The United Soybean Board announced Clean Label Solution as this year’s Soy Innovation Challenge grand prize winner of $75,000.
The high-value beef and dairy cattle feed is made from soybeans and soybean meal through a proprietary fermentation process. U.S. soybean farmers produce a high-quality and eco-friendly feed ingredient for the livestock supply chain, making soybeans a preferred choice for animal agriculture.
The protein component of the soybean provides a valuable source of nutrients for cattle, however cattle are unable to consume the soy oil component. In trials of the Clean Label Solution’s Bi-Pass Pro+ feed product, cattle could digest the 30 percent of soy protein that otherwise passes through the animal without use. This boosts milk and meat production while curbing methane emissions. It also offers a more sustainable ingredient that replaces the need for palm oil in cow feed.
“Securing victory in the Soy Innovation Challenge unlocks the immense potential of the soybean market, not only in terms of methane reduction but also economically. Our breakthrough soy-based feed addresses environmental concerns by reducing methane emissions and also presents lucrative opportunities for sustainable agriculture and economic growth. This win marks a pivotal moment in harnessing the full potential of soybeans for a greener, more prosperous future,” says Dr. Mohammad Arshadi, Founder and CEO of Clean Label Solution.
This year’s Soy Innovation Challenge encouraged new and novel uses for soybean meal. As soybean oil demand continues to expand in the biofuels space to help U.S. states decarbonize, this presents an opportunity to find new uses for increased soybean meal supply.
Nearly 70 candidates from around the globe submitted innovative ideas for soy-based solutions for a wide range of applications, including food, cosmetics, petrochemicals, and biofuels. A panel of nine experts vetted applications and selected four finalists to participate in a venture accelerator program while also competing for a U.S. Soy investment. This furthers the economic viability of their businesses and grows a customer base that will consume U.S.-grown soybeans through these products.
“Reviewing all of the applicants’ submissions and hearing from them firsthand showcased the power and the possibility of the soybean,” shared USB farmer-leader from Virginia and Soy Innovation Challenge judge Shannon Tignor Ellis. “Each of the four finalists brought something different to the table, opening doors for innovation that elevates the value of our soybeans and presents a unique opportunity for checkoff investment. While the push for sustainability continues, our soybeans keep finding new ways to be part of the solution.”
In addition to Clean Label Solution being awarded $75,000, the other 2023 Soy Innovation Challenge winners include:
- EDEN Concept Fill: First runner-up awarded $50,000 developed Cellyfill cushion products as a fully sustainable alternative to polyurethane foam, the petroleum-based industry standard. Cellyfill is a cellulose-based material from soy hulls that gives manufacturers and consumers a lower-cost, high-quality, sustainable option for soft fill in furniture, mattresses, and other products.
- NeuEsse: Second runner-up awarded $25,000 developed a human skin substitute, OmegaSkin™, made from soy protein. OmegaSkin™ becomes a scaffold for the body to regrow its skin over serious wounds or burns with minimal to no scarring, offering a more cost-effective medical solution than current treatments, like skin grafting or advanced cellular therapies.
- Renewable Green Composites:Third runner-up awarded $20,000 creates plastics and polymer building blocks from soybean meal to improve the sustainability of some plastics. Soy-based plastic beads and additives by Renewable Green Composites can be melted and molded into various non-durable outdoor applications, including golf tees, lawn toys, and more.
“The Soy Innovation Challenge has been a fantastic effort to showcase the most promising and innovative technology to promote the utility of soy in markets we know like feed, food, and fuel and new markets in consumer packaged goods, medicine, and nonfood uses. We cannot thank the United Soybean Board, AWS, and partners enough for believing in the challenge model and funding three of these exciting challenges over the past four years. We look forward to seeing where these finalists go and how they bring their soy innovations to market,” says Brandon Day, COO of The Yield Lab Institute.