HN points • 06 Jan 24
🕹 Technology Agriculture Data AI
  1. Precision agriculture uses technology to adjust equipment for field variability, improving efficiency.
  2. Precision agriculture offers benefits like increased yields, time savings, and environmental sustainability.
  3. While valuable, precision agriculture is not a one-size-fits-all solution and adoption can be complex.

Economic Ornithology

Bird History • 379 implied HN points • 10 Jan 24
🔬 Science Ornithology Conservation Agriculture Research History
  1. Before pesticides, birds were valued by farmers for their role in controlling bugs on crops, and economic ornithologists calculated the precise worth of each bird in dollars.
  2. The Bureau of Biological Survey was established to study the economic impact of birds on agriculture, shifting focus to quantify the benefits and drawbacks of various bird species on crops.
  3. Studies conducted by economic ornithologists resulted in a widespread belief in the economic significance of birds in pest control, but the field eventually lost credibility as pesticides and modern agricultural practices took over.

Does Rice-Cultivation promote Gender Equality?

The Great Gender Divergence • 294 implied HN points • 22 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Gender Equality Agriculture Social Issues Economic Growth
  1. Rice cultivation can encourage female labor force participation and close-knit interdependence.
  2. Farm work in rice cultivation may normalize women's work but not change societal views on gender roles.
  3. High demand for agricultural labor doesn't always lead to improved gender equality, as it may keep women in abusive marriages.

The German farmers are greatly angry and there are a lot of them: An early report from the gathering great farmers' rally in Berlin

eugyppius: a plague chronicle • 295 implied HN points • 14 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Protest Germany Agriculture Government
  1. 10,000 demonstrators expected at the German farmers' protest rally in Berlin.
  2. Protest expanded to broader anti-tax sentiments and dissatisfaction with government.
  3. Farmers at the protest are eager to explain their grievances and are highly organized.

What to Watch in Robotics

Startup Pirate by Alex Alexakis • 176 implied HN points • 09 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Robotics AI Agriculture Small business Innovation
  1. Robotics is advancing rapidly, from cooking shrimp to automating tasks like folding laundry and making coffee.
  2. General Robotic Intelligence (GRI) is still missing, but platforms are being developed to enable robots to perform complex tasks in dynamic environments.
  3. Companies are working to make robotics accessible to small and medium-sized businesses, enabling them to automate tasks and stay competitive.

EU Farmer Blockades Represent a Serious Setback for EU’s Climate Agenda

THE FREEDOM BLOG • 176 implied HN points • 08 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Climate Policy Protests Agriculture
  1. EU farmers are protesting against environmental targets and regulations they find burdensome.
  2. European Commission is making short-term concessions to farmers but may struggle to meet long-term emission reduction goals.
  3. Protests by farmers show that high-visibility tactics can be effective in influencing policy decisions.

How would you improve food in the UK?

Vittles • 110 implied HN points • 26 Feb 24
🍲 Food & Drink Policy Agriculture Nutrition Food culture
  1. Minimum Wage Tied to Cost of Food: Consider including the cost of food in minimum wage and benefit calculations to ensure everyone can afford to eat.
  2. Reform Universal Credit: Reforming the Universal Credit system can help end the reliance on food aid and inconsistent income, promoting food security for all.
  3. Agroecology Development Officers: Implementing Agroecology Development Officers can help transition to more sustainable agroecological food systems with regional collaboration.

Age of Invention: Cash Cows

Age of Invention, by Anton Howes • 1008 implied HN points • 10 Aug 23
💾 History Industrial Revolution Innovation Agriculture Optimization
  1. Robert Bakewell had an 'improving mentality' when it came to breeding animals, focusing on optimizing profit and efficiency.
  2. Bakewell selectively bred cows and sheep to maximize valuable meat and minimize feeding costs.
  3. The improving mentality led Bakewell to continuously optimize all aspects of his farm, from animal breeding to farm layout and operations.

Were We Expelled from Egalitarian Eden Not by the Pomegranate, But by the Plough and the Ox? Perhaps...

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 76 implied HN points • 25 Feb 24
💾 History Inequality Agriculture
  1. The shift from gatherer-hunter lifestyles to farming and domestication of animals may have contributed to the emergence of enduring economic inequality.
  2. Increased civilizational complexity led to a rise in potential wealth inequalities, possibly through factors like tools, farm implements, domesticated animals, serfdom, and slavery.
  3. Exploring the dimensions of wealth acquisition and accumulation, such as tools, farmstead implements, animals, serfdom, and slavery, can help understand the expansion of possible wealth inequalities.

Farming is a team sport

Topsoil • 452 implied HN points • 31 Oct 23
💼 Business Farming Roles Agriculture
  1. Farming requires a diverse team with various roles.
  2. Roles on the farm include operations manager, operators, bookkeeper, and agronomist.
  3. There is a trend towards consolidation, professionalization, and automation in farming.

Weeds will decide the winners

Topsoil • 294 implied HN points • 01 Oct 23
🔬 Science Agriculture Technology
  1. Weeds can significantly impact crop yields and profits through competition for resources.
  2. Farmers use integrated weed management to control weeds effectively without relying solely on herbicides.
  3. Herbicides are crucial for weed control but come with risks to human health, the environment, and issues like herbicide resistance.

Data: the new oil or a new byproduct?

Topsoil • 511 implied HN points • 30 Jun 23
🕹 Technology Data Agriculture Framework Digitization Analytics
  1. Data in agriculture is essential for advancements like Generative AI, automation, and precision agriculture.
  2. Challenges in farm digitization include issues like connectivity, interoperability, data quality, trust, and incentives.
  3. Farmers derive value from data through decision-making, enabling technologies, sharing with advisors, compliance, and future income opportunities.

Where the crops go

Topsoil • 471 implied HN points • 31 May 23
💼 Business Agriculture Markets Demand Consumption Industry
  1. Farmers need to consider demand when deciding what crops to grow.
  2. Proximity to markets can influence a farm's choice of crops to grow.
  3. Various stakeholders, including farmers, cooperatives, commodity groups, and the government, work together to grow demand for agricultural products.

Cash crops, marketing boards, and agricultural policy failures in Africa

An Africanist Perspective • 455 implied HN points • 18 Feb 23
🌍 World Politics Agriculture Development Trade Africa Policy
  1. Improving agricultural productivity in Africa is crucial for economic development. Policymakers need to shift towards policies that support small-scale farmers and focus on local value addition before exports.
  2. The role of the state in African agriculture needs to be reconsidered. Historical policies like marketing boards have had both positive and negative impacts, and there is a need for open-mindedness towards government involvement in the sector.
  3. African cash crop producers face challenges in benefiting from their produce due to the structure of international commodity markets. African governments must invest in value addition and convince buyers to support local processing to boost sectoral margins.

The Domus Mindset

Pacification • 255 implied HN points • 06 Apr 23
💾 History Civilization Society Agriculture Slavery Religion
  1. Early settled agricultural societies may have taken the form of prison camps, with enslaved people and rulers extracting wealth.
  2. Hunter-gatherer societies had better food, health, and likely less compulsion and slavery than early civilizations founded on forced agriculture.
  3. The domus mindset, rooted in lordship and obedience, continues to shape societies, stories, and concepts of freedom today, even in modern urban contexts.

Twelve months on, flood-affected River Murray farmers are still doing it tough

Murray Bridge News • 19 implied HN points • 31 Jan 24
🌍 World Politics Natural Disasters Agriculture Government Response Infrastructure Community support
  1. Primary producers along the River Murray are still struggling after the floods from 2022-2023.
  2. The flooding caused land to become unusable, affecting farmers' income and livelihoods.
  3. Repairing the flood damage, dealing with unexpected costs, and ongoing stress have taken a toll on the farming community.

The road from serfdom

The Works in Progress Newsletter • 7 implied HN points • 06 Mar 24
💾 History Reforms Agriculture Economic Impact
  1. Institutional changes can be designed to buy in established interests using gains from reform which may avoid prolonged and violent conflicts for reform.
  2. The development of liberal institutions for long-term economic growth can present challenges for countries with existing poor institutions as seen in the Western Europe, East Asia, and North America regions.
  3. Instituting successful and lasting institutional reforms requires careful management of suboptimal institutions to effect change quickly and avoid backlash, as demonstrated by the agricultural reforms in Tsarist Russia under Pyotr Stolypin.

Farmland & Ranching in Argentina

BowTiedMara - Geoarbitrage & Mobility Assets • 176 implied HN points • 08 May 23
💼 Business Agriculture Real Estate Investing Market Analysis Economic Development
  1. Farmland in Argentina varies in price based on region and quality, offering opportunities for investment.
  2. Argentina's agricultural landscape is diverse, with regions specializing in different crops like soy, wheat, and corn.
  3. Ranching in Argentina is significant, with a large number of farms dedicated to bovine production and potential for increased meat exports.

In Recorded Conversation, A John Deere Dealer Talks Up Predatory Design

Fight to Repair • 78 implied HN points • 06 Sep 23
🕹 Technology Software Antitrust Agriculture Monopoly Regulation
  1. A John Deere dealership employee was caught on tape discussing the possibility of using software updates to block third-party competitors from working with John Deere equipment.
  2. The mention of using software updates to push out competition raises questions about anti-competitive behavior, which could potentially violate U.S. antitrust laws.
  3. The conversation highlights the importance of 'Right to Repair' legislation and the need for transparency from major agricultural equipment manufacturers in creating an open and competitive precision agriculture ecosystem.

History Repeating: The War on the Kulaks

The Corbett Report • 17 implied HN points • 15 Oct 23
💾 History World Globalization Revolution Agriculture Propaganda
  1. The historical parallels between Stalin's war against the kulaks and the globalists' war against the neo-kulaks are clear today.
  2. The push to demonize farming and control farmland resembles the tactics used by Stalin to consolidate power.
  3. The narrative of eliminating 'dirty, polluting' farmers is about control and monopolizing resources, not about saving the planet.

Saturday Sprouting Reads (Tribal Superfoods, Big 6 Platform-Ecosystem Agritech Gameplays, 75 Years of Herbicides)

Agribusiness Matters • 39 implied HN points • 04 Mar 23
💼 Business Agriculture Technology History Environment Innovation
  1. The article discusses 3 tribal superfoods from India that might become popular in 2023.
  2. It explores the strategies of big agritech companies in building ecosystems and platforms.
  3. The text reflects on the history of herbicides over 75 years, focusing on challenges like resistance and the need for innovation.

Empowering Innovation: Real-Life Examples

European Straits • 14 implied HN points • 13 Sep 23
💼 Business Innovation Finance Technology Healthcare Agriculture
  1. Innovation involves doing things differently with an impact, and it only counts when it can be scaled up and make a difference at scale.
  2. There are three types of innovation: efficiency, sustaining, and empowering (or disruptive) innovation, each with different impacts on capital, jobs, and industries.
  3. Empowering innovations like small nuclear reactors, AI, and satellite technology have the potential to reshape industries, but face challenges like capital availability and market readiness.

Fight to Repair Daily: Friday, September 30, 2022

Fight to Repair • 39 implied HN points • 30 Sep 22
🌞 Climate & Environment Agriculture Renewables Recycling Economy Waste Management
  1. Statehouses are addressing agricultural repair issues as Congress stalls; focus on complex farm equipment repair and fair requirements
  2. New federal funds support increased antitrust enforcement in agriculture, improving competition in the livestock industry through collaboration with state attorneys general
  3. Solar panel e-waste management gains attention as more panels enter the waste stream; emergence of producer responsibility standards to address recycling challenges

GreenLight Biosciences

axialdaily • 19 implied HN points • 03 Apr 23
🔬 Science Agriculture
  1. Axial partners with early-stage life sciences companies to invest in their vision and help them grow.
  2. GreenLight Biosciences uses cell-free RNA manufacturing for human health and agriculture, bringing down costs and expanding applications.
  3. GreenLight is transitioning their manufacturing scale from dsRNA to mRNA for vaccines and gene therapies.