The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR), Washington, D.C., partnered with McDonald’s Corp., Chicago, to launch SMART Broiler, a research initiative offering $4 million for research supporting the development and commercialization of automated monitoring tools that quantitatively assess key animal welfare indicators in broiler chickens.

The Star Group of Cos., Canada, is taking its first step in reducing plastic throughout its supply chain.

Target Corp., Minneapolis, announced goals to reducing its carbon footprint company-wide.

Matthew Wadiak, founder and former COO of Blue Apron, New York, created Cooks Venture, a next generation food company rooted in regenerative agriculture and transparency.

Tyson Fresh Meats, the Dakota Dunes, S.D.-based beef and pork subsidiary of Tyson Foods, Inc., collaborated with IdentiGEN, Lawrence, Kan., to use DNA technology to trace beef back to the individual animal of origin.

Ten private-sector companies and non-profit organizations announced their intent to form the Ecosystem Services Market Consortium (ESMC) to promote land stewardship to build healthy soils, soil carbon sequestration and water conservation on the globe’s working lands.

Smithfield Foods, Inc., Smithfield, Va., engaged 80% of its grain supply chain, which is used to feed the company’s hogs, in farming practices that are both sustainable and reduce the cost of production for grain farmers.

With greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in supply chains on average 5.5 times those of company’s direct operations, a new report from CDP, New York, reveals a step-change in corporate awareness and action on environmental impacts within the supply chain in the last decade.

Consumers typically associate the food industry with corporate social responsibility, according to a study released by Clutch, Washington, D.C.

Aiming to address global demand for food, The World Economic Forum, Switzerland, released “Innovation with a Purpose: Improving Traceability in Food Value Chains through Technology,” a report that investigates the role of disruptive technology applications capable of effectively tracing inefficiencies in food value chains.