Agbioscience

A Purdue researcher has received $1.4 million in funding for his groundbreaking work to produce a biosensor-based decision-making tool that will combat bovine respiratory disease. On this week's special episode, AgriNovus CEO Mitch Frazier is joined by Dr. Mohit Verma at Purdue University to talk about innovation in animal health and nutrition, its correlation to human health and bringing ideas to market.

Many innovations in agtech come down this principle: how can we do more with less and protect our natural resources? On this week's episode, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business, is joined by Joe McGuire, CEO of Pure Green Farms, to talk all things indoor hydroponic farming. The conversation dives into the control capabilities that a high-tech indoor facility allows for maximum output, scaling up and choosing South Bend as their home location.

Employers in the agbioscience sector now have the opportunity to reach high-level talent through the AgriNovus Indiana job board, released this week. In partnership with ISDA and Farm Credit Mid-America, the job board connects from early career to senior level talent to opportunities available in Indiana and with Indiana-based agbiosciences companies. On this week's episode of the podcast, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business is joined by Melissa Rekeweg, Senior Director of Talent for AgriNovus Indiana. They talk about industry feedback and needs that led to the job board's creation and how this will better connect employers with core and allied talent in the agbiosciences.

We put gen-z on a panel and asking them what you REALLY want to know: what are you looking for in an employer? Field Atlas manager, Skylar Clingan, hosts two of our Field Atlas ambassadors - Emily Miller (University of Southern Indiana) and Maranda Elswick (Purdue University) - to tackle everything from where gen-z is searching for their jobs to the difficulties of navigating a career search in a COVID world.

While normally foe in the athletic arena, these two schools are teaming up for something big. On this week's episode of the podcast, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business, is joined by Miki Pike Hamstra, Assistant Dean of Graduate Programs at IU McKinney School of Law, and Nicole Olynk Widmar, Professor of Ag Economics, Associate Department Head and Graduate Chair at Purdue's School of Agriculture, to talk about the recent collaboration between the two schools: a joint ag law degree. They speak to the where, why and how and what might be ahead for future collaboration between the two schools.

Field Atlas ambassadors are the agbioscience voice on campus, connecting their peers to opportunities and careers in a sector that many had no idea even existed. On this week's episode of the podcast, Cayla Chiddister from AgriNovus is joined by Samantha Worden, a Field Atlas ambassador and student at Butler University. Samantha talks about breaking the family cycle of working in healthcare, becoming an ambassador and showing Butler students what the agbiosciences are all about.

A recent report released by USDA and Purdue University shows strong opportunity for college graduates pursuing careers in agbioscience. On this week's episode of the podcast, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business is joined by Marcos Fernandez, Professor of Animal Sciences at Purdue University, to talk about the report's findings and what's ahead for careers in the sector. Read more about the 2020 report here: https://agrinovusindiana.com/2021/03/12/usda-employment-study-shows-strong-outlook-for-college-graduates-interested-in-agbioscience/

By the time Steve Booher founded Smart Guided Systems, he had already launched and sold four other businesses. On this week's episode of the podcast, the serial entrepreneur is joined alongside his new CEO, Jerry Johnson, to talk their intelligent spray control system - Smart-Apply. Steve and Jerry talk with Gerry Dick at Inside INdiana Business about serving the grower, sustainability and their recent partnership with global equipment powerhouse, John Deere.

When Morgan Sparks became a Field Atlas Ambassador, she knew she would be helping other students connect to careers in agbioscience. What she maybe didn't expect, though, is that her career search would change as well. On this week's episode of the podcast, Morgan talks with Gerry Dick at Inside INdiana Business about her semester in the Field Atlas Ambassador program, how the platform is helping students connect to agbioscience careers and the current job market from the perspective of a college student beginning their search.

Purdue University was named 3rd nationally in startup creation by IP Watchdog Institute last year, and in the words of Wade Lange, Chief Entrepreneurial Officer of Purdue Research Foundation and Purdue Foundry, there is the potential to do more. On this week's episode, Wade sits down with Gerry Dick at Inside INdiana Business to talk innovation in the agbiosciences, the state's need for young entrepreneurial talent and what resources are lacking for startups in Indiana.

There's a new kid in town and they brought their robots with them. On this week's episode of the podcast, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business is joined by Mike DiPaola, North American general manager and vice president of sales for Taranis. They talk about the company's choice to relocate global headquarters to Indiana, their precision scouting AI technology and where the future of agtech is quickly headed.

What if college you had the opportunity to go back and start your higher education in step with a professional development internship program? Not just one that locks you into a career that you'll do for life, but helps you diversify and discover all of your opportunities? What if you had that internship for your entire college career? On this week's episode, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business is joined by Clayton Michael-Butler with AgReliant Genetics as the two discuss their brand new Seed Academy - a three-tier learning and development program designed to connect first-year college students to careers in agbioscience.

Food waste is a global issue -- the United Nations reports $1 trillion in wasted food across the world annually. On this week's episode, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business is joined by Rian Mc Donnell, CEO of Flowaste, to talk agtech as a solution to reform our food's supply chain. Rian talks about his time at Notre Dame and launching his business here in Indiana. Flowaste recently completed a $270k round of pre-seed funding. Learn more about that here: https://agrinovusindiana.com/2021/03/02/flowaste-secures-270k-pre-seed-funding-round-led-by-plug-and-play-ventures/

This week Inside INdiana Business Host Gerry Dick sits down for a one-on-one discussion with Gleaners Food Bank CFO/COO Joe Slater.

This week Inside INdiana Business Host Gerry Dick sits down with University of Notre Dame students and Field Atlas Ambassadors Kyle Walker and Katherine Urasky.

Inside INdiana Business host Gerry Dick sits down for a discussion with Paul Ousterhout and Keith Hoeing of the Benton Group. The pair won AgriNovus Indiana's Producer-Led Innovation Challenge.

This week Inside INdiana Business Host Gerry Dick sits down with Cheri De Jong of Natural Prairie Dairy.

This week we have a special discussion for our podcast from the Ernst and Young + AgriNovus COVID-19 Moderated Discussion. AgriNovus Indiana President + CEO Mitch Frazier leads the discussion with Jayson Lusk, Distinguished Professor and Head of the Department of Agricultural Economics at Purdue University and Brian Bourquard, Senior Director at E-Y-Parthenon, Food and Agriculture Strategy.

From plant to final product, students at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology are rolling up their sleeves in the school's first semester offering of a food chemistry course. On this week's episode of the podcast, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business is joined by Luanne Tilstra of Rose-Hulman to talk about the course's popularity, the curriculum and how this offering applies to the every day life of a college student who wants to work in STEM upon graduation. Luanne also talks about her role in the launch of The Center for Diversity and Inclusion, actively promoting diversity on campus and how far Rose-Hulman has come since she started as a professor in 1992 - before the school was co-ed.

AgriNovus Indiana recently released a new report, Innovative Agbioscience in Indiana: 2020 Assessment, showing the sector contributes $39 billion to the state economy. This week's special episode features Mitch Frazier, president + CEO, of AgriNovus Indiana with Simon Tripp and Deborah Cummings of TEConomy Partners. Read the full report here: https://agrinovusindiana.com/research/

There has been an uptick in entrepreneurial activity this year, paving the way for more startup creation and collaboration in the agbiosciences. On this week’s episode of the podcast, gBeta Indy’s Geoff Zentz joins Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business to talk about the organization's Agbioscience Cohort. Interested in learning more about the 2020 startups participating in the accelerator? Join us for Pitch night on Friday, 11/20: - https://live.remo.co/e/gbeta-agbio-science-and-indy-vir/register

As the agbioscience sector routinely introduces new innovations, the question should always be asked: is this solving a real problem for producers? Or does it create a problem that’s only solved by new innovation? On this week’s episode of the podcast, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business talks with Andy Tauer at Indiana Farm Bureau about the ongoing Producer-Led Innovation Challenge with AgriNovus Indiana, Indiana Corn Marketing Council and Indiana Soybean Alliance. Learn more here: http://bit.ly/ProducerLedPod

While in college, Adrienne Woodward could have sworn her career would lead her down an equestrian path. On this week’s episode of the podcast, Adrienne joins Gerry Dick at Inside INdiana Business to talk about her present-day career path at United Animal Health where she works with an entirely different species: swine. Adrienne is a featured nutritionist on our career profiles section of Field Atlas – a career exploration platform designed to connect high-school and college students to the diverse opportunities in agbioscience. Learn more here: http://bit.ly/FA-Nutritionist

Along with most other large events in 2020, the National FFA Convention is providing a virtual experience in lieu of its otherwise massive annual event in downtown Indianapolis. On this week’s episode of the podcast, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business sits down with Blaze Currie at National FFA to talk about this year’s convention and Blue Room.

AgriNovus Indiana recently wrapped its 3-week Hackathon series with Forbes. Among those involved was High Alpha Innovation, and CEO Elliott Parker joins Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business on this week’s episode to talk about the experience. Elliott also talks about innovative environments, Indiana’s unique opportunity to be a global leader in agtech and what young entrepreneurs need to be doing now to set themselves up for success.

In a time where life has slowed drastically in some aspects, research at Indiana University is as busy as ever. And while you might think of business, informatics or medicine when it comes to their expertise, the university is hard at work in the agbioscience space, as well. On this week’s episode of the podcast, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business talks with Fred Cate, VP of Research for Indiana University. They talk innovation in the COVID-19 era, research collaboration among businesses and universities in Indiana and what IU is working on to directly help farmers with efficiency, actionable decision-making and environmental change.

It’s episode 100! This week, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business is joined by Melissa Rekeweg, senior director of talent for AgriNovus Indiana, to talk all things Field Atlas – a career exploration platform launched in September that connects high school and college students to careers in the agiosciences. Learn more about Field Atlas: www.myfieldatlas.com.

This month, AgriNovus and IEDC team up with the Forbes Under 30 List and leaders in Indiana’s agbioscience sector to create disruption and new ideas that will transform the industry. Gerry Dick from Inside INdiana Business talks with Shauna Haras and Sherry Phillips with Forbes on the Forbes AgTech+ Under 30 Hackathon. The three-weekend event is designed to address issues related to 1) a fragile supply chain exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, 2) the intersection of human and animal health and 3) farm-to-fork sustainability. Learn more about the Hackathon here: https://www.forbes.com/connect/event/forbes-agtech-hackathon-weekend1/

The largest rural broadband testbed in the nation is in the early phases of development here in Indiana. Johnny Park makes a necessary comeback on the podcast this week to talk with Gerry Dick at Inside INdiana Business about WHIN’s efforts to bring the “I” in IoT to the organization’s 10-county region. Johnny also speaks on AgriNovus Indiana’s upcoming Producer-Led Innovation Challenge and his role as a mentor for competing teams. Interested in helping farmers solve critical software needs? Sign up by Friday, September 25. The winning team takes home $25,000 from Purdue Foundry. Visit https://www.agrinovusindiana.com/challenge/.

On this bonus episode of the podcast, Mike Langellier, president + CEO of TechPoint, talks with Mitch Frazier, president + CEO of AgriNovus, about the Producer-Led Innovation Challenge and the big opportunity it presents to Indiana's tech pioneers - starting with $25,000 from Purdue Foundry. Indiana's agbioscience industry needs help to solve critical needs related to farm management software. Listen to hear more and register your team by Friday, September 25. https://www.agrinovusindiana.com/challenge/

Indiana's agbioscience industry is calling on tech pioneers to solve its most pressing issues with farm management software. The prize? $25,000 from Purdue Foundry. Deadline to register is September 25: https://www.agrinovusindiana.com/challenge/ On this week’s episode of the podcast, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business welcomes Courtney Kingery, CEO of Indiana Corn and Soybean, and Paul Hodgen, an Indiana producer, to talk about the first ever Producer-Led Innovation Challenge – where best-in-class producers team up with pioneers in Indiana’s tech sector for unseen collaboration between two of our state's thriving industries.

This week Inside INdiana Business Host Gerry Dick sits down with Kay Kuenker, CEO of Advanced Agrilytics. Innovation in the agbiosciences ultimately enables producers to make the best decisions for their operations based on the findings that technology provides them. On this episode of the podcast, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business sits down with Kay Kuenker, CEO of Advanced Agrilytics, and long-time lover of mathematics. Kay talks about the company’s unique approach to innovation, finding great talent as the company grows and taking on a leadership role at Advanced Agrilytics at the very start of COVID-19.

Coffee runs and calendar coordination might have their place in some internships, but the agbiosciences believe in hands-on experience right out of the gate. On this week’s episode of the podcast, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business talks with Maggie Mulligan, an undergraduate research intern at Purdue University’s Animal Science Department. Maggie talks about her lifelong love of animals leading her down the veterinary path and how her summer experience, working directly with animals and in research labs, is shaping her to be a better young professional after graduation.

Ag Alumni Seed recently announced the discovery of dhurrin-free sorghum in their research efforts at Purdue University. On this week’s episode of the podcast, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business is joined by Jay Hulbert of Ag Alumni Seed and Mitch Tuinstra of Purdue University to walk through the research process, how new products come to market and the importance of this finding for farmers in the sorghum belt.

Talent and workforce development remains at the forefront of big needs for agbioscience employers. Gerry Dick sits down with Andrea Schwartz of Ivy Tech on this week’s episode of the podcast. They talk about the school’s efforts to keep Indiana high school students in-state for their higher education path, their partnership with Purdue University and connecting youth with the many opportunities inside of the state’s agbioscience space.

Among the many challenges presented to companies this summer, navigating internship programs is one of them. AgriNovus Indiana welcomed two new interns in May who have navigated the world of Zoom and work-from-home right out of the gate. This week, Gerry Dick with Inside INdiana Business is joined by Allie Decker and Carson Canfield, summer interns for AgriNovus. They talk about youth finding agbiosciences and necessary tools coming for future generations to discover the breadth of career opportunities in this industry.

Indiana has come a long way in the 22 years since Gerry Dick launched Inside INdiana Business and the agbioscience industry has been a leader in that evolution. This week, AgriNovus puts Gerry on the other side of the interview for a two-year anniversary celebration episode of the podcast. Gerry dives into Indiana’s economic history and the growth of our state’s agbioscience sector. He also talks about the importance of talent, Indiana’s high-performing academic institutions and the future of a fast-growing industry that’s solving critical world problems.

In a time of pivotal discussion on equality, leaders across different industries are examining diversity and inclusion in their cultures. Zachary Brown is the National Graduate Student President of MANRRS and a doctoral student at Purdue University. He joins Gerry Dick from Inside INdiana Business on this week’s episode of the podcast to talk diversity, the agbioscience industry and a nationwide organization with a mission to connect minorities to careers in the sector. MANRRS: Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences is a national organization that promotes academic and professional advancement by empowering minorities in agriculture, natural resources and related sciences. Visit manrrs.org for more information.

A new era begins at AgriNovus Indiana as the organization welcomes its new President + CEO, Mitch Frazier. On this week’s episode of the podcast, Gerry Dick with Inside Indiana Business sits down with Mitch to talk about his vision for the organization and Indiana’s potential as an agbioscience powerhouse. Plenty of power is needed to meet the food demands of the future. In this episode, Mitch examines challenges that lie ahead: producer profitability, a vulnerable supply chain and weaknesses in our food supply in a COVID-19 world and beyond. How do we fix these problems and feed a growing world? Look no further than the resources + expertise in Indiana to create solutions and shape a more sustainable future.

During this era of deeming industries as “essential” business, agriculture nears the top of operations that must keep going despite a pandemic. To feed the world in an unprecedented time takes a special workforce with a heart for people and a need to serve. Gerry Dick with Inside Indiana Business is joined by Natasha Cox, vice president at Farm Credit Mid-America, on this week’s episode of the podcast. Natasha dives into Indiana’s pool of talent in the agbiosciences and how an operation as big as Farm Credit Mid-America needs a diverse workforce to be at its best. With only six million people in the Hoosier state, she talks the importance of keeping in-state talent here at home and forging a career path in agbiosciences to make a difference.

This week Inside INdiana Business Host Gerry Dick is joined by Mark Walton, Chief Technology Officer, AquaBounty. Between 80 and 90-percent of fish consumed in the United States is imported and most of that is a product of aquaculture, otherwise known as fish farming. On this week’s episode of the podcast, Gerry Dick with Inside Indiana Business is joined by Mark Walton, Chief Technology Officer at AquaBounty Technologies. Based in Maynard, Massaschusetts, the company also has a production facility in Albany, Indiana. Mark talks innovation as key to their mission and AquaBounty’s opportunity to provide an abundant supply of fresh, reliable salmon using a smaller footprint. Setting up shop in locations like Indiana are critical, too, as they allow for a quick turn on harvest and delivery to many major U.S. population centers. There is growth ahead for AquaBounty – find out if Indiana is on their radar.

This week Inside INdiana Business Host Gerry Dick is joined by Molly Grotjan, Corteva Intern and Purdue University Student. The COVID-19 pandemic has agbioscience companies still working with their summer internship programs, albeit with modified circumstances, rather than having the in-office experience. That’s not stopped Molly Grotjan, Corteva intern and Purdue University student, from getting acclimated with her summer opportunity and making the most of her time with the Corteva team. Gerry Dick of Inside Indiana Business chats with Molly as we dive into episode one of our Summer Intern Mini Series. With offers to attend out-of-state land grand universities, Molly set out to research the best fit for her education and future career path. She was then asked the question: where do you want your community to be? Her answer to that has served as a guidepost for choosing Indiana as her home and embracing all of the opportunities the Hoosier state brings. Molly talks about her summer experience at Corteva, life after Purdue and how young people can navigate through the many opportunities Indiana’s agbioscience sector has to offer.

The global population continues to rise, creating critical challenges for our planet’s future. Atop that list is the subject of hunger and how farmers are going to feed more people than ever while using less land and resources to provide a safe and sustainable food supply. Susan Martino-Catt, VP of Product Development at Inari, sits down with Gerry Dick from Inside Indiana Business on this week’s episode to discuss some of the industry’s biggest plant biology challenges that have to be solved to accommodate future demands for food. Based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Susan talks about Inari’s growth into Purdue Research Park in West Lafayette and the unique position that has created for collaboration, growth, and proximity to world-class talent in the agbiosciences.

In a world filled with consumption of poultry, swine and dairy products, there has been an uptick in consumer questions regarding animal health and safety in recent years. To get all of those answers, you must start at the beginning. And look no further than United Animal Health, located in Sheridan, Indiana, to lead the way. On this week’s episode, Gerry Dick with Inside Indiana Business is joined by Joel Spencer, Director of Customer Innovation, for United Animal Health. Joel discusses the vital role that animal health plays in our daily human lives, passion coming first as qualification for a career in their industry and their Promise for Protein initiative at UAH – using their resources to provide protein to food banks across Indiana.

Purdue University is home to a mountain of research spanning a broad portfolio inclusive of agriculture, science, engineering, technology and much more. Those capabilities come loaded with a responsibility to identify areas for collaboration across their research enterprise as well as opportunities for corporate, state and federal partnership. Where does the research being done at Purdue University best apply in order to have a material impact on our world? That tall order falls into the hands of Theresa Mayer, Vice President for Research and Partnerships at Purdue University, who joins Gerry Dick from Inside Indiana Business on this week’s episode of the podcast. Theresa gets candid about coming home to Purdue to work under Mitch Daniels, her great sense of responsibility toward making a difference and her passion and insistence that young women get involved with STEM careers early in their education.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has left consumers wanting more from their trip to the grocery store. With disruptions in the food supply chain, how will consumer habits shift both now and in the future? And how will agtech accommodate the change? Inside Indiana Business host Gerry Dick sits down with Nick Carter, CEO and Founder of Market Wagon, as they discuss a new wave in the grocery e-commerce business: the online farmers market. With Market Wagon’s continual growth and expansion, Nick talks the convergence of tech, logistics and local food, and being an entrepreneur who pivoted into his passion.

This week Inside INdiana Business Host Gerry Dick is joined by Ronda Hamm, Global Academic Relations, Corteva.

This week Inside INdiana Business Host Gerry Dick is joined by Mason Gordon, Purdue University student.

This week Inside INdiana Business Host Gerry Dick is joined by David Roberts, Chief Innovation Officer, Indiana Economic Development Corporation.

This week Inside INdiana Business Host Gerry Dick is joined Patty Martin CEO of BioCrossroads.