AI & Data: AI-assisted international press reviewPress review

Hippo Harvest Raises $30 Million to Accelerate Robotic Greenhouses

Hippo Harvest, a producer of organic leafy greens, has announced the closing of a $30 million funding round led by Cox Farms. This funding will allow the expansion of its facilities in Hollister, CA, and the development of a next-generation robotic growing system, thereby increasing its production capacity and speeding up the commercialization of indoor-grown spinach. By utilizing autonomous mobile robots, the company aims to optimize its yields while reducing costs, addressing the growing market demand for certified organic vegetables.

Source: Agropages, published under the title "Hippo Harvest closes $30 million Series C led by Cox Farms, ..." - 10 July 2026

Satellite Assessment of Plant Thermal Stress Reveals Climate Change Reduces Tropical Forests' CO₂ Capture

Source: Epfl, published under the title "Heatwaves hinder photosynthesis" - 9 July 2026

Launch of a Genomic Selection Project for Peas in Canada

Protein Industries Canada, a Canadian organization supporting innovation in plant proteins, has launched a two-year project aimed at creating a national database on peas to assist breeders. Artificial intelligence will be employed to integrate various data sources and accelerate the development of new varieties, as part of a $1.8 million investment.

SEPEHR ACHARD, Source: Igronews, published under the title "Protein Industries Canada Launches National Pea Genomic Sele..." - 9 July 2026

2026 Agricultural Formulation and Application Technologies Congress: Agrochemical Formulators Invited to Showcase Innovations

The 7th Congress on Agricultural Formulation and Application Technologies (FAT 2026) will take place in Hangzhou, China, on October 29-30, 2026. This event, attracting companies from around the globe, focuses on innovations in agrochemical formulations in response to technological and regulatory developments. Speakers are invited to submit abstracts on various topics, ranging from new technologies to adjuvant strategies, as well as biological and complex formulations, to share their latest advancements and strengthen international collaborations.

Source: Agropages, published under the title "Call for Papers: FAT 2026 — 7th Ag Formulation & Application..." - 9 July 2026

Chinese Company XAG Automates Entire Spraying Cycle with New X Series

The launch of XAG's X Series agricultural drones marks a significant advancement towards the full automation of farming operations. Comprising drones and intelligent systems, this series reduces the need for human intervention in crop protection tasks while enhancing efficiency and precision through advanced technologies such as 4D radar, reduced battery charging times, and automated cleaning features.

Source: Agropages, published under the title "Chinese agtech company XAG unveils next-gen agricultural dro..." - 9 July 2026

United States: Investment Slows, AI Struggles to Win Over Farmers

The Purdue Agricultural Economic Barometer, a gauge of American farmer confidence, reveals major concerns regarding input costs and low crop prices. While few farmers see an improvement in their financial situation, the adoption of AI technologies in agriculture elicits mixed opinions, highlighting ongoing challenges in the sector.

SEPEHR ACHARD, Source: Igronews, published under the title "Farmer Sentiment Falls to 113 in June as Input Cost Concerns..." - 8 July 2026

Vertical Farms: Demand-Driven Planning Becomes a Profitability and Waste Reduction Lever

British companies Harvest London and Crate to Plate have received financial support from the ADOPT program of the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs to deploy Ani, a production planning platform that links confirmed customer orders to real-time crop planning. This project, taking place across multiple sites in London, aims to enhance the efficiency of controlled environment farms, with estimates of resource and waste reduction.

SEPEHR ACHARD, Source: Igronews, published under the title "Harvest London Secures DEFRA ADOPT Funding for Ani Productio..." - 8 July 2026

Detecting Diseases Before Symptoms: An American Company Launches an AI Spore Monitoring Network in Iowa

The American company Scanit Technologies has introduced the Iowa SporeWarn™ network, an innovative platform for detecting airborne pathogens, enabling farmers to monitor in real-time the invisible threats to their crops. With autonomous SporeCam sensors, the network provides accurate data on disease pressure, facilitating informed treatment decisions. Covering 500,000 acres of corn and soybeans, this service promises to transform how agronomists and growers manage disease risks by offering daily reports and trend analyses.

Source: Agropages, published under the title "Scanit Technologies launches Iowa SporeWarn™ Network, giving..." - 7 July 2026

Brazil: An AI Transforms Traditional Soil Analysis into Predictive Tool for Soil Health

The Brazilian company B4A has launched Biostart, an artificial intelligence platform that predicts biological risks in soils using existing fertility analysis data. This innovation aims to make biological risk assessment more accessible and cost-effective for farmers. It utilizes a database of over 14,000 soil samples to predict microbiological imbalances and phytosanitary risks.

Source: Agropages, published under the title "B4A launches in Brazil Biostart AI that identifies biologica..." - 7 July 2026

The New South Wales Government Invests $105.5 Million in Agricultural Innovation

SEPEHR ACHARD, Source: Igronews, published under the title "NSW Government Backs $105.5 Million Agriculture Innovation P..." - 6 July 2026