[abgfm]

Yes, there is troubled agriculture about, with many issues about to implode.

Over-used pesticides (Glyphosate, etc) or insecticides (e.g. neonicotin-based) which became systemic, heavily used (x times volumes of usage vs 20 yrs ago) and which in light of new research have either shown that produce side efects in environment or end-'consumer', i.e. humans or had side effect of 'developing' super-x (super-weeds, etc) which are no longer affected by initial substances, forcing agriculture producers to use even stronger substances (e.g. Dicamba).

Many of such systemic substances have started to be forbidden in civilized countries (see EU trends of banning some of them).

On top of which there is the black-swan called climate-change which with its sydtemic complexity has potential to produce systemic crop failures.

In not too long distant future farmers will have to assume an agriculture hard-reset (in terms of inputs) which will assume high double-digit Y-o-Y decrease in outputs/production.

My 2 cents.

[tengbretson]

Not to mention peak oil, which is going to make mechanized agriculture financially impossible.

Plus acid raid, which is going to cause continued crop loss every year.