Follow AURI and its continuing story of innovation through our podcast, publications, videos, press, and news releases.
At a glance Biodegradable plastic breaks down through microorganisms into water, carbon dioxide, and biomass, a different process than petroleum-based plastic that simply fragments over time. Read full summary ▾…
At a glance Biobased products added $489 billion to the U.S. economy in 2021, showing real opportunity for new agricultural products, but a market that size doesn’t guarantee any single…
At a glance A pilot plant tests a process at a scale between small lab experiments and full commercial production, generating the real data a business needs before committing to…
Held at the Minneapolis Convention Center, the expo brings together ingredient manufacturers, food companies, R&D staff, product developers, technical sales teams, processors, and innovation leaders. AURI will be at Booth…
AURI released a free online toolkit to help food and beverage businesses prepare for working with contract manufacturers. It includes templates, checklists, questionnaires, and step‑by‑step guidance. The toolkit helps businesses…
AURI’s support for Minnesota-grown crops is highlighted at the University of Minnesota’s 175th anniversary celebration through a new Golden Gopher ice cream flavor featuring aronia berries from Wright Farms. Paul…
Event showcases environmental benefits of applying a soy-based product to asphalt roof shingles CROOKSTON, Minn. (July 1, 2026) — The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) and the Minnesota Soybean Research…
Free online event on June 17 will overview how Minnesota can support cleaner global shipping CROOKSTON, Minn. (June 2, 2026) — The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) – a nonprofit…
Experts share ideas and insights to bolster Minnesota’s food and beverage industry The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI), a Minnesota nonprofit that assists several hundred food businesses and entrepreneurs each…
Strategic collaboration to support agricultural and bioindustrial applications of anaerobic digestion The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) and Swedish company BPC Instruments, a global provider of analytical instruments for biogas,…
Mary Hartman didn’t intend to be a pioneer in the horse feed industry; it just worked out that way, and it all began out of love for a horse. ‘I…
The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute is conducting a multifaceted study of the environmental and economic benefits of capturing and repurposing nutrients from agriculturally derived products. The study, in collaboration with…
Farmer-owned cooperatives have long been a foundational mechanism for Minnesota growers to work together for collective benefit. The first Minnesota farmer cooperatives date back to the 1890s. For 15 years,…
Years ago, Paul Benson sat down with his two sons for a conversation that would ultimately reshape not only his family’s future but the future of his hometown. A lifelong…
This issue of Ag Innovation News highlights AURI’s first-term Board Director, Rep. Paul Anderson. Rep. Anderson is a fourth-generation family farmer from Starbuck, Minnesota, and a graduate of the University…
AURI clients are a highly diverse mix of entities, ranging from farmers to entrepreneurial startups to legacy businesses expanding their offerings. Yet many share a common trait that drives them…
Free online event April 16 will share current research, pilot trial, and commercialization pathways CROOKSTON, Minn. (March 26, 2026) — The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) – a nonprofit organization…
Free online event March 18 explores how alfalfa could reshape its role in sustainable ag CROOKSTON, Minn. (February 25, 2026) — The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) – a nonprofit…
Brian Hansen of Scoular and Rep. Paul Anderson will serve on the 11-person board The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) – the Minnesota nonprofit organization that has helped Minnesota agribusinesses…
Nonprofit’s work also helped create and retain 686 jobs, further ag innovation across the state CROOKSTON, Minn. (January, 2026) — The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) continued its mission to…
To introduce more Minnesota farmers to the benefits of on-site anaerobic digesters, the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) published a new report, The Biogas Opportunity for Minnesota Farmers: A Business…
In June 2025, Charlie Lucas joined the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) as a senior food scientist. He co-leads AURI’s food innovation efforts across Minnesota’s value-added agricultural ecosystem. He supports…
A Minnesota company is finding market success using recaptured dairy ingredients for animal and human nutrition. After operating as Milk Specialties Global, the company, based in Eden Prairie, rebranded in…
The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) recently began working on a project to help protein businesses expand or relocate to Minnesota. Earlier this summer MBOLD and AURI launched the Protein…
Leading the way in renewable energy is nothing new for Minnesota, which for decades has been a pioneer in biofuels like ethanol, biodiesel, and, most recently, sustainable aviation fuel. The…
Ella VanKempen’s test plots at the West Central Research and Outreach Center (WCROC) in Morris, Minnesota, look a little different than most of the agricultural research locations around the state.…