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Cuts to USAID Halt U.S. Farm Research at Universities, Sources Say

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The Trump administration’s dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has caused farm research laboratories at land-grant universities in 13 states to cease operations, according to six lab directors. The closures mark another blow to U.S. agriculture, following efforts by President Donald Trump to overhaul the federal government. The halted research was designed to improve seed and equipment technology and develop international markets for U.S. agricultural products.

The shutdowns have compounded difficulties already faced by farmers, who have experienced disruptions to government food aid programs, agricultural grants, and loans. Land-grant universities, which were established on land granted by the federal government, have been particularly affected.

“For U.S. farmers, this is not good,” said Peter Goldsmith, head of the University of Illinois’ Soybean Innovation Lab, one of the affected facilities. The State Department did not provide a response to inquiries about the closures.

The 17 laboratories that received stop-work orders were part of USAID’s Feed the Future Innovation Labs program, which partnered with countries such as Malawi, Tanzania, Bangladesh, and Rwanda to conduct agricultural research. This research benefited U.S. farmers by developing production practices that could be applied domestically or providing early warnings about potential pest threats.

David Hughes, director of the USAID Innovation Lab on Current and Emerging Threats to Crops at Penn State University, said the shutdown limits their ability to help farmers fight pests and diseases. One halted project focused on controlling a virus harming banana crops in Tanzania.

David Tschirley, who chairs the Feed the Future Innovation Lab Council and runs a USAID-funded lab at Michigan State University, said the lab network employs about 300 people and collaborates with up to 4,000 partners abroad. “It presents an American face to the world that is a very appreciated face,” Tschirley said, emphasizing the research’s role in promoting national security.

Stop-work orders were issued to all 17 labs at the end of January after Trump froze most foreign aid. Since then, the labs have received no further guidance from the State Department. Some universities have attempted to cover costs temporarily, with mixed success.

At Michigan State, Tschirley’s lab has been allowed to retain employees under the assumption that USAID will eventually approve funding. However, Goldsmith laid off all 30 staff members at his lab last week and plans to close it entirely by April 15. His lab had previously assisted African farmers with soy planting and helped companies establish soy-processing plants.

Some agribusiness partners of the labs include Bayer, Corteva, BASF, and Archer-Daniels-Midland. Bayer stated it is assessing the funding halt, while other companies did not comment.

The funding freeze is part of broader actions by Trump to reshape the federal government. For example, U.S. commodity purchases were temporarily suspended following Trump’s January 24 order halting most foreign aid. Additionally, federal farm program payments have been delayed due to Trump’s directive freezing loans and grants, though this order has been blocked in court.

Pixxel to Launch India’s First Private Satellite Network, Targets $19 Billion Market

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Pixxel, an Indian startup backed by Google, is set to make history with the launch of India’s first private satellite network. The company will send three of its six hyperspectral imaging satellites into space aboard a SpaceX rocket from California on Tuesday. This milestone represents a major step for both Pixxel and India’s emerging private space sector.

The satellites will be positioned in a sun-synchronous orbit at around 550 kilometers above Earth, with the remaining three satellites planned for deployment in the second quarter of the year. The launch is scheduled for 10:45 a.m. Pacific Time (1845 GMT) on Tuesday, just past midnight in India, pending final approvals. The launch will take place at Vandenberg Space Force Base.

Pixxel’s founder and CEO, Awais Ahmed, revealed that the company plans to expand its fleet with 18 additional satellites, aiming to capture a share of the satellite imaging market, which is expected to reach $19 billion by 2029. This venture marks a significant achievement for the five-year-old startup, which seeks to utilize hyperspectral imaging—a technology that captures detailed data across numerous light bands. The goal is to serve industries such as agriculture, mining, environmental monitoring, and defense.

Pixxel’s hyperspectral imaging satellites offer enhanced capabilities to industries, allowing better insights for improving crop yields, monitoring resources, detecting oil spills, and tracking borders with greater precision than current technologies. According to Ahmed, the satellite imagery market currently stands at $4.3 billion, with data analysis adding another $14 billion. By 2029, the market is projected to reach $19 billion, and Pixxel believes hyperspectral imaging could secure $500 million to $1 billion of that, plus additional revenue from analysis.

The company has already signed up 65 clients, including major corporations like Rio Tinto, BP, and India’s Ministry of Agriculture, with some clients paying for data from its demo satellites. Pixxel is also in talks for defense contracts, primarily with agencies in the U.S. and India, although government procurement typically follows after satellite systems have been fully launched and operational.

Pixxel anticipates making contact with its satellites approximately two-and-a-half hours after launch, with full commercial imaging capabilities expected by mid-March. However, the company faces stiff competition from global players in the satellite industry. The United States, led by private companies like SpaceX and backed by government contracts, is the dominant force in both commercial and government satellite launches. China, with its state-supported initiatives, has rapidly expanded its presence in low Earth orbit satellites.

India holds only a 2% share of the global commercial space market, despite its significant space capabilities. The government is relying on private players like Pixxel to increase this share, with the goal of growing the country’s space sector from $8 billion to $44 billion by 2030.

To stand out, Pixxel plans to leverage its Firefly constellation, which offers a 5-meter resolution and a 40-km swathe width—superior to competitors such as Finland’s Kuva Space and San Francisco-based Orbital Sidekick, whose satellites typically have lower resolution and narrower coverage. If successful, Pixxel’s imaging capacity in the hyperspectral band could surpass that of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), a moment that would represent a significant achievement for the Indian space industry, according to Narayan Prasad, COO at Satsearch.

 

Google-backed Pixxel Launches India’s First Private Satellite Constellation

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Indian space tech startup Pixxel achieved a significant milestone on Tuesday with the successful launch of three of its six hyperspectral imaging satellites aboard a SpaceX rocket. The launch took place at 1915 GMT from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, marking a major step forward for India’s burgeoning private space industry and for the five-year-old, Google-backed company.

The satellites will utilize hyperspectral imaging technology, which captures detailed data across hundreds of light bands. This technology is poised to revolutionize various sectors, including agriculture, mining, environmental monitoring, and defense. In India, where agriculture plays a critical role in the economy, Pixxel’s technology can enhance crop yield predictions, monitor environmental changes like oil spills, and provide detailed insights on geographical boundaries and resource tracking.

The remaining three satellites are expected to be launched in the second quarter of the year. In addition to Pixxel’s satellites, the SpaceX rocket also carried a satellite from Indian space company Diganatara.

Pixxel’s founder and CEO, Awais Ahmed, projected that the satellite imagery market could reach $19 billion by 2029, with hyperspectral imaging capturing $500 million to $1 billion of this market. Pixxel has already attracted 65 clients, including major players such as Rio Tinto, British Petroleum, and India’s Ministry of Agriculture, with some clients purchasing data from its demonstration satellites.

Although the U.S. dominates the global satellite launch industry, India holds just a 2% share of the global commercial space market, despite its established space capabilities.