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New Uses Forum explores value-added ag opportunities

Developing value added opportunities in agriculture is the focus of a conference in Minneapolis Tuesday.

The theme of the Minnesota Agricultural Utilization Research Institute’s New Uses Forum is intersecting innovation and investment in food and agriculture.

AURI executive director Shannon Schlecht tells Brownfield there’s potential in fermentation.

“Just looking at what are these other opportunities around using circular approaches and agricultural feedstocks into high-value molecules or different feed ingredients or supplements.”

He says developing new uses for ag products helps solidify the farm economy.

“I’m always amazed (by) the innovative spirit that we have in our producers. Not all of them want to do value-added agriculture, but for those that do we’d love to work with them and see how we can just make those initial steps to get them to the marketplace to diversify their risk, diversify their markets, and create some different opportunities for them.”