CEOs speaking at Reuters Transform Food Today Announce the First-of-its-Kind Livestock Carbon Inset Market has First Carbon Credits Verified for Sale
Athian (athian.ai) announced today the establishment of the first-of-its-kind voluntary livestock carbon insetting marketplace, with the first accepted protocol aimed at reducing enteric methane emissions and improving feed utilization by using innovative feed management products from Elanco Animal Health (NYSE: ELAN). This new carbon marketplace creates an opportunity for farmers to monetize their greenhouse gas emission reductions.
Athian is verifying its first farms and creating, certifying and selling carbon credits within the dairy value chain. This means:
Dairy farmers of all sizes now have the opportunity to implement on-farm sustainability interventions, measure the impact and participate in third-party verification for their greenhouse gas emissions reductions. The resulting carbon credits can be offered for sale in Athian’s livestock carbon insetting marketplace.
Companies in the dairy value chain (such as consumer-packaged goods companies and food retailers) can then purchase those carbon credits as contributions towards achieving their Scope 3 emissions reduction goals.
With the purchase of these credits, economic value is returned to the farmer via the sale while supporting the U.S. dairy industry progress towards their own environmental commitments of greenhouse gas neutrality by 2050.1
Over the long term, this marketplace will expand to other livestock & poultry.
“Athian’s first carbon credits for dairy are an exciting and crucial step as they demonstrate the ability to tangibly quantify and verify greenhouse gas emissions reductions and create monetary value for farmers for their efforts,” said Paul Myer, CEO of Athian. “This marketplace, specifically designed for the animal protein industry, is different than traditional offsetting carbon marketplaces because it keeps the value—economic value as well as positive environmental value—in the animal protein value chain.”
Empowering Farmers with Economic Opportunities
Despite widespread awareness of carbon markets by farmers, only 3% of farmers are participating in these markets today, according to a recent survey cited by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).2 Creating an inset market model that works with recognized supply chain partners makes it easier for farmers to measure and implement rigorous verifications, will help break these barriers to entry and accelerate progress.
“As a co-creator and seed investor in Athian, we’re excited to see the company reach the milestones that will bring new value to farmers and help them advance toward climate-neutral farming,” said Jeff Simmons, President and CEO of Elanco Animal Health. “As a leader in animal health, we’ve focused first on delivering enteric methane reduction solutions to producers. If the entire U.S. dairy industry leveraged this intervention, it would avoid 4.7 million metric tons of CO2e emissions annually from enteric, feed and manure emissions. This is a game changer for value creation throughout the food chain, and it’s just the start. Environmental sustainability needs to be grounded in farmer profitability.”
Elanco also developed UpLook™, an insights-based engine designed to measure and monitor greenhouse gas emissions. The tool utilizes on-farm data and peer-reviewed science to identify key drivers of an operation’s carbon footprint and track the progress of their sustainability efforts. UpLook connects seamlessly to Athian’s cloud-based verification system to help farmers quantify their reduction efforts and certify carbon credits for sale.
Enabling The Value Chain to Achieve Sustainability Goals
Food companies and retailers have made public commitments to collectively reduce more than 100 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. Despite the progress in corporate target-setting, the reduction of Scope 3 emissions, which typically come from the production of raw materials like milk, has been a significant challenge. The creation of Athian’s insetting livestock carbon credit marketplace provides companies in the animal protein value chain the opportunity to make meaningful progress toward their Scope 3 greenhouse gas reduction goals.
Athian and Elanco are participating in the Reuters Transform Food USA 2023 event on Thursday, November 2, 2023, to speak more about this transformation.
Enteric methane reduction carbon credits are now available for purchase through Athian’s insetting carbon marketplace. Visit www.athian.ai to learn more and connect directly with Athian.
Indiana’s Dairy Farmers say ‘thank you!’ to vets, active-duty military with drive-thru for free State Fair Dairy Bar milkshakes on Nov 10
For the second consecutive year, Indiana’s Dairy Farm Families will express their appreciation to area veterans and active-duty military personnel with sweet treats for Veterans’ Weekend!
From 10 am to 2 pm on Friday, November 10, American Dairy Association Indiana (ADAI) – the statewide organization that represents Hoosier dairy farmers – will hand out free 16-ounce chocolate and vanilla milkshakes from the legendary State Fair Dairy Bar on the grounds of the Indiana State Fair (1202 E 38th Street, Indianapolis). All US military veterans and current active-duty military personnel will receive free signature Dairy Bar milkshakes when they show their official ID in the drive-thru line. Family and friends accompanying them – up to six total occupants per vehicle – also will receive their choice of shake.
The first 400 served will enjoy their milkshakes from a special edition commemorative Veterans’ Weekend Cup. From 10 to 11 am, Indianapolis Colts mascot Blue will be on hand to help dispense milkshakes along with his special brand of zany fun!
Guests should enter the State Fairgrounds via Gate 6 off of Fall Creek Parkway, on the east side of the Fairgrounds. They’ll be directed along the fair’s Main Street straight to the Dairy Bar, where they’ll receive their choice of a chocolate or vanilla shake.
“Again this year, we’re looking forward to welcoming our veterans and active-duty military to the Dairy Bar for sweet treats on November 10,” said Jenni Browning, American Dairy Association Indiana CEO. “While it’s impossible to thank these men and women enough for what they have done and continue to do for all of us, this is one small way of showing our enormous appreciation for their service and sacrifices – a way of letting them know we are so grateful for each and every one of them!”
The Dairy Bar is the popular destination for all types of dairy delights during the Indiana State Fair. Especially popular are the Dairy Bar’s two signature items: milkshakes and grilled cheese sandwiches. This past summer, more than 62,000 milkshakes were served to fairgoers, along with over 38,000 grilled cheese sandwiches, 20,000 ice cream cones, 6000 bowls of ice cream and more!
For additional information about American Dairy Association Indiana and dairy farming in the Hoosier state, visit www.WinnersDrinkMilk.com.
Dive into a riveting exploration of the intricate dance between science, art, and the animal microbiome. Aaron Schacht delves deep into the transformative power of the microbiome in shaping animal health, the innovative strides in drug development, and the mesmerizing blend of genetics and artistry. From the challenges in livestock production to the silent symphony of cells at a genetic rave, join us on a journey that promises to redefine your understanding of biology and creativity.
Grow Everything brings to life the bioeconomy when hosts Karl Schmieder and Erum Azeez Khan share stories from the field and interview leaders and influencers in the space. Life is a powerful force and it can be engineered. What are we creating?
Biotech – everything from innovation in seeds and animal vaccines to new foods and human medicines – hold tremendous opportunity to transform the future. The science also represents significant opportunity to create new jobs and improve America’s national security. Those were just a few of the key theses outlined in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 and key reasons why the US Department of Commerce designated Indiana one of 31 federal tech hubs in October. Today we are joined by Dave Roberts and Andrew Kossack of The Applied Research Institute to share more about what this designation means.
They talk about how the tech hub came to be, Indiana’s strengths on the balance sheet – from agbioscience to advanced manufacturing – and our ability to collaborate across industries in the application process. A question you might have: what exactly is a tech hub? Dave and Andrew get into what the Heartland Bioworks tech hub means for Indiana, our future potential and how see animal, plant and human science coming together to advance the state’s economy.
Grant Focused on Advancing Camelina as Renewable Fuel Feedstock
Intelinair announced that it has been selected to participate as a project partner in one of the USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities grants.
Global Clean Energy Holdings, Inc. was awarded up to $30 million for a large-scale pilot project to measure and validate the advantages of camelina sativa as an ultra-low carbon renewable fuel feedstock in the first round of the USDA grants. Intelinair is one of 17 company and university partners named to this pilot project utilizing its leading models and analytics to provide crop production analysis and crop yield estimation.
“We are excited to be part of this initiative to study camelina as a plant-based feedstock for renewable biofuels alongside Global Clean Energy and its partners,” said Kevin Krieg, Director of Business Development and Project Lead at Intelinair. “The project is underway, and our team is working closely with the other project partners to utilize our AI technology to deliver on the objective of camelina becoming a mainstream crop in cropping systems. With Intelinair’s crop production analytics and yield estimation technology, we bring together the latest in remote sensing, computer vision, machine learning, and analytics to create a new set of agronomic best practices for camelina that will have a positive economic impact for farmers while addressing the climate.”
According to USDA’s announcement, the five-year project will help “accelerate farmer adoption of camelina as a nonfood crop grown on idle acres to produce more plant-based feedstock for renewable biofuels and chemicals with low carbon intensity and no land use change while increasing carbon capture in the soil.”
“As the renewable fuels industry continues to expand, optimizing the efficiency of our production is critical for meeting growing camelina demand,” said Kevin Monk, Vice President of Ag Technology for Sustainable Oils, Inc. Global Clean Energy’s subsidiary. “Remote sensing and data analytics from Intelinair equip our company to make informed cultivation and commercialization decisions to continue advancing camelina as a high-potential low carbon renewable fuel feedstock.”
Camelina is an annual or winter annual in the Brassicaceae, or mustard family, that originated in Northern Europe. Camelina is an oilseed crop that can be used to produce ultra-low carbon renewable fuels. Generally grown as a summer or winter annual, camelina is a water and nutrient-efficient, short-season crop ready for harvest within 85 to 100 days from seeding. Each acre of camelina can result in ~100 gallons of renewable diesel equivalent without causing land use change. Camelina has among the lowest carbon intensity (CI) scores of available feedstocks on the market, and renewable fuels produced with camelina varieties can achieve a Net Zero or below CI score. It is grown on fallow land or as a rotational harvestable cover crop alternative, providing cover crop benefits to the land on which it is grown without contributing to land use change.
Read the initial USDA Climate-Smart Commodities announcement here.
Purdue researcher honored for service to nation in research of plant genetics
President Joe Biden on Tuesday (Oct. 24) awarded the National Medal of Science to Gebisa Ejeta, Distinguished Professor of Plant Breeding & Genetics and International Agriculture, executive director of the Purdue Center for Global Food Security and Purdue University Presidential Fellow for Food Security and Sustainable Global Development. The award is the highest recognition the nation bestows upon scientists.
Ejeta studies sorghum, an ancient grain used widely as a food source for humans and livestock. He received the 2009 World Food Prize for his research in creating sorghum hybrids that are resistant to both severe drought and the destructive parasitic Striga weed. The resulting dramatic increase in sorghum production has helped feed hundreds of millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa.
“Gebisa Ejeta is one of the most impactful geneticists in the world, a remarkable leader at Purdue in food security research, and a role model of perseverance for all Boilermakers. Our university celebrates another prestigious and richly deserved honor, bestowed by the president of the United States, to Gebisa, and I am delighted to join him on behalf of our university at the White House ceremony today,” said Purdue University President Mung Chiang. “With this latest exciting news, Purdue faculty and alumni have received 19 National Medals of Science, of Technology and Innovation, of Humanities or the Presidential Medal of Freedom, including three current faculty members.”
According to the White House, Ejeta was honored for outstanding contributions to the science of plant genetics. By developing sorghum strains that withstand droughts and parasites, he has improved food security for millions. His advocacy for science, policy and institutions as key to economic development “has lifted the fortunes of farmers and strengthens the souls of nations.”
Ejeta has served at the highest advisory levels of science and national policy, including as special advisor to the administrator for the U.S. Agency for International Development, as science envoy of the U.S. State Department, and as a member of the National Academy of Sciences Board on Agriculture and Natural Resources. He also has been a member of the U.S. Board for International Food and Agricultural Development and the U.N. Secretary’s Scientific Advisory Board.
Ejeta is an advocate for purpose-driven research. His own work is focused on elucidating the genetic and physiological mechanisms of important sorghum traits. Grain sorghum is the world’s fifth-most important cereal crop. With its superior drought tolerance and broad adaptation, sorghum is grown worldwide, serving as a staff of life for over 500 million people in developing countries, and is the second-most important feed crop in the United States. Ejeta’s research addresses some of the most crucial traits of sorghum production and utilization, including nutritional quality; drought and cold tolerance; and resistance to pests, diseases and Striga. He also investigates concerns of global biodiversity, gene flow and the use of sorghum as a biofuel crop.
The goal of Ejeta’s sorghum research program is the development, release and deployment of improved sorghum cultivars for both food and feed use. His sorghum research is generally characterized by its sustained commitment to translational approaches that generates products and technologies from research findings to impact farm productivity and the eventual utilization and profitability of the crop postharvest. He utilizes a variety of research tools and works in interdisciplinary collaboration with a number of other scientists and programs. Ejeta has released many inbred lines and improved sorghum varieties and hybrids for use both in the United States and in Africa. His cultivars have been successfully deployed in several African countries.
Graduate education, mentoring of professionals and developing partnerships are integral components of his sorghum research program. Ejeta has trained and mentored a large cadre of domestic and international students and professionals at Purdue and in collaboration with other institutions. He has led many collaborative agricultural research and development projects, catalyzed the creation of public and private seed enterprises, and facilitated the formation of public-private partnerships in collaborating countries.
Ejeta was born and raised in a small rural community in west-central Ethiopia and was awarded the nation’s National Hero Award, Ethiopia’s highest honor, in 2009. He earned his master’s and PhD in plant breeding and genetics from Purdue, where he has been a College of Agriculture faculty member and researcher since 1984.
Consortium of Indiana Stakeholders now Designated a Federal Technology and Innovation Hub Eligible to Compete for $75 million in Funding for U.S. Biotech Supply Chain Innovation
The Applied Research Institute, Inc. (“ARI”) announced today that the U.S. Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration has designated Heartland BioWorks as a Regional Technology and Innovation Hub. Heartland BioWorks will now compete against other designated hubs for implementation grants of up to $75 million each later this year.
The Regional Tech Hub designation, and the funding that follows, will support the acceleration of workforce development and help dismantle barriers to success for entrepreneurs and small business owners with new biotech products.
Led by the Applied Research Institute, Heartland BioWorks is a consortium of Indiana stakeholders driven by strong collaborative innovation practices to ensure that bioproducts invented in America are also produced domestically. Indiana’s Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson metropolitan statistical area features the unmatched collection of resources and capabilities necessary to become the world-leading force that secures our nation’s biomanufacturing future. The region is home to landmark industry leaders that span the bioecosystem; R1 institutions focused on biotechnology and manufacturing innovations; coordinated state-regional-local prioritization of life sciences to advance economic opportunities; a rapidly growing venture ecosystem; and significant biotech investment momentum.
“The Economic Development Administration, with this designation, confirms what we here in Indiana have known for a long time—that the Hoosier state is a global pioneer in biotech production,” said Applied Research Institute Chief Executive Officer Dave Roberts. “Heartland BioWorks is securing America’s biotech future, and this Hub will provide biotech startups with access to manufacturing facilities and expertise, implement the workforce training future biotech innovations require, and focus on engaging innovators in historically underserved communities.”
“When I authored the Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs program, my goal was to spur more innovation in technologies of the future in places like Indiana, rather than just Silicon Valley and a few coastal cities,” said Indiana Senator Todd Young. “Today’s announcement to designate Heartland Bioworks as a Tech Hub is a recognition of Indiana’s leadership in biotechnology and synthetic biology research and manufacturing, and another major win for Hoosiers. This designation could lead to millions in federal investment and will open the floodgates for more private capital in biotech R&D across the state.”
“This is just the news we hoped to receive. The EDA’s designation of Heartland BioWorks as a Regional Tech Hub is a recognition of Indiana’s rich tradition of innovation and leadership in both the manufacturing and life science sectors,” said Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb. “We‘ll continue to strongly support the Hub and look forward to moving forward in the process.”
“This new Tech Hub designation is yet another win for Indiana as we work to foster and cultivate the industries of tomorrow,” said Indiana Secretary of Commerce David Rosenberg. “Heartland BioWorks’ multifaceted approach to advancing biotechnology and biomanufacturing will nurture industry-specific startups, investments and R&D, driving life-changing products and life-saving solutions leveraged across the world. This will also create profound opportunities for our state’s brightest minds to innovate and collaborate, while cementing the U.S. and Indiana as the leading hub for biotech manufacturing.”
“Today’s announcement is another step toward Central Indiana leading the country in innovation and unlocking the opportunity to bring millions of dollars in Federal funding to achieve those goals,” said Central Indiana Regional Development Authority executive director Jennifer Messer. “CIRDA’s collaboration with and support of ARI to secure this designation will impact the Central Indiana region for decades to come.”
“As Fishers grows its foothold in the life science industry, it’s critical that we tap into every resource available to reinvest in key sectors, workforce, and innovation,” remarked Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness. “Today’s announcement opens up the possibilities we’ve been working toward and we look forward to collaborating with ARI and our collaboration partners to execute on this opportunity.”
“As the birthplace of the historic, world pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly & Co., and as the recipient of more than $1.5 billion in new biotech investment in under a decade, Indianapolis has an attractive portfolio in this field,” said Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett. “That was why the City of Indianapolis was proud to join and advocate on behalf of Heartland BioWorks. The news of the Regional Tech Hub designation represents enormous potential for employability and prosperity in Indianapolis.”
Indiana stakeholders have described the need for more dedicated manufacturing operations and innovation space. The Regional Tech Hubs program will catalyze further production, which will foster innovation and encourage more businesses to start and grow in Indiana.
Heartland BioWorks will initially focus on three integrated activities that address “biotechnology, medical technology, genomics, and synthetic biology” gaps identified by the Economic Development Administration in both the region and nation:
BioTrain
BioWorks Training Institute: BioWorks will establish an institute to provide training and industry work experiences to prepare trainees for high-paying jobs that support the growing biomanufacturing sector. The institute will be established at the 16 Tech Innovation District, located in a historically vibrant, now underserved, neighborhood in downtown Indianapolis, and leverage the nation’s largest community college system, Ivy Tech.
BioLaunch
BioWorks Bioproduct Launch Network: Small biotechs and startups are often forced to offshore their production because they lack the resources and scale needed to work with U.S. contract development and manufacturing organizations or justify development of their own production facility. BioLaunch will coordinate and implement mechanisms to access the region’s contract manufacturers and distributors, addressing lab-to-launch gaps, while keeping innovations, intellectual property, and jobs in the US.
BioMake
BioWorks Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Network: The White House, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, all recognize that America’s biopharma manufacturing sector must continue to modernize to remain competitive and deliver value to patients. BioMake will provide resources, funding, and coordinated access to a partner facility dedicated to testing and demonstrating next generation biomanufacturing technologies (e.g., high-intensity processing, continuous manufacturing, advanced automation, on-line analytics, intelligent sensors, modular production, AI/ML) to improve the efficiency, capability, and cost of operations.
This is the third federal hub designation secured by Applied Research Institute led and supported coalitions in the past month, including the Department of Defense Microelectronics Commons technology hub designation of Silicon Crossroads and the Department of Energy Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs designations of the Midwest Alliance for Clean Hydrogen (MachH2). This will potentially lead to hundreds of million in investments secured by the Applied Research Institute for the State of Indiana in the coming months.
Statements from Heartland BioWorks Partners and Supporters
David A. Ricks, Eli Lilly and Company Chair and Chief Executive Officer: “We at Lilly are happy to hear the news today about Indiana being selected as a regional bio tech hub as part of Phase 1. We firmly believe in the mission and vision set forth by Heartland BioWorks to become the world leader in life science talent development, start-up creation, reshoring, and supply chain resilience and look forward to working on Phase 2.”
Fred Cartwright, President and Chief Executive Officer of Conexus Indiana: “Conexus Indiana looks forward to continuing its role to grow and advance Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics sectors. With over 130 industry, academic, community and public sector partners, Conexus ensures Indiana remains a global leader in making and moving products that impact the world. We are excited to engage our network to accomplish Heartland BioWorks’ goals in all three critical areas of talent (BioTrain), start-ups (BioLaunch) and advancements in manufacturing (BioMake).”
Pamela Whitten, Indiana University President and Member of the Applied Research Institute Board of Directors: “The designation of Heartland BioWorks as a Regional Technology and Innovation Hub is a crucial step that will continue the growing strength of Indiana’s biotech ecosystem,” said Pamela Whitten, president of Indiana University. “We look forward to our continued collaboration with ARI as we advance life-changing research, workforce development and entrepreneurship across Indiana’s life sciences sector.”
Mung Chiang, Purdue University President and Member of the Applied Research Institute Board of Directors: “Regional Tech Hubs from the U.S. Department of Commerce is a crucial competition for the tech driven economy in our country, and a key element of the CHIPS and Science Act championed by Senator Young. This is a pivotal win for our state and our university,” said Purdue University President Mung Chiang. “Purdue is excited to work with ARI, and through Governor Holcomb’s support, to win 3 out of 3 national competitions this season: in semiconductors from Department of Defense, in hydrogen innovation from Department of Energy, and now in biotech manufacturing from Department of Commerce. Each is a 10% success rate opportunity and hitting all three is yet another reflection of our excellence at scale.”
Rev. John I. Jenkins, C.S.C., President of the University of Notre Dame: “The University of Notre Dame is proud to partner with our fellow Indiana research universities and institutions to support life sciences job creation and economic development across the state. Notre Dame’s research ecosystem has long supported forward-thinking, interdisciplinary collaboration between bioengineering and data science, setting the stage for the next generation of biomanufacturing technology. We look forward to contributing that experience to the Heartland BioWorks Hub and specifically, BioMake.”
José Padilla, Valparaiso University’s President: “This designation of the Heartland BioWorks Regional Technology and Innovation Hub can elevate Northwest Indiana, a region on the cusp of a much needed economic renaissance. This Hub has the potential to foster innovation and create high-quality jobs while addressing national biotech gaps. Valparaiso University is called to exercise its faith by applying its expertise to the broader community, expertise that will empower our neighbors with skills to rise above economic swings and therefore last a lifetime. The faculty, staff and students of Valpo look forward to working alongside ARI and the Heartland BioWorks team as we compete for the implementation grants that will spark economic growth in the Region,” states President José Padilla of Valparaiso University.
Alan D. Palkowitz, President and CEO of the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute (IBRI): “We are very proud to be a partner with Indiana corporations and research institutions in reaching this key milestone for the state, and all who will benefit from the Heartland BioWorks vision. At the IBRI, we are committed to becoming a key contributor to delivering on the vast potential of Indiana life sciences research to impact patients, and to catalyze the growth of a thriving entrepreneurial community. This will become a key component of the tech hub’s signature for Indiana that links breakthrough life sciences research with biomanufacturing innovation.”
Congresswoman Erin Houchin (Indiana-09): “Indiana has long been a place for technological innovation. We welcome this recognition and hope it will lead to further expansion of our state’s regional—and increasingly national impact. I am particularly proud to see so many Southern Indiana players contribute to this effort. I commend Heartland BioWorks and the Applied Research Institute for their hard work in promoting Indiana’s biotechnology assets and look forward to continuing our progress together,” said Congresswoman Erin Houchin.
Whitney Ertel, Governor’s Workforce Cabinet Executive Director: “The Governor’s Workforce Cabinet applauds the EDA’s decision to designate Heartland BioWorks as a Regional Innovation and Technology Hub, as Indiana has long been home to an unmatched biotech and manufacturing ecosystem. This initiative is a game-changer for the U.S., Indiana and the Hoosiers whose lives will be impacted by accelerated workforce development, the creation of good-paying jobs and expanded economic opportunities. Chairman Ryan Kitchell, Cabinet members and I champion the leadership and efforts of the Heartland BioWorks collaborative as it works to advance America’s biotech future and thank Senator Todd Young for his leadership in making the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 possible.”
Emily Krueger, 16 Tech Community Corporation President and Chief Executive Officer: “The Regional Tech Hub designation recognizes the current strength and future potential of the Indiana’s biomanufacturing ecosystem. As the most centrally located access point to the state’s innovation ecosystem, 16 Tech is excited to be a part of Heartland Bio Works Consortium and to collaborate on key resources to support the future of this critical sector.”
Christopher Day, Elevate Ventures Chief Executive Officer: “We are extremely excited to support Heartland BioWorks. Indiana is quickly becoming the Innovation Capital of the World and working with all the disparate stakeholders to make this a reality is an honor. As the #1 most active seed and early-stage investor in the Great Lakes region and top twenty in the world, we are excited to support the innovation that will no doubt be born from this cross collaboration.”
Nitesh Chawla, the Frank M. Freimann Professor of Computer Science and Engineering, Director of Lucy Family Institute for Data & Society, and the University of Notre Dame’s Lead on the BioWorks Hub Collaboration: “We are thrilled to be a part of the BioWorks effort, which has significant potential to transform the national biotech sector and the regional economy. Notre Dame houses multiple assets that support biotechnology and next-gen data science, and incorporating these capabilities into the BioWorks ecosystem will help accelerate manufacturing capabilities statewide.”
Lead Applicant & State of Indiana
Applied Research Institute
State of Indiana
State of Indiana Full Congressional Delegation
Industry
BiomEdit
Catalent
Cook Medical
Corteva Agriscience
Elanco
Eli Lilly and Company
Evonik Industries
Genezen
INCOG BioPharma Services
Langham Logistics
MBX Biosciences
Roche
Higher Education
Indiana University
Ivy Tech Community College
Martin University
Purdue University
Tougaloo College Research & Development Foundation
University of Notre Dame
Valparaiso University
Economic Development Organizations
16 Tech Community Corporation
Agrinovus
AnalytixIN
BioCrossroads
Central Indiana Regional Development Authority
Conexus
Indiana Biosciences Research Institute
Purdue Center for Regional Development
TechPoint
The Central Indiana Corporate Partnership
Labor & Workforce
Ascend
Central Indiana Building and Construction Trades Council
EmployIndy
INVets
Local Governments
City of Fishers
City of Indianapolis
Partners
Elevate Ventures
The National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals
Purdue University Manufacturing Extension Partnership
Innovations in seed holds tremendous promise – from improving yield to resilience and profitability – and has transformed significantly over the last few decades. Today we are joined by Beck’s Hybrids President, Scott Beck, to talk about the iconic family-owned brand, being a third-generation leader in the business and watching a small operation grow to the massive brand it is today.
Scott talks all things company culture and keeping that as you grow and scale a business. He also reflects on returning to the company after graduating from Purdue in 1987 (he was the 12th employee), shifting their focus from being a seed company that has marketing to becoming a marketing company that has seed, and viewing all things through the lens of the farmer. That includes relationships with many agbioscience companies to bring diversity and value to the farmer.
What’s ahead for Beck’s Hybrids? More of the farmer, of course. Scott talks R&D, looking into the future to help the farmer and how he sees the company innovating in the future.
Targeted, ground-breaking solutions intend to reward livestock producers for certified reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and previously undeveloped areas in animal health
Athian (athian.ai), the world’s first cloud-based carbon marketplace for the livestock industry, and BiomEdit (biomedit.com), an emerging animal health biotechnology company, announced a collaboration to validate groundbreaking protocols from sustainability outcomes in livestock production based on product innovation in development from BiomEdit.
BiomEdit is advancing innovative programs based on their unique platform combining microbiome science and synthetic biology to introduce novel biologic products targeting significant challenges facing animals, humans and our shared habitat. The collaboration with Athian features the company’s leading research program to find microbial solutions for methane emission reduction in dairy and beef cattle. Other products in the BiomEdit pipeline intended as part of the collaboration focus on providing non-antibiotic solutions for infectious disease and food safety pathogens found in livestock.
Athian’s Sustainable Livestock Systems platform is an industry-based analytics tool powered by AI that enables the livestock industry to make good on its sustainability commitments by providing carbon “insetting” credits. Athian’s carbon credit marketplace provides quality greenhouse gas credits that fund livestock producers’ sustainability measures. As part of this collaboration, Athian will apply many of the validation and verification concepts used to develop methane reduction credits to lend additional assurances and market opportunities to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and food safety risk reductions.
“This collaboration with BiomEdit provides another example where our approach to carbon insetting can be applied to emerging solutions, in this case we are enabling BiomEdit to tune their development of novel methane reduction solutions with this end in mind,” said Paul Myer, CEO of Athian. “We’re equally excited to begin pioneering work with BiomEdit on important sustainability opportunities such as antimicrobial resistance risk reduction and food safety. In BiomEdit we’ve found an animal health innovator that is not only developing products, but working with us to ensure that livestock producers will benefit from the utilization of these new products.”
“Athian is pioneering the establishment of protocols that give credit to livestock producers for adopting practices that offer production efficiency and positively impact important areas like greenhouse gas emission, antimicrobial resistance and food safety,” said Aaron Schacht, CEO of BiomEdit. “At BiomEdit, our microbiome and synthetic biology capabilities allow us to pioneer biological solutions that address these daunting challenges in livestock production. Through this partnership with Athian, we believe we can introduce additional product value that benefits the livestock producer.”
SHAPE (Y)OUR FUTURE SUMMIT will cover Indiana’s industries of the future, importance of talent, and civic-oriented discussions on Nov. 14, 2023
On Tuesday, Nov. 14, IndyHub and the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) will bring together the next generation of Hoosiers to discuss important topics related to the future of the Indy region at a new, free conference – the SHAPE (Y)OUR Future Summit presented by Ice Miller. This event designed for Millennials and Gen Z will be at The AMP at 16 Tech and will include discussions on Indiana’s talent and workforce needs, the state’s industries of the future, public transportation and mobility, sustainability and environmental issues, and more.
“SHAPE (Y)OUR FUTURE is going to be one of the best opportunities to learn about the various aspects of what makes our city and state special,” said Al Carroll, president and CEO, IndyHub. “It will also include ways for young people to ask questions and share their ideas on how to make Indianapolis a more vibrant place to live, work and plant roots. We want to ensure that they are shaping their future as well as that of our community.”
Attendees will also learn about the advanced industries that drive Indiana’s economy. CICP’s talent and industry sector initiatives, AgriNovus Indiana (agbiosciences), Ascend Indiana (talent and workforce development), BioCrossroads (life sciences), Conexus Indiana (advanced manufacturing and logistics) and TechPoint (tech) will each have sessions to go deeper into these important sectors and the jobs and opportunities in each.
“Advancing the key sectors of Indiana’s economy and developing our talent and workforce are core to the success of our community, and this event puts those two topics at the forefront of a very important audience,” said Melina Kennedy, CEO, Central Indiana Corporate Partnership. “It’s a natural fit for CICP and IndyHub to work together to help young people learn what makes this a special place to live, work, play and learn.”
In addition to the speaker and panel sessions, the day will include a networking session and the Taste of the AMP.
