WASHINGTON — The World Bank, in a report published in December, is urging governments and lenders to put biodiversity at the heart of farm policy, warning that shrinking natural habitat can undercut the ecosystem services agriculture depends on. The appeal comes as the U.S. Department of Agriculture rolls out a $700 million regenerative pilot, a long-cited glyphosate safety paper is retracted and advocates warn too many children still miss afterschool meals, Jan. 15, 2026.
Biodiversity thresholds the World Bank says farms can’t ignore
In its “Agriculture Rooted in Biodiversity” report, the bank argues agriculture relies on biodiversity but can also be among its greatest threats. The report says “keeping natural areas intact is essential,” describing nearby forests, grasslands and wetlands as infrastructure that stores water, recycles moisture and helps regulate local climate. It says landscapes retaining 20% to 25% natural habitat deliver better ecosystem services — such as clean water, pollination, fertile soil and climate regulation — and warns that below 10% some services can “disappear completely.” It estimates 18% to 33% of agricultural land lacks the natural habitats needed to support pollination, pest control and other ecosystem services.
The message fits a longer arc of warnings about biodiversity and food security. A 2019 IPBES assessment said about a quarter of species are threatened and estimated $235 billion to $577 billion in annual global crop output is at risk due to pollinator loss. And the FAO’s 2019 review of biodiversity for food and agriculture warned that key components of that biodiversity are in decline, noting that nine crop species account for 66% of total global crop production.
U.S. $700 million regenerative pilot adds new money — and new scrutiny
USDA says its Regenerative Pilot Program will steer $700 million through the Natural Resources Conservation Service to help producers adopt whole-farm practices that improve soil health, enhance water quality and boost long-term productivity. In a Dec. 10 USDA announcement, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins introduced the pilot alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. USDA said fiscal 2026 funding will include $400 million through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program and $300 million through the Conservation Stewardship Program, using a single application meant to reduce paperwork. Kennedy said, “If we intend to Make America Healthy Again, we must begin by restoring the health of our soil.”
The rollout follows a year of churn in federal conservation spending. USDA said it canceled the $3 billion Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities program after a review found too much money went to administration instead of farmers, while allowing some projects to continue under tighter rules, according to a Reuters report.
Biodiversity, glyphosate and the afterschool nutrition gap
As the policy conversation turns toward regenerative practices, questions about the chemical-intensive model of modern farming are resurfacing, too — including what kinds of evidence shape major decisions that can influence biodiversity. Chemical & Engineering News reported that the journal Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology retracted a highly cited 2000 paper concluding glyphosate is safe for humans after concerns that authors did not disclose financial compensation from Monsanto and that company employees played an undisclosed role in drafting the review. The magazine reported the journal acted after concerns were raised by Alexander Kaurov and Harvard historian of science Naomi Oreskes.
Separately, the Food Research & Action Center said too many children are still missing out on afterschool suppers and snacks, with participation below pre-pandemic levels. FRAC reported that 1.26 million children received an afterschool supper on an average school day in October 2024 — about one child for every 16 who received free or reduced-price school lunch — and said only California and the District of Columbia met its reach goal. “Families are facing rising food costs, and many parents are working long hours just to get by,” said Crystal FitzSimons, FRAC president. FRAC estimated that meeting its national reach goal would have served more than 1.8 million additional children and brought $163.5 million more in federal support in October 2024 alone.
For longer-term context, FRAC’s October 2019 participation snapshot said the Afterschool Supper Program served 1.3 million children on an average weekday in October 2018, underscoring how persistent the afterschool nutrition gap has been even as the broader food-system debate increasingly centers on biodiversity and resilience.
Taken together, the reports show biodiversity increasingly treated as an economic and health issue, not just a conservation one. Whether nature-first farming delivers will hinge on sustained funding, transparent science and whether the benefits reach families beyond the field and after the harvest.
