Black Soldier Flies Transform Food Waste and USDA Labor Force Down
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson with your Agribusiness Update.
**Scientists at the University of California-Riverside have developed a small-scale system that transforms food waste into high-protein animal feed and fertilizer.
The system uses black soldier flies, which offer a sustainable solution to an environmental problem.
Black soldier flies have long been used to break down food scraps and agricultural waste.
Compared to industrial-scale operations, which require significant infrastructure and staffing, the system is far more affordable and accessible.
**The USDA is forecasting the agricultural trade deficit will shrink in 2026 more than previously anticipated.
Agri-Pulse said USDA expects the trade deficit to drop from $43.7 billion in fiscal year 2025 to $37 billion in 2026.
That’s according to the Quarterly Trade Forecast.
During a previous report in August, the USDA originally predicted a trade deficit of $41.5 billion in this fiscal year thanks to factors like larger-than-expected exports.
**The USDA has received a lot of criticism for the way it handled reductions in its workforce after President Trump began his second term.
Feedstuffs says, by some estimates, the department has lost as many as 21,000 employees through reduction-in-force measures.
The Office of the Inspector General report found that
between January 12 and June 14, USDA lost a total of 20,306 employees, a loss of 18% of its total workforce.
