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Job Summary The Bioindustrial Director provides operational leadership for AURI’s bioindustrial portfolio of programs, projects, and externally funded initiatives. This position executes practices that maintain visibility across project status, timelines,…
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…
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…
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…
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.…
This issue of Ag Innovation News highlights AURI’s first-term Board Director, Rep. Rick Hansen. A member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party, Rep. Hansen was elected to the Minnesota House…
Free event will highlight the potential of this groundbreaking new crop and its multiple uses The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) together with the University of Minnesota Forever Green Initiative…
Free event May 14 will unveil industry-first resource and grant opportunities The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) will unveil an exciting industry-first resource during its upcoming event, AURI Connects: Webinar…
This June, the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) will congratulate Lolly Occhino on her retirement after nine years of service as AURI’s senior food scientist. Occhino first gained interest in…
Launched in 2015, Hoyo embarked on a journey to fill an important employment and cultural food gap in Minnesota’s economy. The state is home to the largest population of Somalis…
A Food Business AI Tool for Entrepreneurs and Producers The Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) works with entrepreneurs, farmers, founders, and home cooks alike to provide valuable knowledge and insight…
By Dan Lemke Business growth is rarely linear. Companies can find themselves at a crossroads in their growth journey that can influence their future trajectory. Months ago, Thousand Hills Lifetime…
A gallon of milk in a display case at a grocery store contains whey and casein protein. There are two common forms of beta-casein: A1 and A2. A1 milk is…