FFAR awards over $650K to US firm developing functional feed supplements
The FFAR grant is matched with funding from the State of Minnesota, including Launch Minnesota and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development, private equity financing and Sasya for a total investment of US$1.41m
The US organization outlined how Sasya is developing a process to mass produce high-performance functional supplements for the feed industry. “This research will primarily focus on swine. Demonstrated success in the swine market will pave the way for easier adoption in other animal species such as poultry, beef, and dairy cows.”
“Responding to consumer demands for transparency in the supply chain, producers are looking for sustainability but are not willing to pay a green premium,” said Dr Goutham Vemuri, CEO, and founder of Sasya. “We are keen to prove that sustainability does not have to cost more. Our processes can meet the increasingly stringent sustainability metrics while allowing profitability across the supply chain.”
Amino acids, nucleotides
Sasya’s products, according to its website, include Syretin, a blend of amino acids and short-chain fatty acids, and Fortein, a non-GMO yeast protein enriched with oligosaccharides and nucleotides.
“We understand the need for sustainably produced supplements as alternatives to antibiotics and other environmentally unsafe animal feed supplements. Now is the time to invest in pioneering research that will allow the development of high-performance supplements to be economically available to producers and foster antibiotic stewardship, animal welfare, environmental sustainability, and farmer profitability,” said Dr Saharah Moon Chapotin, who joined FFAR as its executive director in August last year.
FFAR’s seeding solutions grant program is an open call for ideas that address pressing food and agriculture issues in one of the Foundation’s challenge areas.
The organization outlined how Sasya’s research furthers FFAR’s advanced animal systems challenge area, which is aimed at supporting sustainable animal systems through innovative technologies, environmentally sound production practices and advancements in animal health and welfare.
FFAR was established as part of the US 2014 Farm Bill to increase public agriculture research investments, fill knowledge gaps, and complement USDA’s research agenda. FFAR’s model matches federal funding from Congress with private funding, delivering a powerful return on taxpayer investment.
