One startup is using proprietary CRISPR genome editing technology to develop allergen-free peanuts.
Another is working with the wastewater surveillance technology used by public health officials during the Covid-19 outbreak to help poultry and dairy producers more quickly detect Avian flu pathogens in their flocks and herds.
A third is developing an Autonomous Nano Tractor or ANT designed to help replace dwindling supplies of labor that is often needed to hand hoe herbicide-resistant weeds and perform other tasks on farms.
Those are three of the eight new entities that have entered the Memphis, Tenn.-based AgLaunch365 Accelerator, the two-year program that connects entrepreneurs with farmers and other industry experts to help them develop the sound footing needed to successfully bring their products to the market.
Demo night
All eight were featured during the AgLaunch365 Demo Night and Portfolio Showcase held at the Crosstown Concourse in Memphis on Feb. 27. The founders of the startups also spoke at the Mid-South Farm and Gin Show on Feb. 28.
One of the founders has already gained some recognition for what the startups are trying to accomplish for agriculture. Michael Rhys, the CEO and co-founder of Barnwell Bio, was quoted in a Time magazine article about how scientists and farmers are trying to track cases of bird flu in animal herds and humans.
“Last year, 50 million birds were culled due to the avian influenza outbreak,” said Rhys, speaking at the AgLaunch365 event. “Obviously, there are huge economic impacts associated with that, but, with our farm partners, there’s also a very palpable sense of fear and anxiety. They can be doing everything right; an outbreak occurs; and it’s really too late to respond.”
Rhys said wastewater surveillance was a tool used by public health officials across the world during the Covid-19 pandemic to help them understand how the disease was spreading and changing through the population.
“This is the approach we’re taking at Barnwell Bio,” he said. “Our goal is to use waste and waste streams to empower farmers and veterinarians to proactively manage their health risks. How does the process work?
“A farmer or a veterinarian collects a sample of wastewater, and the sample is analyzed. We’re sequencing our samples, looking at the DNA and RNA. We then build a bioinformatics analysis to report back actionable insights on all the pathogens on the farm.”
Innovative varieties
Hortense Dodo, president of IngateyGen, which specializes in developing innovative peanut varieties using CRISPR genome editing technology, talked about the changes that have been occurring in the peanut industry.
“You might remember that about 20 years ago it was common for most American families to send their children to school with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich,” she said. “Twenty years ago, peanuts were a favorite snack in the airline industry. Not anymore. What happened? Peanut allergies.”
About 2.5% of the pediatric population has peanut allergies. But that’s not the whole story. Because peanut flour is gluten-free, some companies are substituting peanut flour for wheat in pizza crusts and other products, which has led to recalls by the Food and Drug Administration.
IngateyGen has performed three years of field trials with varieties using CRISPR gene editing, which is a non-GMO approach. Data from the trials show there was no impact on yield or the nutritional value of peanut plants that have reduced levels of the major allergenic proteins to trace amounts.
The company has received funding from the National Science Foundation, the North Carolina Biotechnology Center and the North Carolina Department of Commerce. It is seeking additional support from investors and through field trials with AgLaunch’s network of farmers.
Autonomous tractor
Sarah Hinkley, CEO and co-founder of Barn Owl Precision Agriculture or BOPA, said her company is building its autonomous nano tractor or ANT “to help farmers secure our food supply, save our climate and rediscover the love of the job.
“When I was a kid, I spent every summer on the farm with my grandparents,” said Hinkley, who is from Colorado. “That’s where I fell in love with the soil and decided that farming was the coolest job in the world.”
Rural communities have experienced a dramatic decline. “And this is due to unattainable labor needs and extreme weather our farmers can’t manage. Chemicals aren’t working, labor’s too hard to find and afford and inflation is destroying our operations. This has resulted in $22 billion in lost farm income over the last two years.”
The autonomous nano tractor is a “small farm robot that’s designed and focused around precision weeding, but it also does planting, precision spraying and some harvest support,” she said. “It can do four acres per day, has a 2,000-pound payload capacity and runs on GPS navigation.”
In Colorado, farmers are spending up to $500 an acre for hand weeding. “With the BOPA innovation it’s $50 an acre for a huge budget savings, and it creates an opportunity for farmers to have labor where they didn’t before,” she said. “We also have a custom weeding tool, which we call the barrel of death, which is designed to remove heavy weed infestations.”
BOPA is working with specialists with the University of Colorado at Boulder and with dealer networks in the state. Colorado State University is also a partner, and the Colorado Department of Agriculture has qualified the system for soil health grants.
Other presentations
The other entities that presented at the AgLaunch Showcase:
- BugBiome “which harnesses nature’s own defenses to protect crops from pests safely and sustainably,” said Alicia Showering, CEO and cofounder. “By leveraging plant microbiomes and innovative hardware to study insect behavior, our team is discovering bioprotectants that pose no harm to people or pollinators.”
- Kalix “gives farmers real-time control over animal health with rapid disease testing results delivered in one hour – compared to five to seven days for typical external lab testing,” said Wenbi Lai, chief operating officer and co-founder.
- MicroMGX delivers “nature’s solutions for global agriculture,” said Jack Kloeber, CEO. “Proprietary technology identifies novel chemicals from microbes 100 times more efficiently than traditional methods. Our lead product is a naturally produced herbicide with a groundbreaking mechanism of action – the first in 35 years.
- Mycologics offers a biofungicide manufacturing platform derived from microbial natural products, providing sustainable solutions for crop protection,” said Anindya Chanda, founder and CEO.
- Rogue.ai is developing “the most advanced spraying drones powered by a hybrid-electric powertrain,” said Spencer Maecroft, CEO. “Our technology significantly reduces operational costs while enhancing on-field productivity.”
