June’s Food for Thought…

• Billions of meals at risk due to Iran war, says fertiliser boss
• Organic Dairy Farms gain stronger banking support
• New Data Shows What’s Driving Forest Loss Around the World
• Dairy technology helps keep young farmers on the farm
• Microsoft may shelve 2030 clean energy target as AI lifts power use

Billions of meals at risk due to Iran war, says fertiliser boss – from BBC News.  The interruption to supplies of fertiliser and its key ingredients due to the war in Iran could cost up to 10 billion meals a week globally and will hit poorest countries hardest, according to the boss of one of the world's biggest fertiliser producers.  The UN World Food Programme estimates that the combined fallout from the Middle East conflict could push 45 million additional people into acute hunger in 2026.  Read the article

Organic Dairy Farms gain stronger banking support – from eDairyNews.  Banks are increasing support for New Zealand organic dairy farms as sustainability and premium dairy demand drive sector growth.  Lenders interviewed in the article said organic dairy businesses are increasingly viewed as commercially viable due to stable consumer demand for sustainably produced dairy products. Higher farmgate returns and access to differentiated export markets have strengthened the financial outlook for certified organic operations, particularly as global buyers seek environmentally focused supply chains. Read the article

New Data Shows What’s Driving Forest Loss Around the World – from WRI.  Data on Global Forest Watch reveals that 34% of tree cover losses worldwide from 2001-2025 were likely the result of permanent land use change, meaning trees won’t grow back naturally. This percentage nearly doubles in tropical primary rainforests, to 60%. Read the article

Dairy technology helps keep young farmers on the farm – from EDairyNews.  New dairy technologies are helping attract and retain younger generations in modern dairy farming operations.  Although this piece is reporting from Australia, one would imagine that this would also be the case in other parts of the world. Read the article

Microsoft may shelve 2030 clean energy target as AI lifts power use, Bloomberg News reports – from Reuters.  Microsoft is considering delaying or abandoning its 2030 goal of matching its entire hourly electricity ​use with renewable energy purchases, Bloomberg News reported on ‌Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.  The expensive and energy-intensive push for data centers is reshaping the feasibility of Microsoft's climate commitments that were made ​before the AI era and rank among the industry's most ​ambitious targets, the report said.  Read the article