Global Scans · Food & Agriculture · Weekly Summary

• [New] Russia may aim to use the threat of strikes to discourage international vessels from transporting Ukrainian grain due to high insurance costs and ultimately to accuse Ukraine of causing global food insecurity. Critical Threats
• [New] The United Nations' World Food Programme warned it will be forced to slash food rations by up to 70% for communities facing starvation starting in January due to critical funding shortages. Al Jazeera
• [New] While agriculture needs to meet short-term labour shortages, economic continuity requires a long-term horizon that promotes Canadian agriculture sector competitiveness through skilled labour opportunities in professions spanning biotechnology, food science, engineering, and data analytics. Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU)
• [New] $3.5 million in the Ontario Agri-Food Research Initiative to support the development and adoption of new technologies for farmers, food processors and agri-businesses that will enhance their competitiveness and growth. Ontario.ca
• [New] Under Sustainable CAP, the Biosecurity Enhancement Initiative supports the resiliency of the agri-food sector by providing funding opportunities to key agri-food sector businesses that are addressing biosecurity risks and enhancing emergency preparedness. Ontario.ca
• [New] In 2026, upstream fragility becomes a downstream strategic problem, impacting dairy, meat, produce and specialty ingredient supply chains. Just Food
• [New] As cultivated-meat companies begin to clear regulatory hurdles and scale production, standardized tools could be a crucial foundation for acceleration. FoodNavigator-USA.com
• [New] The global branded food company expects beef costs to remain high throughout fiscal 2026 while pork costs ease. Food Dive
• [New] Despite rising prices for meat and poultry, animal protein demand is expected to remain strong in 2026. BARN OnAir & OnLine 24/7/365
• [New] The 2025 government farm payments would represent nearly 25% of the projected total U.S. net farm income for the year. Agweek
• [New] For inflation, the ADB suggested 2.1% growth for both in 2025 and 2026, up 0.2 percentage point from previous forecasts on the continued increase in food and oil prices, as well as the recent weakness of the Korean won. The Korea Times
• [New] Negative base effects and better consumption growth suggest recovery in 2026 Looking ahead, the FAO Food Outlook projects a broad-based increase in global food commodity production in 2026. ING Think
• [New] Combined agriculture, fisheries and forestry export value is forecast to rise to $83.9 billion in 2025-26, setting another record. Global Agriculture
• [New] Climate change, fueled by rising greenhouse gases, severely threatens global agriculture and food security through increasing temperatures, altered rainfall, and more extreme weather. Science Speaks
• [New] Intelligent packaging solutions integrating sensors, indicators, tracking systems, AI tools, nanotechnology, biotechnology, and sustainability-driven materials are unlocking unparalleled opportunities for food brands, retailers, and logistics operators worldwide. openpr
• [New] AI in food processing is projected to grow from ~ $15 billion in 2025 to ~ $140 billion by 2034 at a CAGR of 28%. AgFunderNews
• [New] Over the next decade, cultivated meat will evolve from niche novelty to mainstream staple. Futurist Speaker on AI Leadership, Future of Work, Futu
• [New] Increasingly unpredictable weather makes UK crop production difficult, and funding is needed for climate adaptation and resilient varieties to protect national food security. Islam Times

Last updated: 16 December 2025