AURI is proud to announce the fifth installment of the Agricultural Innovation Partnership (AIP) program. This program will help catalyze innovation, generate new ideas and support collaborative partnerships that advance Minnesota’s value-added agriculture industry.
Deliverables from the program include applied research studies, as well as guides or tools to aid private companies utilizing Minnesota’s agricultural products.
Applied research must answer specific, practical questions or explore ideas and technologies having practical business applications.
Guides or tools include research findings formatted and organized as resources for easy use by entrepreneurs and businesses.
AURI will consider proposals spanning the value-added agricultural sector, however proposals addressing the following topic areas are of particular interest:
- Economics of shared use commercial kitchens – best practices and creative opportunities
- A guide to life cycle analysis – a how-to on the basics and considerations for implementation for products using agricultural materials
- Opportunities for co-location of value-added agricultural facilities
- Sustainable solutions and innovative uses of animal hides including local utilization opportunities
- Reducing imports: opportunities for supplying value-added agriculture needs locally (onshoring)
- Non-feed uses for oilseed meals – viability at various price points
Information generated through the AIP program is public domain and shared broadly with the intent of helping producers, entrepreneurs, businesses and agricultural processors explore opportunities and technologies in the areas of biobased products, food, renewable energy and coproducts.
The deadline for submitting a proposal is January 31, 2022. For complete program criteria and information on how to submit a proposal, click here to download a copy of the AIP program guidelines.
For further information, contact AURI Senior Director of Commercialization, Jennifer Wagner-Lahr at jwagner@auri.org