Indiana agriculture took center stage today as U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins visited Everett Farms and Seed LLC in Lebanon ahead of her keynote address to the 98th National FFA Convention & Expo in Indianapolis. The visit, hosted by U.S. Rep. Jim Baird (R-Dist. 4), State Rep. Beau Baird (R-Greencastle), the Indiana Soybean Alliance (ISA) and the Indiana Corn Growers Association (ICGA), highlighted how trade and biofuels policy shape the success of Indiana’s farm economy.
Tyler Everett, Board treasurer of ICGA and owner of Everett Farms and Seed, along with his family, welcomed Rollins to his multigenerational family farm and shared the importance of market consistency for corn growers.
“With over 43 percent of Indiana’s corn going into ethanol, what happens in the biofuels space directly impacts not only my farm and my neighbor’s farm, but our entire state’s economy,” Everett said. “We encourage USDA to continue working with EPA to finalize nationwide, year-round E15 sales and ensure the program has the regulatory clarity it needs.”
During the visit, Rollins toured the farm, harvested a few rows of a cornfield in Everett’s combine, and participated in a roundtable discussion with Indiana farmers and agricultural leaders. The conversation focused on the role of trade in keeping rural economies strong and the impact of new international agreements.
Rollins shared breaking news of a recent trade development with China that includes significant soybean purchase commitments.
“Until this week, China had purchased zero, which was devastating to our soybean farmers, especially when we rely on them for 62 percent of our market,” Rollins said. “The agreement includes 12 million metric tons of soybean purchases over the next two months and at least 25 million tons annually in the coming years, plus commitments on sorghum, hardwood and the removal of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. ag products.”
Denise Scarborough, chair of ISA and a farmer from LaCrosse, emphasized how global trade directly impacts local farm profitability.
“We’re like a well-oiled machine as long as global markets are open and stable,” Scarborough said. “But uncertainty, whether from tariffs, politics or shifting regulations, hits our farms fast. We want free trade, not aid. Open markets are what keep our rural economies thriving.”
Scarborough, who also represents Indiana on the American Soybean Association Board and works as an agricultural lender, added that farmers are facing tight margins and increased volatility.
“Whether it’s a good plan or a bad plan, we just need a plan so we can move forward with confidence,” she said.
In addition to Rollins, the event drew participation from Indiana’s agricultural, state and federal leadership. U.S. Rep. Baird and members of Indiana’s congressional delegation, including U.S. Rep. Rudy Yakym (R-Dist. 2), U.S. Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind.); U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Dist. 5), U.S. Rep. Mark Messmer (R-Dist. 8) and U.S. Rep. Jefferson Shreve (R-Dist. 6) attended, along with Dr. Scott Hutchins, USDA undersecretary for research, education and economics and retired District 8 U.S. Rep. Larry Bucshon.
Representatives from the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, the Indiana General Assembly and major farm organizations including ISA, ICGA, the Indiana Corn Marketing Council, Indiana Farm Bureau, Indiana Pork, Indiana Poultry Association and Beck’s Hybrids also participated.
The visit showcased Indiana’s leadership in agriculture and reinforced the importance of continued federal engagement on trade and energy policy to sustain farm profitability.
The Applied Research Institute (ARI) will open the Heartland BioWorks headquarters in Indianapolis’s 16 Tech Innovation District, advancing U.S. biomanufacturing leadership and positioning the city as a national hub for innovation and workforce development.
The Applied Research Institute (ARI) has unveiled plans for the Heartland BioWorks headquarters at 1200 Indiana Avenue in the 16 Tech Innovation District, a pivotal investment that will advance America’s biomanufacturing leadership and further position Indianapolis as a national hub for biomanufacturing innovation and workforce development.
The 20,000 square foot, two-story facility, funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) as part of its Regional Tech Hubs Program, will serve as both a workforce training and innovation center and the headquarters of the Heartland BioWorks Consortium, a national collaboration of industry, academia, and government partners.
The Heartland BioWorks headquarters will house state-of-the-art classroom, benchtop, and pilot scale infrastructure to provide first-in-class hands-on training and upskilling opportunities to rapidly grow Indiana’s biomanufacturing workforce. Beyond training, the facility will serve as a collaboration hub, uniting innovators across sectors to strengthen the Midwest’s role in America’s bioeconomy.
“Indiana is a place where innovation and industry meet, and the Heartland BioWorks headquarters embodies that,” said Indiana Governor Mike Braun. “This investment will help grow good-paying jobs, strengthen our life sciences sector, and ensure Indiana remains at the forefront of America’s effort to build and manufacture critical technologies right here at home.”
With funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration, and an additional $6 million investment from Eli Lilly and Company, the headquarters will serve as an interactive gateway to the 16 Tech Innovation District, complementing Indiana University’s IU Launch Accelerator for Biosciences and uniting the efforts of Purdue University, Ivy Tech Community College, EmployIndy, BioCrossroads, and others to expand opportunities within Indiana’s growing biomanufacturing industry.
“The Heartland BioWorks headquarters represents a national commitment to uniting human capital, research capabilities, and industrial capacity across the life sciences to secure America’s leadership in biotechnology and biomanufacturing,” said Andrew Kossack, CEO of the Applied Research Institute. “ARI is proud to lead this effort to ensure Indiana’s unique assets strengthen our nation’s competitive edge in this critical field.”
“When I helped author and pass the CHIPS and Science Act, this is the kind of national impact I envisioned,” said U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-IN). “Heartland BioWorks is proving that the Midwest can lead the next generation of American innovation, by developing the talent, technology, and partnerships needed to secure our nation’s economic and biosciences future.”
The headquarters aligns with the 16 Tech Innovation District master plan and has been approved by the 16 Tech Design Standards Committee and the Indianapolis Regional Center. Designed by RATIO, the facility is expected to become operational in mid-2027.
“This headquarters will be a national benchmark for innovation, talent, and opportunity” said Michelle Dennis, Regional Innovation Officer for Heartland BioWorks.
In an era defined by global competition and rapid technological change, Heartland BioWorks is demonstrating how regional collaboration can serve a national mission. By aligning local strengths with national priorities, ARI and its partners are building a model for how America can accelerate security through innovation and collaboration.-term growth.
BioBond Adhesives, Inc. (“BioBond”), a leader in innovative biobased adhesives and coatings, today announced a major breakthrough in school adhesives with the launch of its BioBond School Adhesive. Positioning itself as a superior, healthier alternative to traditional glues, BioBond is accelerating the industry’s transition to high-performance, USDA BioPreferred certified products that are Made In The USA.
“The BioBond School adhesive is the first in a line of everyday adhesive products that essentially have no odors and microplastics, and are PFAS free,” said Greg Piche, Vice President of Products at BioBond. “We are introducing a game-changer that will have an immediate and significant impact on the industry, offering excellent performance and very competitive pricing,” added Marc McConnaughey, BioBond’s CEO.
Dr. Clayton Westerman, BioBond’s Chief Science Officer, emphasized the company’s commitment to sustainability and performance. “The development of high-performing, cost-effective, and sustainable biobased products that are safer and healthier is challenging. BioBond School Adhesive was the first of five plant-water based adhesives developed in our Indiana Technology Labs that we are introducing to the market, demonstrating that superior performance doesn’t have to come at the expense of health or the environment.”
Commitment to Rural America
BioBond is the second portfolio company launched by Big Idea Ventures’ Generation Food Rural Partners I, LP (GFRP) Fund. Based in Lafayette, Indiana, the company is dedicated to fostering economic growth in rural communities, with 70% of its funding spent in rural areas of America, creating living wage jobs.
About BioBond BioBond Adhesives, Inc. is a material technology company developing new adhesive materials, coatings, and applications that makes our environment a healthier and safer place to live and work. We specialize in the development of biopolymer compounds to displace traditional petroleum-based adhesives and coatings. As the second company formed within BIV’s
Generation Food Rural Partners (GFRP) Fund, BioBond licenses intellectual property from multiple universities collaborating to develop novel materials to reduce the amount of plastic waste and VOCs such as formaldehydes entering the environment. BioBond headquarters is located in Lafayette, Indiana. For more information, visit https://biobond.com.
Biochar is an effective and profitable way to manage organic waste – and there are innovators creating new platforms to enable producers, investors and equipment suppliers to grow and deploy waste-to-value projects faster and easier than ever before. This week, we are joined by Jason Dodier, Co-Founder and CCO of Grain Ecosystem, to talk decarbonization projects, the value of the American farmer and grain as a risk reduction partner. We get into:
What Grain Ecosystem does and how they deploy these waste-to-value solutions
How this process looks for each player in the system – farmers, investors and equipment suppliers
The Grain Ecosystem model and its adoptability that differentiates it from competitors on the market
Feedback they get from the ecosystem as they deploy solutions
Grain’s momentum built up over the last three years and the company’s biggest opportunities for growth
Working with Elevate Ventures and other Indiana partners to expand their footprint in the state
What’s ahead for Grain Ecosystem
Partnership with Bioversity International USA and Yale University will build the Rumen Digital Twin to model and optimize climate‑smart feed and microbiome interventions
In partnership with Bioversity International USA and Yale University, BiomEdit, a pioneering animal health biotechnology company, announced today it has been selected as one of 15 global teams awarded funding of nearly $2 million from the Bezos Earth Fund’s AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge. The funding will support development of the Rumen Digital Twin, an artificial intelligence (AI) foundation model designed to identify the most effective strategies for reducing methane emissions in cattle while also optimizing animal productivity and welfare.
Together with its partners, BiomEdit will lead the effort to train a generative AI model on data from more than 20,000 ruminants across 25+ countries, including the Global South. The model will integrate publicly available and newly generated data, producing more than 10,000 microbiome profiles crosslinked with methane emissions, diet, host genetics and animal performance data.
The goal of the project is to replace lengthy and expensive animal trials with AI-powered simulations that can identify the precise conditions and animal traits where specific feed additives or interventions will be most effective. These tailored strategies are expected to reduce methane emissions by up to 75% compared to untargeted approaches, while maintaining or improving animal productivity.
“This project reflects the power of the microbiome and the use of AI to reduce methane and improve productivity in livestock,” said Aaron Schacht, CEO of BiomEdit. “With the generous support of the Bezos Earth Fund and in collaboration with Bioversity and Yale, we aim to develop a better understanding of targeted interventions and share that knowledge to positively affect both climate impact and animal well-being.”
Expected outcomes of the project include an open-access, cloud-based platform where users can generate and explore virtual ruminant populations, simulate interventions and fine-tune strategies for methane mitigation and productivity. The platform and model will be made available to research and non-profit organizations globally at no cost, with licensing pathways for commercial developers.
Launched in 2024, the Bezos Earth Fund’s AI for Climate and Nature Grand Challenge is a $100 million initiative designed to harness AI to address the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. The program connects innovators with resources and mentorship from leading technology partners including AWS, Google.org, NVIDIA Corporation, Microsoft Research, AI2, and Esri.
“These projects show how AI, when developed responsibly and guided by science and local knowledge, can strengthen environmental action and ensure its overall impact on the planet is positive,” said Dr. Amen Ra Mashariki, Director of AI and Data Strategies at the Bezos Earth Fund.
The Rumen Digital Twin builds on BiomEdit’s first methane-reduction initiative: a $4.5 million grant from the Gates Foundation awarded in 2023. That program focuses on microbiome-based feed additives to reduce methane in cattle across Africa and South Asia while improving feed efficiency and food security for small-scale producers. Together, the two initiatives reflect BiomEdit’s growing leadership in developing sustainable, microbiome-based climate solutions for agriculture.
Traction Ag Inc., the first cloud-based farm accounting software delivering solutions to growers across the Midwest, has appointed Hannah Parsons as Chief Operating Officer.
Parsons is an experienced operator known for building structure around innovation and aligning vision, people, and process to deliver results. At Barn Owl Technologies, she established the systems, teams, and culture that enabled the company’s evolution from an early-stage e-commerce startup to a respected name in agricultural technology through product development and government-backed research initiatives.
“Hannah’s operational discipline and founder-level mindset make her an exceptional fit for Traction,” said Dustin Sapp, CEO of Traction Ag. “She understands what it takes to build systems that scale while keeping customers at the center of every decision.”
As COO, Parsons will lead Traction Ag’s day-to-day operations, ensuring the company’s systems, teams, and customer experience scale in step with its growth. Her focus will be on translating strategic goals into clear execution across growth, customer success and operations. The appointment comes at a pivotal moment as more farms seek integrated financial platforms to manage increasingly complex operations and data-driven decisions.
From agbioscience innovation to defense, pharma, food and nutrition, and beyond – the bioeconomy is broad; and the intersection of innovation, research and policy generates a lot of questions when it comes to how we grow and scale to be a global leader right here in the United States. This week, we are joined by Sarah Glaven, Visiting Fellow at Princeton University’s Andlinger Center and a former biotechnologist representing The White House, The Pentagon and The Naval Research Laboratory. We get into:
Sarah’s professional story, from being an outdoors kid to leading critical bioinnovation work on a national scale
How she defines the bioeconomy and what she believes is its importance to the US’ future
Biggest headwinds we are facing when it comes to the growth and scale of the bioeconomy
How her past experiences have shaped her perspective on the critical alignment needed among policy, innovation and research to advance the bioeconomy in the US (and the grade she’d give us on that alignment today)
Indiana’s position in the bioeconomy and how reshoring biomanufacturing supply chains can reduce disruption and increase competitiveness in the US
Creating a skilled workforce to grow the bioeconomy and examples of upskilling and developing talent that have her most impressed
What has Sarah most excited about the US’ bioinnovation future
Integration automates Keystone Cooperative billing processing, eliminating manual data entry for farmers
Traction Ag Inc., a leading provider of farm accounting and operations software, today announced its latest billing integration with Keystone Cooperative. This new workflow enables Keystone Cooperative bills to sync directly into Traction Ag’s cloud-based platform, reducing manual data entry and ensuring accounting entries remain accurate and up to date.
Traction Ag’s new billing integration with Keystone Cooperative addresses a major need for today’s farmers by saving time and simplifying workflows. With this new feature, farmers can automatically import, review, and approve Keystone invoices directly in their accounting system, reducing manual entry and freeing up time to focus on running their operation.
“Today’s farmers are running complex businesses, and they need tools that work as hard as they do. By bringing Keystone invoices directly into the Traction Ag platform, we’re helping farmers save time, reduce errors, and get a clearer picture of their finances. It’s about giving them the same kind of business tools any successful operation needs, so they can make smart decisions and have sustained success,” said Kevin Still, President and CEO of Keystone Cooperative.
Key Benefits:
Gain clarity on paid and unpaid bills, while keeping a precise inventory of farm inputs
Reduce paperwork and keep farm accounting streamlined and well organized
Save time during peak billing periods
Improve accuracy by eliminating manual data entry errors
Dustin Sapp, CEO of Traction Ag, highlighted the company’s deep commitment to farm-focused financial tools: “Traction Ag was built from the ground up for the specific demands of farm accounting. When farmers receive Keystone Cooperative bills through our platform, they’re not just logging another expense; they’re gaining full visibility into discounts, inventory, and prepaid inputs. It’s all centralized in one place. That’s what empowers farmers to clearly understand their true financial position and make more confident decisions.”
“It was easy to connect my Keystone Cooperative account, my bills were flowing into Traction Ag automatically,” said Mike Bell, Traction Ag customer. “It’s going to save me hours of manual entry every month.”
Traction Ag continues to expand its network of partnerships to support better data flow and decision-making on the farm. By connecting with organizations that generate or rely on farm financial and operational data, we help farmers consolidate information, streamline workflows, and uncover actionable insights. The successful Keystone Cooperative rollout, enabled through an integration with Agvance, demonstrates our commitment to building a more connected and efficient farm financial ecosystem.
The Keystone integration is now available for Traction Ag customers. For more details, visit tractionag.com/integrations/keystone-cooperative.
From the early days of biotechnology to the growing voice of today’s consumer, a desire exists for knowledge and understanding of the work being done by scientists, farmers and agbioscience innovators to bring food to our tables. Today we are joined by Michele Payn, author and founder of Cause Matters Corp., who has made it her mission to bridge this gap, to make agriculture less defensive and to put emotion and heart at the center of the work happening across the industry. We get into:
Michele’s boots on the ground perspective from scientists, farmers and industry professionals on what’s evolving in how they share their stories with consumers
How Cause Matters Corp. came to be and how new eras present a fresh set of challenges for her tackle and communicate in her business
The biggest gaps agbioscience has in bridging the technical to the practical
Helping others adapt and stay nimble in their communication and acceptance of new information in a fast-paced world
Artificial Intelligence, its role in how consumers learn about agbioscience, the pros and cons and how it can be leveraged as a trusted source in the future
Disinformation vs. Misinformation – the distinction and the dangers between the two
How she would compare agbioscience today to other decades of her time in the industry – from a communications and consumer acceptance perspective
Finding emotional center in your agbioscience story – and the importance of making it personal to seek understanding when you communicate
Her new book, Science Story Speak, and its opportunity for readers to connect with science understanding on a more meaningful level
