US food technology company Benson Hill, Inc is unlocking the natural genetic diversity of plants with its cutting-edge food innovation engine – CropOS®. The platform provides access to breeding and genomic data for crops such as soy beans, making it easier to narrow down candidate genes that might benefit specific breeding strategies – such as increased protein content. Once genes have been identified the company can provide information regarding the optimal plants to use in a breeding program or turn to its own CRISPR gene editing tools to achieve the desired result.
New Benson Hill Food System Innovators Program
Now through the launch of the Benson Hill Food System Innovators Program (the ‘FSI Program’) the company is collaborating with leading farmers to evaluate its technologies in commercial production environments. The FSI Program initially includes farmers in six US states for the 2021 crop year.
The FSI Program is designed for farmers who have a demonstrated track record as early innovation adopters, including deploying precision agriculture technologies. It enables a two-way flow of information, directly connecting farmers with Benson Hill’s research and product development team. Participating farmers will benefit from early access to the latest Benson Hill product concepts and potential premium opportunities in plant-based protein and other high-value markets.
“Real-time feedback on performance, productivity and other factors is foundational to future innovation at Benson Hill,” said Matt Crisp, Chief Executive Officer of Benson Hill. “Our farmer partners recognize the growing market demand for plant-based food solutions as an opportunity rooted in better seeds. They share our vision for a modern and more resilient food system that can deliver high-quality, high-protein, sustainable ingredients to meet this demand while supporting strong farmer ROI.”
“With Benson Hill’s Food System Innovators Program, we’re able to be on the cutting edge of what’s happening in agriculture today,” said Benson Hill FSI Program farmer Aaron Lee of Cornerstone Family Farms in Salem, Indiana. “We’re striving to produce the best product we can and add value to our operation, and Benson Hill is right there beside us. We’re eliminating waste, improving efficiency and driving toward a more sustainable operation. It’s exciting to play a role in changing the food system.”
Benson Hill’s relationship with its farmers is unique in that it utilises the company’s integrated model, spanning the entire supply chain. The company works with farmers, processors and others to support identity preservation and product tracing from seed to ingredient. Benson Hill anticipates that the result is an end-product that provides more sustainably produced, traceable, less processed and more affordable food choices to consumers.
