Focus Taiwan reports that Taiwanese scientists have engineered thale cress plants to capture around 50% more CO₂ and produce more than twice as many seeds as unmodified plants, a breakthrough they hope could one day help mitigate global warming and grow more staples such as rice.

Farming UK reports that a new UK-developed device, Pneumonitor, helps dairy farmers prevent calf pneumonia by monitoring shed conditions in real time. Positioned at calf height, it tracks temperature, humidity, pressure, draughts, and VOCs. Unlike traditional checks that detect illness late, it proactively identifies environmental risks before symptoms appear, enabling early intervention.

The Scottish Farmer reports that a row has erupted over Britain’s farmland birdlife after the Science for Sustainable Agriculture think-tank urged Defra to review its “limited” 19-species indicator. SSA argues the list exaggerates declines, excludes common and recovering birds, and risks skewing policy while empowering anti-farming NGOs.

BBC News reports that the Quadram Institute in Norwich will run the UK’s first human trial of gene-edited food, testing nutrient-enhanced tomatoes. Seventy-six people with low vitamin D will join the ViTaL-D Study, eating soup containing altered tomatoes designed to boost vitamin D production and improve health.

Farming UK reports that Westminster will host the 30:50:50 Agri-Science Summit in November, unveiling plans to boost UK food production by 30% while halving farming’s environmental impact by 2050. Chaired by George Freeman MP, the event concludes a 10-month APPG-led inquiry into science-driven farming innovation.

Farmers Weekly reports that UK poultry producers face warnings amid an expected avian flu surge this autumn and winter. Defra is cautioning against co-grazing cattle and sheep with poultry after rising US dairy cattle infections have raised alarms about cross-species risks to livestock health.

Farmers Weekly reports that a parliamentary agri-science group has been warned that regulatory barriers hinder efforts to boost food output while cutting environmental impact. As part of the APPG on Science & Technology in Agriculture's 30:50:50 initiative, stakeholders said current rules are “not fit for purpose” and risk blocking progress towards more sustainable, higher-yield farming by 2050.

Farming UK reports that a University of Surrey study, published in Food and Energy Security, found that vertical farms, despite high yields and water savings, produce more carbon emissions than conventional lettuce growing.

Farmers Guardian reports that UFU deputy president Glenn Cuddy has stressed the need for trusted, independent science to shape Northern Ireland’s farming future. Speaking at AFBI’s strategy launch, he highlighted soil health, plant and animal disease threats, and called for robust, locally relevant research to guide sustainable agricultural policy and practice.

Farming UK reports that ADAS' Yield Enhancement Network (YEN), a 13-year flagship crop productivity project, is closing due to lack of sponsors. News of the shutdown has prompted calls for AHDB to intervene to save the project. YEN benchmarked cereal and oilseed yields, driving productivity gains - its closure has been called a “national scandal” by industry figures.