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Ag Innovation News

Jul–Sep, 2002

Vol. 11, No. 3

This edition of Ag Innovation News was originally published in approximately July of 2002.

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As Webster puts it, innovation is the “introduction of something new.” Sounds simple enough, but being truly innovative is an arduous task. In business,
Detroit Lakes, Minn. — One of Minnesota’s premiere pet product companies was awarded the inaugural AURI Ag Innovator Award at a luncheon here June
Montrose, Minn. — Dan Conroy and Gary Sterner prefer to eat their barbecue bare naked. The two entrepreneurs market smoked pork ribs sans barbecue
Editor’s note: This is the third installment in a series exploring AURI services to Minnesota. The first segment surveyed AURI’s mission and projects; the
Got a new product? Let it prove itself. Todd Sisson, who manages AURI’s pilot plant in Crookston, runs trial batches of food and ag-based
Jack Johnson and Al Doering know how to use leftovers. Turning vegetable peels into fertilizer, wood fibers into mulch, and cow manure into electricity
Forget the fat-free craze. Max Norris likes fats and he likes oils. Not only are they essential to our diets (who hasn’t heard of
Morris, Minn. — A Minnesota ethanol company is making a new energy product, but it’s for cows, not cars. Golden Lyk, a subsidiary of
St. Paul, Minn. — In a typical week, Paul Hansen may field questions from Minnesota producers on organic potatoes, soybeans, livestock feed, dairy products,
New Prague, Minn. — Sometimes little things make the biggest differences. For Dave and Florence Minar, it was letting their cows eat grass. That
Crookston, Minn. — Keeping a close watch on a costly potato pest has saved growers up to $6 million so far, says Duane Maatz
Looking for ways to reduce on-farm pesticide applications, AURI’s PRO grant recipients will continue work begun in 2001 on a variety of agricultural products,
Antlers in demand Alberta rancher Don Bamber has built a second plant on his elk ranch to process antler powder into health products. Demand
What’s going on in world trade? If you’re running a business, work for a business involved in foreign markets, or just want to know
Cook, Minn. — Minnesota forestry and agricultural industries are helping the state’s steel industry process taconite. As an alternative to oil, natural gas and
Marshall, Minn. — When the state legislature passed a bill this spring requiring that biodiesel be blended with all diesel fuel sold in Minnesota,