For more than a decade, AURI has recognized businesses and entrepreneurs who have excelled in innovation with its Ag Innovator of the Year Award.
Ag Innovator of the Year Delivers Sustainability
The explosion in e-commerce means Americans receive more home deliveries than ever and that trend shows no signs of slowing. According to Statista, over 20 billion packages were delivered in the U.S. in 2020, which was an increase of 37 percent from 2019. The average American receives 21 home-delivered parcels each year, according to data… Continue Reading Ag Innovator of the Year Delivers Sustainability
Ag Innovator of the Year: Determined to Innovate
Milk Specialties Global is an Eden Prairie-based dairy processing company that develops high-quality nutritional ingredients for livestock producers, as well as milk and whey protein ingredients for human nutrition and functional foods. Continue Reading Ag Innovator of the Year: Determined to Innovate
Pierz Company Chosen for Annual AURI Award: A Sunny Future for Smude Oil
The path to commercial success is rarely linear. Instead, it’s often chock full of twists, turns and unexpected challenges, something to which Tom and Jenni Smude can likely attest. The Smudes, who own Smude Enterprises, makers of Smude’s Sunflower Oil, have turned necessity into a thriving business that is being recognized as AURI’s 2018 Ag… Continue Reading Pierz Company Chosen for Annual AURI Award: A Sunny Future for Smude Oil
AURI Names Chippewa Valley Ethanol Coop Ag Innovator of the Year
The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI), named The Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company (CVEC) of Benson, Minn., its 2017 Ag Innovator of the Year. The award, which has been given annually for the past 15 years, will be accepted by CVEC Board Chair, David Thompson and General Manager Chad Friese at the company’s Board meeting on… Continue Reading AURI Names Chippewa Valley Ethanol Coop Ag Innovator of the Year
AURI Names Kay’s Naturals as 2016 Ag Innovator of the Year
Each year for more than a decade, the AURI Board of Directors bestows the Ag Innovator of the Year Award, its highest honor, on the client company or entrepreneur it feels created a major impact in the areas of product innovation, uniqueness and commercialization potential. This year AURI was pleased to name Kay's Naturals as the Ag Innovator of the Year. Continue Reading AURI Names Kay’s Naturals as 2016 Ag Innovator of the Year
2015 Ag Innovator of the year: EarthClean Corporation
The EarthClean Corporation is being honored in 2014 for their work in creating an environmentally friendly fire suppressant using corn and soybeans. The company creates TetraKO, a biodegradable water enhancer that changes plain water into an adhering gel that knocks down fires faster than water or foam—without harming the environment or wildlife. TetraKO also increases… Continue Reading 2015 Ag Innovator of the year: EarthClean Corporation
2013 Ag Innovator of the year: Protein Resources, LLC
Soybean meal, while an excellent animal feed, still can’t be fed to a whole range of animals as soluble sugars in soybean meal are very disruptive to the digestive tract of baby pigs and carnivorous fish, in particular. That’s where Protein Resources, LLC, saw an opportunity to innovate and provide a feed ingredient that the… Continue Reading 2013 Ag Innovator of the year: Protein Resources, LLC
BioPlastic Solutions Named Ag Innovator of the Year
Bio-Plastic Solutions, a Blooming Prairie, Minnesota, company, was named Ag Innovator of the Year by the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI). The Ag Innovator Award is a recognition AURI began in 2002 to honor clients who have contributed to the economy and helped grow value-added agriculture in Minnesota by creating new products or processes using… Continue Reading BioPlastic Solutions Named Ag Innovator of the Year
2011 Ag Innovator of the Year: North American Fertilizer
FibroMinn burns about 700,000 tons of poultry litter collected from local farmers to produce 55 megawatts of power. The ash from the plant travels a 500-foot conveyer over to North American Fertilizer. Once there, North American Fertilizer takes the ash—which already contains a rich, well-balanced package of macro and micro nutrients—and processes it into fertilizer.… Continue Reading 2011 Ag Innovator of the Year: North American Fertilizer
2010 Ag Innovator of the Year: Suntava
Twin Cities-based Suntava regards its proprietary hybrids of purple corn as a treasure trove of healthful food ingredients, from a natural red colorant, to milled components for everything from snack bars to cereals. The company also has plans to announce a groundbreaking neutraceutical. “The key ingredient in our purple corn is anthocyanin, which is both… Continue Reading 2010 Ag Innovator of the Year: Suntava
2009 Ag Innovator of the Year: Alternative Energy Solutions
Diversification is clearly a deeply held value at the Kreidermacher Farm in Altura, Minnesota. The farm is home to a heritage hog operation, a greenhouse/nursery retail company and a biomass energy pellet manufacturer. AURI recognized the pellet business, Alternative Energy Solutions, for being a pioneer in renewable home and commercial heating. Owned by siblings Eric,… Continue Reading 2009 Ag Innovator of the Year: Alternative Energy Solutions
2008 Ag Innovator of the Year: Northern Excellence Seed
Grass grows well in northwestern Minnesota. Being a turf seed producer like Northern Excellence Seed still means being choosy, though. It rejects about 20 percent of the seeds coming through its plant for conditioning. Instead of treating this biomass as waste, Northern Excellence became excited by the promise of biomass gasification as a form of… Continue Reading 2008 Ag Innovator of the Year: Northern Excellence Seed
2007 Ag Innovator of the Year: USA Solutions
“I was in the hog business for 25 years before launching USA Solutions,” remembers Darryl Metcalfe. “No matter how hard you tried you couldn’t get the rubber mats clean enough, and it caused health issues. I was working with the veterinarians one day, and they commented that the industry could really use a disposable mat… Continue Reading 2007 Ag Innovator of the Year: USA Solutions
2006 Ag Innovator of the Year: FUMPA BioFuels
FUMPA BioFuels (part of Farmers Union Industries) was one of the pioneers of Minnesota’s biodiesel industry. Organizers began the process of setting up the plant and getting all the necessary certifications in order to help launch Minnesota’s 2 percent biodiesel mandate in 2005. “The Minnesota Legislature had passed a 2 percent biodiesel requirement for all… Continue Reading 2006 Ag Innovator of the Year: FUMPA BioFuels
2005 Ag Innovator of the Year: SoyMor
In 2005, SoyMor opened as the nation’s largest biodiesel manufacturing facility and the second to be built in Minnesota. The refinery has the capability to produce 30 million gallons of biodiesel per year from soybean oil, processing 3,150 gallons per day from 1,700 acres worth of soybeans — for an annual total of about 18… Continue Reading 2005 Ag Innovator of the Year: SoyMor
2004 Ag Innovator of the Year: Minnesota Soybean Processors
The farmers who formed the board of Minnesota Soybean Processors (MnSP) in Brewster in 1999 immediately joined an effort to convince the Minnesota legislature to support a new, greener form of fuel called biodiesel. It’s now a 63-million gallon a year industry in the state. MnSP is a cooperative owned by 2,400 farmer-members. It has… Continue Reading 2004 Ag Innovator of the Year: Minnesota Soybean Processors
2003 Ag Innovator of the Year: Mississippi Topsoils
What’s better than turning a sow’s ear into a silk purse? How about turning chicken processing plant waste into rich garden soil? Mississippi Topsoils, located in Cold Spring, Minnesota, takes the protein-filled waste—a substance called secondary activated biosolids—from GNP Company, makers of Gold’n Plump Chicken, and turns it into a consistent, high-performing soil amendment marketed… Continue Reading 2003 Ag Innovator of the Year: Mississippi Topsoils
2002 Ag Innovator of the year: Pet Care Systems
Swheat Scoop, a renewably-sourced cat litter, was initially made by Pet Care Systems—now part of Farmers Union Industries. “Our product is all natural, because it’s 100 percent wheat,” says Tom Moses, director of operations for Pet Care Systems, located in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. “The natural side of the market is growing, and we’re positioned to… Continue Reading 2002 Ag Innovator of the year: Pet Care Systems