Agriculture & Food Production

Guangzhou – September 09, 2026 -- More than 1,500 food and beverage exhibitors from China and abroad gathered at the 2026 SIAL West Asia International Food Exhibition, which opened September 3 at the Guangzhou Poly World Trade Center Expo and spans 60,000 square meters.

Exhibition positions Guangzhou as gateway between China and ASEAN markets

Co-organized by Comexposium, Beijing Aibo SIAL Exhibition Co., Ltd., Guangzhou International Convention & Exhibition Group, and Beijing SIAL Exhibition Co., Ltd., the event is branded the "First Stop for Entering the Bay Area and Going Global." It operates as a flagship event under Guangdong province's "Trade Nationwide" and "Trade Global" initiatives, running through September 5 across 14 specialized zones covering imported foods, snacks, dairy, beverages, seasonings, and fresh products.

Kuala Lumpur – September 08, 2026 -- Agroz Inc. (NASDAQ: AGRZ) placed #35 globally in the 2025 FoodTech 500, ranking in the top 7% of more than 11,700 companies evaluated by Forward Fooding, the organization behind what is widely called the "Fortune 500 of FoodTech."

Agroz collects four separate industry honors within months

The Malaysia-based agricultural technology firm, which designs, builds and operates indoor and outdoor Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) vertical farms, also received the Superbrands Award 2026 from Superbrands Malaysia, an authority on branding recognized for assessing market leadership and consumer trust. Separately, Agroz won the Asia Pacific Enterprise Awards (APEA) 2026 Fast Enterprise Award, which honors companies demonstrating rapid, sustainable business growth across the region.

Irvine, Calif. – September 08, 2026 -- Splintered Oak Equipment has acquired WC Tractor's three New Holland dealerships in Brenham, Dayton, and Sealy, Texas, in a transaction brokered by Performance Brokerage Services.

WC Tractor divests New Holland stores to focus on Kubota operations

Founded in 1939 as a Ford tractor dealership in Brenham, WC Tractor expanded to 11 dealership rooftops across Central and East Texas by 2025 after beginning growth efforts in 2002. The family-owned company, led by Chris Wackman, has built its reputation as a leading Kubota dealer, earning Kubota's Elite Award of Excellence in 2016 and Rural Lifestyle Dealer's 2024 Dealership of the Year title. Multiple WC Tractor locations hold Kubota Circle of Excellence recognition alongside Kubota Elite and Kubota Service Elite designations. The sale of its three New Holland locations allows WC Tractor to concentrate resources on its Kubota network across Texas.

Miami – September 08, 2026 -- Happy Soul, a Florida-based functional gummy supplement brand, will exhibit at Booth 773 during the Americas Food & Beverage Show & Conference, running September 14-16 at the Miami Beach Convention Center. The event marks its 30th anniversary this year.

Company runs its own 300kg automated production line rather than outsourcing manufacturing

Happy Soul launched in 2026 as the in-house brand of a gummy manufacturer that has produced for other companies since 2019. The company owns and operates a cGMP-compliant facility in Lexington, North Carolina, capable of producing up to 2.5 million gummies per week on a 300kg automated line. All products are manufactured under 21 CFR Part 111 and undergo third-party testing for potency and heavy metals.

Washington – September 08, 2026 -- Smithfield Foods's lobbying firm, Greenberg Traurig, LLP, has amended a federal disclosure report to reveal that China-based WH Group, which owns 86.9% of Smithfield, has a direct interest in lobbying over Farm Bill reauthorization and foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land.

Frankfurt/Main – September 08, 2026 -- Germany's fertilizer industry association IVA has warned that a planned flat-rate hectare premium for EU fertilizer aid will not drive the early purchasing decisions farms need to secure supply for spring 2026.

IVA says hectare premium misses fertilizer action plan's core goal

The Industrieverband Agrar e.V. (IVA) criticized the German Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Home Affairs' plan to disburse EU fertilizer subsidies as a flat hectare payment, arguing the approach undermines the original intent of the European Fertiliser Action Plan to support farmers specifically in purchasing fertilizer. IVA Managing Director Frank Gemmer said the payout structure lacks the steering effect needed to encourage timely buying, and called instead for direct financial support tied to fertilizer purchases.

Momence, Ill. – September 08, 2026 -- FutureCeuticals, Inc. and Aura Scientific have resolved a patent and trademark lawsuit centered on Aura's NeuroRush ingredient, with Aura agreeing to discontinue NeuroRush and transition to FutureCeuticals' CognatiQ whole coffee fruit extract.

Legal dispute ends with Aura exiting NeuroRush ingredient line

The lawsuit involved FutureCeuticals' cognitive health intellectual property tied to its whole coffee fruit extract, sold under the tradenames CognatiQ and NeuroFactor. J. Randal Wexler, FutureCeuticals' Vice President & General Counsel, said Aura's acknowledgment of the IP's validity reinforces its market strength. Wexler noted the company's IP enforcement protects continued investment in clinical research while safeguarding customer and partner interests.

Momence, Illinois – September 08, 2026 -- FutureCeuticals, Inc. and Aura Scientific have settled a patent and trademark dispute over Aura's cognitive-health ingredient "NeuroRush," ending the product and replacing it with a new distribution partnership for FutureCeuticals' whole coffee cherry extract, sold as "CognatiQ" and "NeuroFactor."

Settlement terminates NeuroRush, validates FutureCeuticals' IP portfolio

The resolution confirms the validity of FutureCeuticals' intellectual property in the cognitive health ingredient category, according to J. Randal Wexler, the company's Vice President and General Counsel. Aura's NeuroRush ingredient will be discontinued as part of the agreement.

Luxembourg – September 07, 2026 -- Adecoagro S.A. (NYSE: AGRO) has completed its acquisition of the Caarapó sugar mill from Raízen Group for R$705 million (approximately US$136 million), paid in cash at closing, following the deal first announced on July 20, 2026.

Deal values crushing capacity at $39 per ton

Based on Caarapó's crushing volume of 3.5 million tons during the 2025/26 harvest, the transaction implies a purchase price of roughly US$39 per ton of crushing capacity. The mill, now under Adecoagro's ownership and management, has installed capacity to process 6 to 7 million tons of cane annually, well above recent throughput levels.

Helm, Calif. – September 07, 2026 -- Sixteen drivers at J.R. Simplot's Helm, California facility have voted to join Teamsters Local 431, launching a first-contract fight at one of the world's largest agribusinesses.

Drivers haul hazardous agricultural chemicals across Central Valley farms

The unit transports herbicides, pesticides and insecticides to retail customers and farms throughout the region. Workers hold Class A Commercial Driver's Licenses with hazardous materials hauling endorsements, a specialized credential required to move regulated agrochemicals on public roads.