Farming

Israeli farmers protest Smotrich's proposed dairy reform, warn of 400 farm closures

Hundreds of farmers blocked roads nationwide, warning that proposed dairy reforms would shutter farms, undermine food security, and create dangerous reliance on imports.

Farmers and dairy farmers protest against Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's proposed reforms, January 5, 2026.
Crop irrigation illustrative.

Israeli scientists use AI to improve irrigation and spot plant stress early - study

Israeli agriculture

Storm Byron brings relief to Israel’s farmers, ending year of drought with substantial rain

 Wadi Attir in the Negev, aims to promote sustainable agriculture among Israel's Bedouin community, January 28, 2025.

Wadi Attir shows how infrastructure can transform Negev's Bedouin communities - opinion


Tu Bishvat: Planting trees in Israel

This story is dedicated, on his first Yahrzeit, to the great collector Ezra Goredesky z”l, a friend for 40 years.

 SEASONAL DRAWING, Ze’ev Raban, ‘Moadim.’

Israeli firm Vertical Field to open vertical farms in Russia, Ukraine

The first of these farms opened earlier this month in Krasnodar and Dnipro, and already they are starting to provide steady harvests of fresh produce to sell at Russia's Magnit and Ukraine's Varus.

The inside of a Vertical Field-run vertical farm unit is seen.

Amar’e Stoudemire adds ‘farmer’ to his list of post-basketball careers

On October 15, fans steadily lined up for a selfie with Stoudemire and a taste of his signature Stoudemire Burger.

Hapoel Jerusalem center Amar’e Stoudemire (right) had seven points and five rebounds in his first game for the team in almost four weeks in Friday’s 84-75 win over Ironi Nahariya

In Israel, a chicken farm released special-edition eggs to mark egg-related Talmud study milestone

“We will return to you, Tractate Beitzah,” the eggs read in Hebrew. “Be strong and take courage, from the chicken coops of Kedumim.”

Michelle Cohen Farber's Daf Yomi women group studying Talmud in Ran'ana.

Israel can keep the Shmita year in all new ways

“Shmita is a social and spiritual enterprise from which our society could learn much: In releasing the crops of our field to others, it curbs materialistic tendencies."

 Hothouse growing flowers, Cherev La'et Youth Village, under the halachic direction of Torah VeHa'aretz Institute

Activists in Tel Aviv, other cities urge gov'ts to halt animal farming

This new global campaign is calling for a "Plant Based Treaty," and is pressuring leaders to negotiate deals to halt animal agriculture and the impact it has on the planet.

 Climate activists are seen in Tel Aviv advocating for a Plant Based Treaty, on August 31, 2021.

Don't forget to say thank you

Too often we perceive our great achievements as a testament to our greatness and fall prey to “And you may say in your heart, ‘My strength and the might of my hand made this victory’.”

  FROZEN PEAR TREE in Australia

Shmita – the seventh year

Shmita literally means renunciation. We renounce the right to work the land, and let it lie fallow.

 Proffering the land's produce at a Lerusalem conference tribute to farmers who keep 'shnat shmita,' February 2015.

‘Israel's produce reform will wipe out industry’ - Yachin CEO

Pini Gurevich: We can’t compete with price of canned imports from Europe.

 FARMERS BLOCK Bilu junction in protest of the produce reform last month.

Jordan, Israel sign agriculture agreement for shmita year

“Shmita” is the Biblical commandment for the Land of Israel to lay fallow every seven years, and Jewish farmers in most of modern Israel must observe it for their produce to be certified kosher.

The shmita (sabbatical) year comes once every seven years. The Torah commands us to stop working the land and let it lie fallow, leaving its yield to any man or animal.