Agbioscience

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393. Grain Ecosystem’s Jason Dodier on waste-to-value solutions + innovating to create growth for farmers, agbiosciences Oct 27, 2025

Show notes

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

392. Princeton University’s Sarah Glaven on growing the bioeconomy + finding critical alignment among policy, innovation + research Oct 20, 2025

Show notes

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

391. Eurofins’ Dave Riggs on balancing food innovation with the regulatory landscape + opportunities for creativity across the value chain Oct 13, 2025

Show notes

The intersection of innovation and regulatory – specifically when it comes to food is health – is a growing conversation. This week, we are joined by Dave Riggs, Business Cluster Unit President for Eurofins SFA, to talk laboratory science, consulting food brands around the world and health emerging as a trend on their minds. We get into:

The work his SFA team leads and who they aim to serve
How much food companies have to think about in product development and the risks that come up in a product’s life cycle in quality and safety standard aren’t met
How laboratory scientists approach their work like consultants to overcome challenges and drive big outcomes for food brands around the world
Food is Health making its way into the Eurofins labs and unintended consequences that have come alongside the movement
Balancing innovation and scientific discovery with an evolving regulatory landscape
Challenges and headwinds on the horizon for the food industry and how those create opportunities for creativity across the value chain
Dave’s advice to young talent considering science careers
What’s ahead for Eurofins

390. National FFA’s Scott Stump on developing future leaders, meeting industry needs + convening in Indianapolis for Convention Oct 06, 2025

Show notes

Developing and recruiting next generation talent is a critical topic for all industries and agbioscience leaders are no stranger to the conversation. This week, we are joined by National FFA CEO, Scott Stump, to examine how young leaders are developed, getting them engaged in agbioscience and looking ahead to the excitement that is October for National FFA in Indianapolis as their Convention and Expo looms near. We get into:

Scott’s story – from leading students in the ag classroom to leading the National FFA Organization
What the organization does and who it exists to serve
How Scott has seen the makeup of National FFA students evolve over his career – and how that’s changed the organization
What National FFA hears from industry partners on challenges they are facing in terms of workforce and talent development
How agriculture education will need to shift in the future to meet industry needs
The upcoming 98th National FFA Convention and Expo in Indianapolis, what to expect and why it’s important to unite to share ideas
What’s ahead for National FFA

389. AgriNovus' Christy Wright recaps September, examines Indiana's One Health opportunity + agtech startups on the move Sep 30, 2025

Show notes

AgriNovus CEO, Christy Wright, and Vice President, Libby Fritz, recap September with Cayla Chiddister and discuss the month's news, including additions to our team via our Field Atlas Ambassador program, our participation in the One Health Summit in Indianapolis and several industry stories to share.

Meet our Field Atlas Ambassadors
Read Christy's Food Dive Story
AgriNovus Partners with BioCrossroads and Elanco for the Life Sciences Summit 2025
Aaron Schacht to Speak at Life Sciences Summit 2025 | Watch Aaron Schacht - BiomEdit on Agbioscience
Keystone Cooperative's Kevin Still Announces Intention to Retire | Watch Kevin Still -- Keystone Cooperative on Agbioscience
SePro Corporation Announces Two Acquisitions
Insignum AgTech Raises $2.4M
Purdue Researchers Develop Rapid Test for HPAI
Integrated Dynamics (Velocity Winner) Awarded $245,000 from National Science Foundation for Phase 1 SBIR Grant
Field Atlas AMP Applications Now Open | Apply Here

388. NutriPop’s Ujaswin Jain + Audrey Chung on student entrepreneurship, food is health + innovating for an evolving, mindful consumer Sep 29, 2025

Show notes

As consumers shift their preferences toward healthier food options, there is ripe opportunity for innovators in the CPG snack market. This week, we are joined by NutriPop co-founders Ujaswin Jain and Audrey Chung to talk food is health, student entrepreneurship and seizing the moment. We get into:

How the NutriPop team came together on the campus of the University of Notre Dame
What popped water lily seeds are and how they become a nutritious snack
The company’s participation in AgriNovus’ Velocity accelerator and how that experienced helped drive NutriPop forward in 2025
After winning the Food is Health track for Velocity, NutriPop’s successes, wins and momentum on market
NutriPop’s differentiation and what makes them unique in the food is health space
The tough realities of the CPG market and why they chose to enter as entrepreneurs
Advice they would offer to young student entrepreneurs heading down a similar path
What’s ahead for NutriPop

387. BiomEdit’s Aaron Schacht on innovation pipeline, approaching scientific discovery + developing “and” solutions in animal health Sep 22, 2025

Show notes

From innovation pipeline movement to Series B funding, leadership changes and so much more, BiomEdit is on the move. This week, CEO Aaron Schacht joins Agbioscience to talk scientific discovery, artificial intelligence, creating “and” solutions and how he approaches adding to his team in a meaningful way. Highlights include:

An overview of BiomEdit’s innovation pipeline and what has Aaron most excited right now
Optavant – BE-101 – and its movement through the USDA regulatory process, what the technology is designed to do and its benefit to the poultry industry
Creating solutions that establish certainty for producers – having the economics make sense to where they can realize the full genetic potential of the animal
Finding the right messages to connect consumers to straightforward understanding of how their food is produced and why these innovations are so important for them
How the BiomEdit team approaches scientific discovery
The company’s latest Series B fundriase -- $18.4 M – and what it will enable the company to do
New leadership additions and how they add not only competencies, but culture to the BiomEdit team
Aaron’s vision for the continued opportunity to marry the AI-driven predictive analysis with scientific discovery to drive this work forward – and some incredible updates for their team in this space
What’s ahead for BiomEdit

386. NanoBio Designs’ Ryan Skaar on IndyStix, innovating for confidence in the value chain + winning AgriNovus Velocity Sep 15, 2025

Show notes

The global GMO testing market was valued at $3.9 billion in 2021, and is projected to reach $6.2 billion by 2031. With current processes costing time and money, there is a massive opportunity for innovation in genetic detection that benefits grain distributors, seed suppliers and ultimately – the farmer and consumer. Today we are joined by Ryan Skaar, COO of NanoBio Designs, to talk their platform technology and winning AgriNovus’ Velocity accelerator. We get into:

What NanoBio Designs does and who they exist to serve through their technology
How the company has evolved since locating their headquarters to Indianapolis in 2022
Why they chose Indiana, its entrepreneurial resources and connections, as home base
Their technology, IndyStix, and its differentiation from other genetic testing technologies on the market
What winning the AgriNovus Velocity accelerator did for NanoBio Designs as a company and what they’ve done post-win to build momentum
How IndyStix creates confidence for the entire value chain
What Ryan sees as NanoBio Designs’ biggest opportunities for the future
The company’s pilot that’s currently running and its end goal
What’s ahead for the company

385. CountryMark’s Matt Smorch on their $100M expansion + Indiana’s 1st commercially available renewable diesel fuel production facility Sep 08, 2025

Show notes

Indiana is now home to a commercially available renewable diesel fuel production facility after CountryMark cut the ribbon on its $100 million plus refinery upgrade in Mount Vernon. With new production capabilities and a new market for Indiana soybean farmers, we are joined by CountryMark CEO Matt Smorch to talk about the expansion and what lies ahead. We get into it:

The company’s innovation portfolio and what they bring to the energy market
How biofuels have evolved in recent years – from policy driving change to sustainable aviation fuel
Ag and oil coming together to drive outcomes on policy
The $100 million investment in the Mount Vernon facility and how it positions them for the future
The benefits of co-processed renewable diesel
Why they chose to make this investment right now
What’s ahead for CountryMark

384. Cora Rodibaugh on 10 years of 4-H leadership, next generation agbioscience talent + being a peer influence for the industry Sep 01, 2025

Show notes

Young leaders are born in the show rings of 4-H fairs and Cora Rodibaugh knows that story well. This week, the 10-year 4-H'er sits down with Indiana Farm Bureau’s Annie Romine to recap her career, talk about her love of pigs and the skills she’s acquired along the way that have her equipped her for the future. She also shares what’s ahead for her as she takes off for Purdue University to start the fall semester.

Indiana Farm Bureau is dedicated to supporting youth in agriculture. There are several opportunities for youth to be involved in INFB, with scholarships for graduating seniors and college students; Collegiate Farm Bureau chapters at Purdue, Huntington and Vincennes universities; FFA advocacy days and trainings; grants for FFA chapters and 4-H clubs; and leadership development events, competitions, awards and conferences. INFB also serves as presenting sponsor of the Exhibitor Experience for livestock exhibitors and all showmanship contests at the Indiana State Fair. You can learn more at infb.org/YFAP.

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