The RegenCircle Newscast 8.18

Shein fined $1.16M for greenwashing, Dollar General and Uber Eats partner to deliver household essentials nationwide, and Meet FieldLark: your AI Agronomist.

August 18, 2025

Start Listening: Updates on RegenCircle Newscast 🎙️

This week on the newscast, we’re breaking down around ten of the biggest stories from the past two weeks, covering must-know updates on AI, new technology, policy and human interest stories. From investments to human interest pieces, politics to events you won't want to miss it.

This Week’s Investment News

Mars Invests $15M in Pursuit of Climate-Resilient Peanut

Photo by artyponds

Mars, Incorporated has launched the Protect the Peanut Plan, investing $15 million to develop climate-resilient peanut varieties. As a major peanut buyer, Mars aims to counteract crop losses affecting 30% of the global supply. The plan includes a $5 million investment over five years for genomic science to enhance peanut resilience against pests, disease, and climate change. This initiative builds on Mars' decade-long research, including mapping the peanut genome. Collaborations with institutions like the University of Georgia and Brazilian research bodies are underway to cultivate drought and disease-resistant peanuts, ensuring sustainable supply for Mars' brands.

Nara Organics launches Organic Infant Formula with $32M in Funding

Photo By Nara Organics

Nara Organics has launched what it describes as the first FDA-registered and USDA-certified organic whole milk infant formula developed to meet both EU and US safety standards. They raised capital from groups such as BBG ventures, AlleyCorp and celebrity investors such as Serena Williams. The formula is manufactured in Germany and contains no skim milk, palm oil, soy, corn syrup, malodextrine or GMOs. Their big claim to fame nutritionally? That they have the highest fat content of any formula in the US due to the use of whole milk.

Political + Policy News

Photo By Morning Ag Clips

Tax Implications of the Big Beautiful Bill

The One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) Act, signed into law on July 4th, permanently affects several tax provisions relevant to agriculture. Key changes include making the 20% Qualified Business Income Deduction permanent, raising the estate and gift tax exemption to $15 million from 2026, and increasing bonus depreciation to 100% for property acquired after January 19, 2025. The Act also extends the clean fuel production credit and maintains the carbon oxide sequestration credit.

Photo By Lisa Held

The MAHA Movement’s Climate Conundrum

The MAHA Movement, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Brooke Rollins, emphasizes soil health and regenerative agriculture to combat climate challenges affecting U.S. farming. The Trump administration's policies, including withdrawal from the Paris Agreement and fossil fuel promotion, undermine climate efforts. The USDA has cut funding for regenerative practices, while the "One Big Beautiful Bill" favors conventional farming. The MAHA movement aims to improve American diets but lacks climate policy directives, complicating its goals.

REPORTS WORTH READING

Photo By Quartr

Shein fined $1.16M for greenwashing, releases plan to lower supply chain emissions

Shein has been fined $1.16 million for greenwashing and has released a plan to reduce supply chain emissions. The fast-fashion retailer claims they are working to ‘enhance its environmental practices by collaborating with global partners’. For context in 2023 alone SHEIN emitted around 16.7 million metric tons of carbon dioxide - which is more than the annual output of 4 coal power plants. In 2024 their emissions grew by nearly 10%. About 76% of SHEINs fabrics are polyester (so plastic) and almost none of this is recycled fabric. So if you thought some of the big food giants have a bad rap sheet, fast fashion is probably one of the most harmful industries on the planet. 

Photo By Pasture Bird

For the Next Generation: Pasture Bird Celebrates 10 Years

Pasture Bird turns 10 years old and their mission to combat factory farming and to raise chickens in harmony with nature has never been more alive. The company is a member of Land to Market, and have teamed up with chicken giant Perdue to innovate larger scaled models of raising pastured chickens. They have even invented a self-driving, solar mobile chicken coop! Join us in celebrating 10 years of Pasture Bird!

HUMAN INTEREST STORIES

Photo By Perishable News

Dollar General and Uber Eats Partner to Deliver Household Essentials Nationwide

Dollar General and Uber Eats have partnered to offer on-demand delivery of food and household staples from over 14,000 locations nationwide. Customers can order a variety of affordable essentials and trendy items via the Uber Eats app, with options for immediate or scheduled delivery. To celebrate the launch, Uber Eats is offering a 40% discount on orders over $20 from Dollar General and PopShelf. This partnership aims to provide greater convenience and accessibility, aligning with Dollar General's mission of serving communities with affordable and fresh options.

Photo By CIVC LLC

Zego and CIVC Acquire Key Assets of Montana Gluten Free

“This acquisition is about more than infrastructure - it’s about building a caring food system,” Colleen Kavanagh, chief executive officer of Zego and founder of CIVIC stated. “CIVIC is designed to nurture a collaborative, values-based supply chain from farm gate to retail shelf. We’re here to help farmers thrive, brands grow and consumers access food they can trust.” The assets acquired by Zego include a production facility where the comapny will make flour, rolled oatmeal and baking mixes, as well as a warehouse that will be turned into a production facility.

TECH

Photo By AEA

Meet FieldLark: Your AI Agronomist

What would you say to an on-demand in-the-field assistant with over 20 years of agronomic expertise? Advancing Eco Agriculture has introduced FieldLark AI, a Regenerative AI Agronomist, to scale the impact of regenerative agriculture. FieldLark aims to provide farmers with real-time, accessible support to improve soil and plant health and enhance profitability. This innovation aims to overcome the challenge of agronomic bandwidth by delivering timely and relevant information, supporting the vision of making 80% of global agriculture regenerative by 2040.

CONSUMER PRODUCTS

Little Sesame Closes $8.5M Series a Funding to Fuel Rapid Growth

Little Sesame, a leading hummus brand, has secured $8.5 million in Series A funding to expand its production and product offerings. The investment, led by InvestEco Capital, will enable the company to significantly enhance its manufacturing capabilities, including opening a 23,000-square-foot facility by 2025. This facility will feature a test kitchen and High-Pressure Processing capabilities, increasing production by 400% to 400,000 pounds of hummus weekly.

World News

Photo By Alamy

European Union seeking input on proposed Circular Economy Act

The European Union is soliciting feedback on its proposed Circular Economy Act, which aims to promote sustainable practices across member states. It seeks to integrate circular economy principles into various sectors, with a focus on making 24% of the regions materials circular by 2030 and a key component of this is the recylclability of electronic waste. The proposal aligns with global efforts to combat climate change and supports the EU's Green Deal objectives by reducing waste and promoting resource efficiency. Stakeholders are invited to contribute their insights to shape the legislation effectively.

Photo By Supply Side Food and Beverage Journal

Tariffs spice up supply chains: US food brands grapple with flavor sourcing, innovation

Have you noticed your grocery bills soaring lately? Well its about to get even worse. Experts say that this fall grocery prices will continue to soar due to the policy changes affecting import costs and availability of key ingredients. Government initiatives aimed at supporting domestic agriculture and reducing dependency on imports feel meager in comparison to the mountin concern over the price of imports. Brands are struggling to maintain things like organic and regenerative sourcing due to climbing cost and limited availability. This brings into question, is the current political agenda aimed at making the US an island unto itself? And to what end?

JOB BOARD RECAP

UPCOMING EVENTS

  • Newtopia Now: A Showcase Event in Colorado

  • Dates: August 20th-22nd

    Click Here

    New Hope’s newest conference, dubbed the ‘mini and manageable expo’ a smashing success last year is back for another round! Come and see the exhibit hall filled with concious brands and eager buyers!

  • The "Soil to Soul" Event

  • Dates: September 19th-21st

    Click Here

    The "Soil to Soul" event, hosted by the Soil Health Academy from Sept. 19–21 at Kinloch Farm, Virginia, connects soil health to human well-being. Featuring experts like Kate Kavanaugh, it explores regenerative agriculture's impact on nutrition and ecosystems, aiming to inspire cross-disciplinary collaboration for healthier communities.

  • Organic Vegetable Pest Management Field Day

    Date: August 20th

    Click Here
    The Organic Vegetable Pest Management Field Day will be held on August 20, 2025, at the University of Michigan Campus Farm in Ann Arbor, focusing on organic weed management for vegetables. This free event requires registration by August 15, 2025, with limited spots available.

  • Sussex Conservation District

    Date: August 20th

    Click Here
    Join the Sussex Conservation District for a hands-on event on practical conservation practices, featuring experts Chris Brosch, Jay Baxter, and Brian Tull. The event will cover cover crops, nutrient management, and soil biology, with innovative tools like drones showcased. Nutrient management CEUs are pending. Register soon!

This is a community-run platform. If you have an organization supporting the regenerative agriculture movement and would like to see your news shared on our platform, send an email to [email protected].

Inquisitive Media. Inspiring Emergence.