Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) entered the lexicon of foodborne pathogens in the mid-1980s. Initially associated primarily with meat contamination, STEC-contaminated produce products broke onto the food safety scene in 1996 when consumers became sick from drinking unpasteurized Odwalla-brand apple juice.

Small Robot Co., UK, announced its first commercial service for weed mapping and previewed the next generation of its Tom monitoring robots.

Los Angeles-based ProducePay inked a $190 million debt facility from CoVenture, UK, and TCM Capital, London, to expand its purchasing model and marketplace for farmers.

Agritask, Israel, completed an $8.5 million Series A financing round, led by the InsuResilience Investment Fund, Switzerland, and co-invested by Barn Investimentos, Brazil.

The global vertical farming market generated $2.23 billion in 2018, and is estimated to generate $12.77 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 24.6% from 2019 to 2026, according to a report by Allied Market Research, Portland, Ore.

Raven Industries, Inc., Sioux Falls, S.D., acquired Smart Ag Inc., Ames, Iowa.

Si-Ware Systems, La Canada, Calif., introduced what is said to be the first handheld material analysis scanner with plug-and-play capability for rapid deployment in the field or on the factory floor.

J. R. Simplot Co., Boise, Idaho, signed a research agreement with Yield10 Bioscience, Inc., Woburn, Mass., to evaluate three novel yield traits in potato.

Gestion AgrIA, Canada, received a $4.7 million financial contribution from the Government of Quebec through the Green Fund to complete a key research project designed to help growers boost their productivity while significantly reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.