Good morning. Today we check in with researchers at Binghamton University, who are leveraging virtual reality and digital twin technology to break down traditional barriers in agriculture and make farming far more accessible. By creating immersive digital simulations, this innovation provides new growers with vital training while reducing the initial operational risks of real-world farming. We’re also looking at the Rodale Institute, which has launched a major $139 million campaign focused on bridging the organic produce supply gap and supporting transitioning growers. In retail operations news, avocado ripening programs are increasingly moving in-store to deliver more reliable, consistent results for retailers and consumers alike. Finally, we examine how the organic segment is continuing to power sales growth across the garlic category.

Binghamton Researchers Use VR Digital Twins to Make Farming Accessible

What’s the story? Engineers at Binghamton University have created a virtual reality system that generates real-time 3D "digital twins" of physical greenhouses. By pairing VR goggles with soil and plant sensors, users can remotely walk through their crops, monitor live environmental data and inspect individual plants without ever stepping foot inside.

Why it matters. Traditional farm monitoring relies on 2D spreadsheets and graphs, which give farmers plenty of data but lack physical context — a problem researchers call "spatial blindness." By bringing the crop to the operator, this technology makes managing large farms more accessible for elderly farmers and people with physical disabilities, while also giving ag students an interactive way to study plant biology.

The last word. “This project is designed for accessibility. So, if someone is elderly and can’t walk around the farm or the greenhouse, they can use this interactive setup and see the data, see how everything is working,” — Mohamed Gallai, doctoral student in electrical and computer engineering at Binghamton University and lead author of the research paper

Read the full story here.

Rodale Institute Launches $139M Campaign to Bridge Organic Produce Supply Gap

With consumer demand outstripping domestic availability, Rodale Institute’s new “10 Million Acre Solution” aims to scale U.S. organic farmland through research, training and a new $24 million innovation hub.

Avocado Ripening Moves Increasingly In-Store With Reliable Results

Driven by growing consumer demand for ready-to-eat avocados, ripening operations are moving closer to retail hubs to ensure consistency, efficiency and less retail shrink.

How Organic Helps Drive Garlic Sales

Suppliers report sales of organic garlic trending upward and becoming an increasingly important piece of their business.

“Rodale Institute has spent nearly eight decades asking what agriculture can do for soil, people and communities. This next chapter is about putting that knowledge to work at a scale that matches the challenges and opportunities ahead.” — Jeff Tkach, CEO of Rodale Institute, says of the nonprofit’s 10 Million Acre Solution

Cyclosporiasis cases in the U.S. have hit a record high, reports The New York Times, which says federal health officials have confirmed another 2,500 cases of the parasitic infection.

Global News shares a list of all the Canadian products Trump wants to hit with 50% tariffs. The list includes natural honey, live mushroom spawn, vegetable seeds and much more.