Ag Innovation Update-July 2017
Seeing Around Corners: AURI's Dust Busters

AURI's "dust-busters" are looking for ways to get rid of nuisance dust from seed treatments.

Many crop seeds are planted with a thin, multi-layer coating of pesticides, called a seed treatment. Seed treatments protect young plants from fungal diseases and early-season insect pests. For many Minnesota crops - corn, soybeans, cereal grains, potatoes - seed treatments are essential for good yields. Seed treatments can also cut the need for later foliar pesticide applications.

AURI's Food Research and Development Lab

Located in AURI's Marshall Facilities on the Southwest Minnesota State University campus, the food research and development lab is a unique resource for entrepreneurs and small food businesses throughout Minnesota. The goal of AURI's Food Focus Area is to support the organization's mission: to foster long-term economic benefit for Minnesota through value added agricultural products. AURI's Food Focus area partners with food businesses and entrepreneurs to bring ideas to reality. It provides a broad range of services including hands-on technical assistance, and a targeted network of resources to assist in the development of value added products created from Minnesota based crops/ingredients.
Biobased is the Future of Footwear

Popular shoe brand, Reebok, plans to bring footwear made from corn and organic cotton to the market later this year. The new shoes, which will use cotton on the upper portion and a base originating from field corn, will be the launch  product for its new Cotton + Corn initiative.

Head of Reebok Future Bill McInnis says this is just the first step in using materials that grow and are renewable, rather than the petroleum-based materials commonly used today.
He adds the bio-based footwear is compostable after use. The shoe and apparel company is collaborating with DuPont Tate & Lyle Bio Products to manufacture a pure, petroleum free,
non-toxic, 100 percent USDA certified bio-based product derived from field corn. Reebok president Matt O'Toole says their philosophy is to be more human, and sustainability is a core part of that belief.

AURI Notes

Upcoming events 
  • Farmfest August 1-3, 2017
  • Alternative Protein Roundtable August 22
  • Minnesota Renewable Energy Roundtable, August 23
  • Food Industry Thought Leaders August 31 
Ag Innovation News: Subscribe Today!

Where do you go to learn about the latest news about renewable energy, coproducts, biobased products and food science? If your answer didn't include the Ag Innovation Newspaper, then you have been missing out on important updates from around Minnesota. Contact us today at news@auri.org to get your free, quarterly subscription to AURI's official publication. Each issue contains useful and interesting information, like:
  • News from Minnesota's ag industry
  • Updates on the latest technology and idea implementation
  • Information on how AURI is fostering economic benefits for the state
  • A special column from the Executive Director
Agricultural Utilization Research Institute | 800.279.5010  | auri.org

Foster long-term economic benefit for Minnesota through value-added agricultural products.
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