New data from AgFunder News shows that ag biologics are used by just under half of U.S. farmers. Dr. Alex Cochran, CTO of DPH Biologicals, joins today to share his unique perspective on this growing market.
We discuss:
What are ag biologicals and their role in modern production agriculture.
Biologicals as an important piece for growers as they manage a tough farm economy.
The challenge of change when it comes to farming practices and the criticality of clearly describing ROI for growers.
Movement in the biologicals market from big players like Corteva’s acquisition of Symborg and Stoller.
DPH’s focus on differentiation and value to its growers + a deep dive into the conversations they’re having at the farmgate right now.
The biologicals market has come a long way, but is it still early innings? Alex talks how the technology has evolved what’s on the horizon for DPH Biologicals.
USDA REAP grants enable cost savings for solar adoption among Indiana hog operators
Emergent Solar Energy, a leading provider of commercial solar solutions based in the Purdue Research Park of West Lafayette, has installed more than one megawatt of onsite solar capacity across Indiana pork farms in the last 12 months.
Jeremy Lipinski, managing partner, said the achievement underscores a growing commitment to sustainability and cost savings within Indiana’s agricultural sector.
“Each of the projects was made possible through partial financing from the USDA Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grants, making renewable energy more accessible and affordable for Indiana’s pork producers,” he said. “By utilizing the available grant program, farms can generate clean energy on-site. This lowers their dependence on traditional energy sources, reduces their carbon footprints and insulates their operation against energy inflation costs.”
Lipinski said Emergent Solar Energy can offer best-in-class, economically compelling on-farm solar solutions to Indiana’s agriculture sector through USDA REAP support.
“We are helping commercial operations utilize available solar incentives, while contributing to a cleaner, more sustainable pork production chain,” he said.
USDA REAP grants: fueling rural sustainability
The USDA’s REAP grant program is an essential tool for rural businesses looking to adopt renewable energy technologies. By covering up to 50% of total project costs, REAP grants reduce financial barriers by empowering farms to invest in sustainable energy solutions.
“USDA’s Rural Energy for America Program is crucial to the success of rural farms and small businesses across Indiana,” said USDA Deputy State Director Curtis Johnson. “This program allows Hoosiers to adopt renewable technologies, cutting operational costs and strengthening our rural economy for future generations.”
Solar project highlights
Lipinski said the USDA REAP grants have enabled Emergent Solar Energy to place in service a range of solar projects that cater to diverse pork production operations, from feed mills to sow facilities and hog finishing barns.
“These projects are helping Indiana’s pork producers cut energy costs by an average of 90% while collectively reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 1,148 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year,” he said.
Emergent Solar Energy’s projects over the past 12 months include:
A 364-kilowatt peak solar project at Laidig Custom Services in St. Joseph County, Indiana
“High utility expenses and concerns of future inflation of electricity cost encouraged us to look into solar power,” said Tim Laidig, independent grower. “With the USDA REAP grant and tax credits, it made sense to invest in a solar array for our farm. We have reduced our electric expenditures by 50%.”
A 130-kilowatt peak solar project at Arrowhead Pork in White County, Indiana
“Once I saw the project return numbers after the application of the solar tax credits and the USDA REAP grant award, the decision to invest in solar for my dual quad was an easy one,” said Cody Snyder, contract grower.
A 110-kilowatt peak solar project at Golden Pig Farm in Clinton County, Indiana
“The USDA REAP grant offered us the most cost-effective path for installing the solar project on our farm,” said owners Tim and Beth Wyrick. “We reduced our energy costs by well over 90% at our hog site. The REAP grant program gives farmers a competitive advantage.”
The impact of Emergent Solar Energy on Indiana’s pork industry
Zac Martinez, lead of commercial business development, said Emergent Solar Energy’s mission is to deliver economically feasible solar solutions to Indiana’s agricultural sector.
“Our company is proud to support local farms by reducing their energy costs and helping them achieve energy independence,” he said. “Each project is customized to the site-specific energy needs of our clients, ensuring long-term financial and environmental benefits.”
Lipinski said Emergent Solar Energy has a strong record of partnering with agricultural clients to develop custom solar solutions tailored to the unique needs of farms.
“By collaborating with local farmers and leveraging USDA support, we’re committed to driving renewable energy adoption in Indiana’s agricultural sector,” he said. “We believe Indiana farmers can lead the way in sustainable agriculture, with solar energy playing a critical role in that future.”
Under the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), AgriNovus Indiana is the State’s food and agriculture initiative focused on advancing Indiana as a nationally recognized leader in the agbiosciences sector – where food, agriculture, science and technology converge. Indiana is in an enviable position to accomplish this through the following areas led by AgriNovus:
Business Growth
Entrepreneurial Acceleration
Thought Leadership (Events + Programming, Field Atlas, Research)
JOB OVERVIEW
AgriNovus Indiana, a non-profit coalition of agbioscience leaders focused on growing the state’s agbioscience economy, is searching for a proven leader to accelerate economic growth through proactive economic development guided by industry-informed applied research. The ideal candidate is driven by a purpose to impact the industry positively and has demonstrated the ability to lead economic development efforts and use commissioned research to create differentiated approaches to organizational and industry advancement. As a member of the organization’s leadership team reporting to the CEO, you will also serve a critical role in building coalitions across industry, academia, capital providers, governments, non-profits and donors to increase awareness of the need for agbioscience innovation and the positive momentum building across the state.
The Senior Director, Growth reports to and supports the President and CEO.
JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
Lead the organization’s Business Growth service line to create, advance and win economic development projects in collaboration with partners across state and local government, industry, academia and non-profit partners.
Lead and manage all commissioned research projects from inception to publication, ensuring all are rooted in industry needs and applied to shape industry-advancing programs and projects.
Manage and operate high-priority, public-facing research-informed projects that may include coalitions of leaders from across industry, academia, government and philanthropy.
Create and manage Indiana agbioscience economic performance and forecast data, providing the organization insight into relative performance and progress to stated goals.
Identify and prioritize the opportunities for new agbioscience technologies and global industry trends
Collaborate with fellow Central Indiana Corporate Partnership initiatives (Ascend, BioCrossroads, Conexus and TechPoint) to develop cross-industry economic development and research programs.
Work as a member of the AgriNovus team to cultivate and secure financial support from partners across industry, academia, government and charitable interests to fund innovation challenges and operations.
Represent AgriNovus in external stakeholder meetings and make presentations on behalf of the organization as appropriate and needed.
Leverage and engage personal and professional networks to ensure innovators, companies and potential partners are aware of the agbioscience innovation in Indiana.
JOB REQUIREMENTS
BA/BS business degree or a related discipline
Minimum 8+ years of relevant business development and business strategy
Strong preference for additional experience in economic development and applied research
Strategic thinker who combines strong analytical skills and creative problem solving – turning concepts into actionable insights and programs.
Ability to translate vision into requirements and execute go-to-market programs and events.
Excellent time management is with a demonstrated ability to deliver results within condensed timeframes.
Strong project management skills; well-organized, structured approach, ability to achieve tight timelines on complex deliverables.
Demonstrated strong verbal, written and interpersonal skills combined with strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
COMPETITIVE BENEFITS:
100% of healthcare and dental premiums are paid for individuals and family.
Pre-tax & Roth 401(k) Retirement Plan with generous match: 5% contributed by the employer regardless of employee contribution and up to an additional 5% employee voluntary contribution eligible to be matched by the employer.
Company-paid group life benefits as well as company-paid short-term and long-term disability insurance.
Generous Paid Time Off (PTO) including 17 holidays.
Office location at 16 Tech Innovation District with hybrid remote flexibility.
EEO Statement:
CICP grants equal opportunity to all qualified persons without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, pregnancy, disability, age, national origin, military service obligations, veteran status, citizenship, sexual orientation, or any other category protected by law. CICP provides equal opportunity in wages, promotions, benefits, and all other privileges, terms, and conditions of employment.
DETAILS
Job Category: Economic Development Manager: President and CEO, AgriNovus Indiana Office Location: Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, 16 Tech, Downtown Indianapolis Travel: Statewide
Chad Pittman has been named president and CEO of the Purdue Research Foundation (PRF), effective Feb. 1, 2025.
Pittman succeeds Brian Edelman, who served as president since spring of 2017. Edelman announced his retirement in August 2024. Pittman was selected following a national search that included the assistance of an executive search firm.
Pittman will report to PRF’s Board of Directors, chaired by Purdue President Emeritus Mitch Daniels. He will guide PRF in its mission of supporting Purdue University’s land-grant mission by managing and protecting intellectual property developed at Purdue, promoting entrepreneurial activities, and managing the university’s endowment.
“Chad understands the need for clear strategic purpose,” Daniels said. “His proven record of securing economic investments and research partnerships will continue to bolster economic development and innovation throughout the state of Indiana. I’m confident he will fulfill the foundation’s aim to advance Purdue in the quest for discovery, learning and engagement.”
“In his long career of outstanding service to the state of Indiana and the United States, Col. Pittman has demonstrated over and over again his ability to deliver results for Purdue and for our business and government partners,” Purdue University President Mung Chiang said. “He will provide a continuity in excellence at scale for cogenerating jobs, workforce and innovation.”
Pittman joined PRF in 2014 as vice president for the Office of Technology Commercialization, where he managed the development and implementation of strategies to commercialize Purdue technologies.
In 2020 Pittman became PRF’s chief executive of economic development. His team drives placemaking opportunities for industry partners, retains and grows existing businesses within the Purdue ecosystem, and attracts new companies to the community.
“Chad is the ideal choice to lead PRF into the future,” Edelman said. “I am grateful that Chad has chosen to bring his expert knowledge and connections to the role of president, and I look forward to seeing what he and the incredible PRF team can achieve during his tenure.”
Pittman has been instrumental in fostering PRF and Purdue’s engagement at NSWC Crane to support the research and development of innovations through commercialization and collaboration. In 2016 PRF received the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer’s Midwest Regional Partnership Award. This award reflects Purdue’s larger commitment to the region, NSWC Crane and the state and to the growth of the semiconductor and microelectronics workforce, which is mission critical to national security.
He was promoted to vice president of national security and defense development in 2018. In that position, he was instrumental in bringing valued partners like Saab, TSMC and SK hynix into the Purdue ecosystem.
“I am honored to take on the next chapter of my time with Purdue Research Foundation,” Pittman said. “Over the past decade, I have been privileged to serve with a talented team of individuals to attract and support world-class partners. Together we will build on our success and increase our contributions to Purdue University, the state of Indiana and the wider world by fulfilling Purdue’s land-grant mission.”
Prior to joining PRF, Pittman was the chief of staff and executive vice president for the Indiana Economic Development Corp. (IEDC). In his five years with the IEDC, Pittman recruited nearly 1,000 companies to Indiana that resulted in a projected 101,000 new jobs and brought $16 billion in capital investment to the state.
He brings more than 20 years’ experience in technology commercialization, real estate development and economic development and as an infantry officer in the U.S. Army to help drive technology commercialization for the betterment of humankind.
He holds a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University Kelley School of Business, a JD from the Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, and a master’s in national security and strategy with distinction from the Naval War College. He is also a member of the Indiana National Guard. Pittman lives in Zionsville with his wife and four children.
Union of three companies creates market-leading platform for crop nutrition and grower support to empower U.S. farming communities
BW Fusion, an innovator in agricultural crop and soil nutrition; Biodyne, an environmental microbiology company; and Agronomy 365, a tech-enabled crop analytics and management program; today announced their merging to create an integrated platform under BW Fusion. The combined company will offer growers more effective and sustainable biologicals at every stage of the crop nutrition cycle. The transaction formalized a previous strategic alliance between the three companies and will accelerate product innovations and enhance grower support. Financial support for the transaction was provided by Bain Capital Double Impact, the impact investing arm of Bain Capital.
“We are excited to collaborate with the founders to create a complete solution that fuses leading agronomy, environmental microbiology, and grower-support to accelerate BW Fusion’s impact”
In 1989, Dr. Fred Farley, an esteemed microbiologist and plant physiologist founded Biodyne and began developing beneficial microbes for environmental stewardship and bioremediation. His research was applied to hundreds of plant and vegetation species, proving efficacy to reduce soil contamination and improve overall plant health. In 2012, seeing the promise of Dr. Farley’s work, Gil Farley and Tim Weir formed a new venture to commercialize Biodyne’s products. These efforts later led to a partnership with third-generation grower Grant Wells and the founding of BW Fusion in 2019 with a focus on row crops such as corn, soy and wheat. As BW Fusion expanded, a partnership with Jason Schley and Agronomy 365 was formed.
Going forward, BW Fusion will marry Biodyne’s 30+ years of biologicals research, Agronomy 365’s cutting-edge data and software tools, and BW Fusion’s product development, manufacturing and commercial expertise to support farming communities across the U.S. BW Fusion is poised to benefit from long-term secular tailwinds in agriculture and increasing demand for environmentally sustainable biological crop nutrition solutions.
“Our mission has always been to help growers improve crop productivity and long-term soil health. As farmers ourselves, we understand the importance of providing growers with the right data to make informed decisions. Through our partnership to date, it’s evident that leveraging our combined strengths supports growers with the resources they need at scale to improve farming methods and increase long term profits,” said Jason Schley, BW Fusion’s Chief Agronomist and Product Officer. “BW Fusion’s products are now used on over 1 million acres across the U.S., and we are excited to partner with Bain Capital Double Impact to continue supporting farming communities while simultaneously helping the environment win,” said Grant Wells, a Partner at BW Fusion.
“We are excited to collaborate with the founders to create a complete solution that fuses leading agronomy, environmental microbiology, and grower-support to accelerate BW Fusion’s impact” said Jacob Donnelly, a Partner at Bain Capital Double Impact. “Our investment in the BW Fusion platform reflects our strategy of partnering with mission-driven companies to help them scale and achieve greater climate and sustainability results.”
Financial terms of the private transaction were not disclosed.
AgriNovus Indiana, a nonprofit coalition focused on growing Indiana’s agbioscience economy, announced today changes to its board of directors.
The board unanimously approved the addition of Natasha Cox, regional vice president of agricultural lending at Farm Credit Mid-America, and Howard Halderman, president of Halderman Real Estate and Farm Management, to replace outgoing directors.
“We’ve set a bold vision to create the conditions and connections to grow Indiana’s agbioscience economy by $8 billion by the end of the decade,” said Mitch Frazier, president and CEO of AgriNovus Indiana. “Natasha and Howard provide even more strength to our Board of Directors and will be critical to guiding our work to make our bold ambition a reality.”
Cox is the regional vice president of agricultural lending at Farm Credit Mid-America, leading retail offices across Indiana and has served in various roles for the company throughout her career. She currently serves on the Indiana Corn Marketing Council Board of Directors, the Purdue Center for Commercial Ag Advisory Board, Indiana Certified Livestock Producers Advisory Board, Senator Braun’s Ag Advisory Committee, the Ag Alumni Seeds Board of Directors and Wabash Heartland Innovation Network Board of Directors. Cox received her bachelor of science degree in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University and was named Purdue Agriculture Distinguished Alumni in 2022.
Halderman, who will serve as the board representative of the Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, is the third-generation leader of one of the largest family-owned professional farm management and real estate organizations in the United States. Halderman Real Estate and Farm Management oversees farmland assets for over 1,100 clients in 19 states. He also serves as the chairman of the Honeywell Foundation Board, director for First Merchants Corporation and member of the Parkview Health Board of Directors. Halderman received his bachelor of science degree in Agricultural Economics from Purdue University.
The AgriNovus Indiana board of directors is comprised of leaders from industry, academia and government. All members are listed online at www.AgriNovusIndiana.com/Board.
IEDC releases third annual edition of Entrepreneurship Indiana yearbook featuring 100 stories of small business owners and the communities that support them
In honor of Indiana’s business owners and their impact on the state’s economy, Governor Eric J. Holcomb proclaimed this week (Nov. 18-22, 2024) Global Entrepreneurship Week in Indiana.
“Entrepreneurs have an immeasurable impact across our state every single day,” said Indiana Secretary of Commerce David Rosenberg. “I’m proud to honor the contributions to their communities and to set aside a week to celebrate their tremendous hard work. Entrepreneurs build the communities where people want to live, work and visit.”
Along with the announcement of Global Entrepreneurship Week, the IEDC released its third edition of Entrepreneurship Indiana. This entrepreneurial yearbook, published in partnership with PATTERN, honors the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and aims to inspire future founders and innovators. Past editions of the yearbook are available online and feature entrepreneurial success stories, highlighting the ambition, commitment and resilience of entrepreneurs of all backgrounds and industries across the state. Indiana will also host more than 100 Global Entrepreneurship Week events across the state, with more than 25 events happening in both Muncie and Bloomington.
Indiana is committed to investing in the growth and success of the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, which continues to inspire entrepreneurs, fuel new innovations, create quality jobs for Hoosiers and attract record levels of capital investment. Indiana ranks second among the Best States to Start a Business by Forbes and 11th in CNBC’s top places to do business.
Two years ago, the IEDC launched ConnectIND, a tool for current and future entrepreneurs, designed to connect founders with the right resources at the right time in their journey to start and grow a business. It is the first statewide listing of resources, programs and services for entrepreneurs. It provides visitors with curated connections to Indiana’s robust network of support organizations, mentors, accelerators, capital opportunities and more. So far, ConnectIND has curated over 62,000 sessions and site visitors, more than 1,900 registered users and 113,000+ site views.
The state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem has a significant impact on the state’s economy and its communities. Indiana’s youngest companies (under five years of age) account for most of the state’s net new job growth, creating more than 58,000 new jobs in 2022 which was 63% of the net new job growth. In 2021, Hoosier companies under five years of age contributed an estimated $11.5 billion to Indiana’s GDP. At the local level, one successful new company increases the median household income of surrounding households, driving community wellbeing.
America just elected a new president and many states just elected new chief executives and legislators. What does this time of transition mean for ag, for agbioscience and for entrepreneurs? Sara Wyant, farmer, editor and publisher of Agri-Pulse, joins today to help us understand what’s ahead.
Sarah gets into regulatory topics – from immigration to sustainability – and talks through what the industry might expect from a second Trump administration, its new players as well as Congress. She also talks innovation, removing barriers to market entry and what lawmakers have to get done in order for farmers to plan for their operations.
Sarah founded Agri-Pulse with the idea that someone should be telling the story of how policy affects the hard work of farmers and, ultimately, the food we consume. With eyes on the future, Sarah talks what’s ahead for Agri-Pulse and what issues her team has an eye on headed into a new era of leadership in our country.
Anu and ekō Solutions aim to provide sustainable, year-round food production without pesticides, preservatives
Anu™ (Heliponix LLC) has been awarded a $175,000 Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). The company is potentially eligible for a $600,000 Phase II SBIR from USDA NIFA.
Purdue University alumni Scott Massey and Ivan Ball co-founded anu, which has received financial support from the Purdue Research Foundation.
The grant will be used to develop and commercialize anu’s Pure Produce® Containers. Anu and commercial manufacturing licensee partner ekō Solutions, a subsidiary of Land Betterment Corp., aim to provide sustainable, year-round food production without pesticides or preservatives.
“The containers utilize anu’s proprietary Rotary Aeroponics® technology,” said Massey, anu’s CEO. “They provide a modular, compact solution for growing fresh produce effortlessly from compostable, Self-Nurturing™ Seed Pods. The pods contain all necessary nutrients for each individual plant.”
Massey said the USDA SBIR grant and support from the Applied Research Institute enable anu and ekō Solutions to develop climate-smart, efficient systems that deliver fresher food closer to consumers, minimizing food waste, water use and nutrient loss while reducing supply-chain emissions.
“We address food supply-chain inefficiencies where some vegetables are overproduced threefold due to distribution losses, leading to significant nutrient and flavor degradation by the time they reach consumers,” he said. “We empower communities to become self-sufficient, growing food locally without relying on distribution networks. Through Harvesting When Hungry™, we maximize freshness, nutrition, food safety and flavor, encouraging healthier diets while reducing waste.
“The food as medicine movement is gaining momentum, with insurers like Elevance (formerly Anthem) Health and Global Atlantic Financial Group supporting us through the AgriNovus HungerTech Challenge and the SBA SCORE Competition, respectively, as produce prescriptions gain rapid adoption.”
Innovative tech for a sustainable future
Massey said anu’s Rotary Aeroponics technology enables production of up to 3,920 plants in a 20-foot shipping container, the greatest yield density of any container farm in the market, offering yield densities more than 20 times greater than conventional agriculture. The technology integrates advanced LED systems and aeroponic misting to maximize efficiency and reduce resource usage, including a 90% reduction in water use compared to traditional methods.
“The USDA grant allows us to refine our modular system and expand our offerings into fruiting plants that have yet to achieve profitability within other modular, hydroponic containers,” he said. “The grant ensures our system remains an effective solution for urban, rural and remote settings, including military bases, schools, health care centers and community gardens.”Peter Rodriguez, president of ekō Solutions, said, “Our research and development focuses on maximizing yield, energy and labor efficiency in container-based farming and enabling profitable crop differentiation with fruiting varieties. Anu’s Rotary Aeroponic system consistently reduces infrastructure and supply-chain demands, making it a highly accessible and efficient solution. Our partnership accelerates this technology’s market entry, bringing high-impact results to modern agriculture.”
Pilot programs and community impact
Anu established the Pure Produce pilot container farm in Evansville to demonstrate the technology’s potential. Massey said it can yield several tons of produce annually.
“The system offers a full return on investment faster than the time needed to construct a traditional, centralized vertical farming facility,” he said. “It allows deployment in hours, with growth beginning within a day and harvesting within weeks. Surplus produce has been donated to local food desert relief groups.”
Workforce development is a topic that tops the list of policymakers and business leaders across the country; but true change in workforce development requires more than policy or curriculum. Field Atlas is an online career exploration platform, coupled with the power of on-campus peer ambassadors, to connect the future workforce to careers across food, animal health, plant science, agtech and agriculture. Today we are joined by Ball State University student and Field Atlas Ambassador, Rilynne Puckett, to talk careers, discovering agbioscience and to answer a big question: what are young people looking for in their professional lives?
Rilynne dives into her accidental discovery of agbiosciences via the Field Atlas Company Tours program and how she instantly saw herself applying a chemistry degree to the industry. She’s been connecting with her peers on campus to share the agbioscience story – and talks their reaction to the opportunities in front of them.
What are college students looking for as the enter the workforce? Rilynne gets into striving for purpose, doing something you love and making an impact on our world.
