February 2026 Issue

Contents

February 2026 • Issue #656

Photo: Orchard (Courtesy of Jeremy Zobrist) — These pumpkins on Jeremy Zobrist’s farm will soon be harvested and then turned into Top Fox Snacking Pumpkin Seeds — his own consumer-packaged-good brand that he now sells in grocery stores like Kroger and Sprouts, as well as online, including on Amazon. Learn about the benefits and challenges of starting a brand in this issue of Acres U.S.A. from Jeremy Zobrist (page 46), Claire Smith (page 44) and Mollie Engelhart (page 40).

FEATURES

One Brix at a Time
Our nutrient density research revealed a vast amount of complexity in how plants respond to different environments
BY DAVID KNAUS

Apples to Apples — Literally
Edacious founder Eric Smith explains why he built a food nutrition testing lab for growers based on the often-competing philosophies of environmental stewardship and consumer self-interest
INTERVIEW with ERIC SMITH

Nutrient-Dense Food Is the Future

My big takeaway from Eco-Ag 2025: the farmers who will survive are those who can create a functioning soil microbiome capable of producing demonstrably nutrient-dense food
BY JON STIKA

Bean There, Covered That
Early-relative-maturity soybeans, planted early in the northern Corn Belt, offer great yields — and the possibility of establishing better cover crops after harvest
BY JOE AILTS

Armor Up!
Soil Health Principle 1: Soil Armor
BY JAY FUHRER

Discovering My Calling
A young man’s journey from Guatemala to regenerative farming in the U.S. shows that the next generation is ready to begin stewarding the land
BY OSMAR QUINTEROS

Let Value Added Products Add Value Again
Creativity, resourcefulness and ingenuity are free; all we need is the freedom to use them.
BY MOLLIE ENGELHART

Brand New Challenges
Understand your expectations for an on-farm brand before diving in
BY CLAIRE SMITH

DEPARTMENTS

VIEW FROM THE COUNTRY
Monthly musings from Acres U.S.A.’s editor

OPINION
Agribusiness as Usual
Will glimmers of hope brighten or be snuffed out by unintended consequences and entrenched interests?
BY CHARLES BENBROOK

ECO-UPDATE
News in brief on developments in agronomic science

REGEN AGRONOMY
Invest in a Living System in 2026
Choosing a regeneratively focused agronomist and recognizing the superiority of biological products will help your farm thrive, both this year and for the long term
BY JEFFREY KLEYPAS

INTERVIEW
Entrepre-Nurturing a Brand
Farmer-entrepreneur Jeremy Zobrist discusses the highs and lows of creating an on-farm CPG brand

REVIEWS

MARKETPLACE

CLASSIFIEDS

ECO-MEETINGS

ECO-GRAPHIC