Biotechnology firm AlgaeCytes is planning to build its first commercial algal eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) plant in Germany, the company announced on 24 May.

Global agricultural, energy and industrial products company Ceres Global Ag Corp (Ceres) is planning to build a US$350M canola processing plant in Northgate, Saskatchewan, the company announced on 25 May.

Dutch storage company Eurotank Amsterdam (ETA) – part of VTTI – is converting gas oil tanks into storage for biofuels, mixed biofuels and hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), VTTI announced on 22 May.

The European Union (EU) has rejected draft legislation which would have imposed new restrictions on descriptions and packaging used by the plant-based dairy sector, FoodBev reported on 26 May.

The European Commission (EC)’s cap on conventional biofuels is “unorthodox” as it deprives farmers of a potential market outside the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), Euractiv quoted the head of an EU farmers’ association as saying on 19 May.

The Malaysian government has limited workforce capacity in palm oil mills and refineries to 60% in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19, AgriCensus reported.

US agricultural technology company Terviva has partnered with global food giant Danone to develop new food products using pongamia oil and plant protein, Global AgInvesting reported on 24 May.

The EU27’s soyabean production area exceeded 1M ha for the first time, according to the latest European Commission (EC) estimates reported by the Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants (UFOP) on 18 May.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has amended an agency frequently asked questions (FAQ) document which effectively bans hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) in cosmetics, happi reported on 19 May.

A new partnership between global shipping company Samskip, consumer goods giant Unilever and logistics hub TMA Logistics is trialling 100% hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) in trucks in the Netherlands, the companies announced on 20 May.

Oilseed and grain exports out of Argentina could be disrupted due to ongoing industrial action by workers demanding COVID-19 vaccines.

The mandate for biodiesel blending in Brazil has been lowered from 13% to 10% until August, S&P Global Platts (S&P) reported on 14 May.

Sunflower oil exports from the Ukraine are forecast to fall short of 2020/21 final agreed quotas due to a combination of high prices and the effects of COVID-19 on imports, AgriCensus reported a trade association in the country as saying on 18 May.