El Niño & Drought Risk: Farmers in New Zealand are bracing for a dry, windy spring as El Niño strengthens, warning the “wicked trinity” of warmth, wind and dryness could quickly strip soil moisture and stress crops and pasture. Farm Finance Transparency: A new U.S. ag bankruptcy tracking dashboard maps both Chapter 11 and Chapter 12 filings, finding about 14% of ag bankruptcies are under Chapter 11—helping spot emerging financial trouble beyond traditional family-farm tracking. Beef Trade Tensions: Wisconsin Farm Bureau and other groups criticize Trump’s plan to import up to 300,000 metric tons of ground beef, saying it could undercut prices and hit cattle and dairy operations. Local Food Retail: Hannaford is bringing back in-store farm stands, partnering with 125+ regional farms to push seasonal produce and support local growers. Climate Justice Grants: Caribbean groups received small grants for grassroots climate justice work, including support for women in agriculture and fisheries and climate litigation efforts. Ag Tech for Smallholders: Agtrinsic is rolling out crop disease intelligence in South Asia via a mobile app aimed at smallholder farmers with earlier, practical warnings. Policy & Payments: EU member states are leaning toward resisting tighter CAP rules for the “active farmer” definition, a move that could shape who qualifies for direct payments. Biofuel Market Building: Michigan’s Great Lakes Sustainable Fuels Symposium focused on long-term infrastructure and demand growth for sustainable aviation and maritime fuels.