AURI Project Development Director Dennis Timmerman will be among a contingent of Minnesota agriculture and business leaders heading overseas to identify new market opportunities for agricultural commodities and value-added products. AURI was asked by the Governor’s Office to participate in the upcoming trade trip to Korea to be a voice for value-added agriculture and processed agricultural goods.
Timmerman regularly works with commodity groups and farm organizations to identify trends in agricultural processing and advance the development of value-added agricultural products. He is also responsible for providing assistance to individual businesses and entrepreneurs while managing industry- wide research projects. Timmerman has been the point person for AURI on issues related to alternative feed rations, including low-oligosaccharide research, and biobased product development. 
Timmerman has been in production agriculture for over 35 years, operating a livestock and grain operation in southwestern Minnesota. He has also been involved in the formation of further processing cooperatives.
During the Korea trade trip, Timmerman will be exploring emerging markets for agricultural processing co-products and biobased materials. The trip will provide Timmerman an opportunity to learn firsthand about the Korean aquaculture market’s nutritional needs – a potential market for Minnesota commodities.
AURI would like to offer a special thank you to the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council and Minnesota Farmers Union for making participation in this trip possible, as well as Governor Dayton for the invitation to participate. The group leaves for Korea on September 25.
