Agriculture, Food & Beverage

New York – October 16, 2026 -- Wine Enthusiast has named Sicily its 2026 International Wine Region of the Year at the 27th Annual Wine Star Awards, which honor individuals, companies and regions in the wine and beverage industry.

Consortium president calls the award a platform for Sicilian wine abroad

Alessio Planeta, President of the Consorzio di Tutela vini DOC Sicilia, called the recognition a "tremendous honor" and an opportunity to keep promoting the identity and quality of Sicilian wine internationally.

Sicily's native grape portfolio exceeds 70 varieties

The island grows more than 70 indigenous varieties, including Grillo, Catarratto, Inzolia, Grecanico, Nero d'Avola, Frappato and Nerello Mascalese. Styles range from saline coastal whites to volcanic reds. Etna is the island's most internationally recognized territory, while Vittoria, Marsala, Noto and Pantelleria also produce wine.

New York – October 16, 2026 -- Chilean seafood exports totaled US$9.186 billion in 2025, with the United States taking US$2.918 billion, or 31.7% of shipments, according to export promotion agency ProChile. That makes the U.S. Chile's leading seafood destination, and ProChile is using a New York event to widen that footprint across food and beverage.

ProChile, which operates under Chile's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will hold two invitation-only events on October 20 for media, influencers and industry professionals: a curated Chilean lunch and an afternoon wine and pisco masterclass. Both aim to present products already available in the U.S. market alongside new offerings.

WASHINGTON – October 16, 2026 -- U.S. seafood consumers now treat sustainability as a default expectation rather than a niche preference, according to 10 years of Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) research covering 15,000 respondents since 2016.

The report, "A Decade of Change: Sustainability Now a Mainstream Concern of U.S. Seafood Consumers," was conducted for the MSC by the independent insights firm GlobeScan. It finds that U.S. consumer support for sustainability has climbed to match levels traditionally seen only among European consumers.

Consumers demand independent proof of sustainability claims

Shoppers increasingly want environmental claims independently verified, and claims alone no longer suffice. The MSC says this reinforces the value of credible third-party certification. Consumers also view sustainability as built into seafood products rather than added on, and economic realities continue to shape purchasing decisions.

Surprise, Arizona – October 15, 2026 -- SenesTech, Inc. (NASDAQ: SNES) reported preliminary third-quarter 2026 revenue of approximately $1.1 million, the highest quarterly figure in the company's history and its first quarter at or above $1 million.

The result is about 40% higher than second-quarter 2026 revenue and about 55% above the third quarter of 2025. It is the company's second consecutive quarterly revenue record, according to CEO Michael Edell.

SenesTech expects e-commerce and subscriptions to drive recurring revenue

The rodent birth control specialist expects its definitive results to reflect continued momentum in e-commerce, including higher subscription revenue. The company says subscriptions are expanding the recurring share of its revenue base. It also expects increasing traction in its B2B business.

Emeryville – October 15, 2026 -- Goldman Sachs named UPSIDE Foods CEO Uma Valeti, M.D., one of its Most Exceptional Entrepreneurs of 2026 at the Builders and Innovators Summit in Healdsburg, California. The bank selected Valeti from multiple industries for the honor.

UPSIDE Foods has raised more than $600 million since its 2015 founding

Valeti, a cardiologist who worked on stem-cell heart tissue regeneration during a fellowship at the Mayo Clinic, left clinical practice to found what the company calls the world's first cultivated meat company. UPSIDE's Chicken Filet was the first cultivated meat product cleared by both the FDA and the USDA for sale in the U.S.

Investors include Cargill, Softbank, Temasek, Tyson and Whole Foods.

Denver – October 15, 2026 -- CFi Solutions has launched gridl by CFi, a single system that gives ag retailers, grain elevators and manufacturers one platform for managing customers and daily operations, and it comes at no extra charge for dealers who finance with CFi.

gridl links customer records to quotes, orders, inventory, invoicing and grain storage

The platform connects customer and farm records to the quotes, orders, inventory, invoicing and grain storage behind each sale. CFi financing is integrated into the same system, so dealers can offer financing as part of every sale.

CFi describes the product as a replacement for fragmented setups. Many ag businesses currently run separate systems for customers, inventory, orders and financing, and fill the gaps with spreadsheets.

Des Moines – October 14, 2026 -- The U.S. FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine has approved Kemin Industries' chromium propionate as a source of organic chromium in broiler breeder chicken and laying hen diets, extending its approved use to seven animal categories.

Chromium propionate is now cleared for swine, broiler chickens, cattle, horses, growing turkeys, broiler breeder chickens and laying hens. Kemin says its KemTRACE® Chromium is the only FDA-reviewed source of chromium propionate on the market and has been fed to millions of animals worldwide.

Kemin's research base of more than 30 years supported the FDA decision

Kemin conducted the research that served as the basis for the approval. The company says peer-reviewed studies across species show chromium can reduce cortisol, the hormone secreted in response to stress. That reduction may limit the effects of stress events such as extreme heat or cold, diet changes and disease challenges.

Rehovot, Israel – October 14, 2026 -- EcoPhage has signed a distribution agreement with Agricultura Nacional, S.A. de C.V. ("Dragon") to market and sell its phage-based biopesticides across Mexico, with Dragon's status as distributor subject to agreed commercial targets.

Dragon starts with GoldenEco and EcoFire

Dragon will initially distribute two products: GoldenEco® and EcoFire®. GoldenEco, EcoPhage's flagship, was recently approved by the U.S. EPA and is being developed for bacterial disease management in tomatoes and peppers. EcoFire targets bacterial diseases in fruit crops.

Dragon will handle marketing and distribution nationwide. It will draw on its local market expertise, commercial infrastructure and agricultural relationships to establish the products with Mexican growers.

Delray Beach – October 14, 2026 -- The pet food ingredients market will grow from USD 41.55 billion in 2026 to USD 57.68 billion by 2031, a 6.8% CAGR, according to MarketsandMarkets.

Animal-based ingredients hold 53.8% share as premiumization lifts meat inclusion

The animal-based segment is estimated to lead the market with a 53.8% share in 2026. The report also expects it to be the fastest-growing source segment through 2031. Manufacturers are differentiating products with higher meat inclusion, novel proteins and species-specific formulations.

Fresh, refrigerated, freeze-dried and air-dried formats are opening additional demand for meat, poultry, fish and egg ingredients. Insect and marine-based proteins are broadening the ingredient base and addressing sustainability and supply-chain considerations.

Moline – October 14, 2026 -- The John Deere Foundation has committed $18.5 million over multiple years to a Farm-to-Plate strategy that channels surplus farm output to food banks, with more than $13 million earmarked for Iowa.

The package is anchored by a $17 million, three-year commitment to Feeding America and a $1.5 million, three-year partnership with The Farmlink Project. Funds will go toward recovering surplus produce, building direct farmer-to-food-bank channels and mobilizing John Deere employees for local hunger relief.

Iowa initiative targets 100+ farmers across three food banks

A new "Farm to Food Bank" initiative will help three Iowa food banks expand existing partnerships with farmers, lifting participation to more than 100 producers. The program is designed to open new market outlets for farmers while routing more locally grown food to families facing hunger.