DECATUR, ILL. — Innovafeed announced Nov. 14 that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) has granted the company $11 million to fund its initiative aimed at producing high-quality insect ingredients for animal and plant nutrition in the United States, as well as boosting domestic organic fertilizer production. According to the company, the grant supports its potential to contribute to sustainable agriculture, economic growth in rural regions, and enhanced options for American farmers. 

According to Innovafeed, fertilizer prices have surged by more than 100% between 2021 and 2022. The combination of many factors, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, limited availability of essential minerals, soaring energy costs, global demand, agricultural commodity prices, dependence on imports and a lack of competition have contributed to this.

In response to this “industry turmoil,” USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack has earmarked $500 million in grants through the Fertilizer Production Expansion Program (FPEP). This initiative aims to bolster domestic fertilizer innovation, invigorate rural job markets, and provide American farmers with a wider spectrum of choices. 

The call for projects under the FPEP garnered an overwhelming response, with more than 350 businesses vying to increase their fertilizer output. The program’s first round culminated in the selection of 21 projects in January, followed by an announcement of an additional 66 eligible projects in July, poised to receive grants to amplify fertilizer production.

Among the selected recipients of the FPEP funding is French agricultural technology company Innovafeed, which has previously partnered with pet food brands, providing them with insect-based ingredients. The grant will go toward replicating its production model developed in France to production in the United States, specifically in Decatur. Innovafeed’s objective is to provide American farmers with a natural, sustainable fertilizing solution: insect frass.

According to Innovafeed, insect frass is a high-performing organic source of nutrients that activate soil microbial activity. It is also a key component in the company’s production of Hermetia illucens, commonly known as black soldier fly (BSF).

“This endorsement from the USDA recognizes Innovafeed’s potential to contribute to the autonomous supply of US organic fertilizer and to provide farmers with a solution that improves soil regeneration and carbon sequestration benefits, thus supporting the domestic development of regenerative agriculture,” said Maye Walraven, North American general manager of Innovafeed. 

Innovafeed produces large volumes of 100% frass-based fertilizer in the form of dehydrated pellets, branded Hilucia™ Frass for plants. The Hilucia brand provides a range insect-based ingredients for use in both animal nutrition and plant nutrition. 

Hilucia™ Frass for plants offers a balanced nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium nutrient profile, which can stimulate plant growth throughout the crop cycle and is suitable for production of all crops from grapevines and fruit trees to vegetables and cereals, according to Innovafeed. With more than 75% organic matter and the presence of beneficial bacteria and chitin, it can also help regenerate soil and boost long-term fertility, enhancing soil biodiversity and structure to develop a strong root system, improving water retention, and reducing nutrient leaching, according to the company. 

Innovafeed states that its natural fertilizer is the “ideal solution” for developing high-performance, regenerative agriculture. In Europe, it is authorized in organic farming, in compliance with EU 2018/848 regulation. Its applications in viticulture, in particular in the Champagne region, has demonstrated that it can deliver equal or improved yields in replacement of conventional fertilizing solutions and contribute to significantly reducing the environmental footprint of farming activities, according to the company. 

A Life Cycle Analysis conducted by Innovafeed in 2022 showed that Hilucia™ Frass for plants emits 45% less CO2eq emissions than other animal manures during its manufacturing process, and can increase soil carbon sequestration by nearly 60 kg of carbon per ton over five years, making it a low-carbon fertilizing solution. 

“The United States and France share a deep friendship and a long history of collaboration in the sphere of agriculture that date back to Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, and the Franco-American Treaty of Alliance of 1778,” said David Leishman, foreign agricultural affairs director of France. “Too often, conflict and disagreement overshadow the richness of this historic relationship. In the spirit of the young Marquis de La Fayette, Innovafeed offers an excellent example of how a group of talented French entrepreneurs can successfully partner with the United States to help change the world producing food more sustainably.”

Read more about sustainability efforts across the pet food and treat industry.