Mississippi State University Leads $2.2 Million NSF Initiative on Insect-Based Food and Feed in Agriculture

Strategic Insights -

Mississippi State University, in collaboration with two other U.S. universities and over 30 industrial partners, is taking a groundbreaking approach to address the pressing issues of overpopulation, climate change, and a shrinking food supply. The university's Center for Environmental Sustainability through Insect Farming, led by Heather R. Jordan, is a $2.2 million National Science Foundation-funded initiative aimed at exploring the use of insects as a sustainable source of food and feed. This ambitious project seeks to bridge the gap between academia and industry, driving innovation in the rapidly growing agriculture sector.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Center for Environmental Sustainability through Insect Farming, led by Heather R. Jordan at Mississippi State University, is a $2.2 million National Science Foundation-funded initiative.
  • The project aims to explore the use of insects as a sustainable source of food and feed, addressing issues related to overpopulation, climate change, and a shrinking food supply.
  • Insects have the potential to reduce or eliminate organic waste by converting agricultural byproducts into valuable protein, providing a practical, economical, and sustainable path for the production of high-value protein.
  • The use of insects in farming may help stimulate bioeconomy and aid in rural economic development, providing a sustainable solution for food security and waste management.
  • The project will investigate insect microbiomes to optimize and evaluate their nutritional utility and waste conversion through experiments on probiotic supplementation.
  • Mississippi State University is collaborating with researchers at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and Texas A&M University, as well as partnering with 34 companies in the U.S. and abroad, including major suppliers such as Mars, Inc. and Tyson Foods, Inc.

Statistics:

  • The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations projects that traditional agriculture will fall about 40 percent short of the world's needed food supply by 2050.
  • The use of insects in farming could potentially reduce or eliminate organic waste, addressing issues related to climate change, environmental sustainability, socio-economic development, and agriculture.
  • The project aims to drive innovation in the rapidly growing agriculture sector, focusing on genetics, insect biology, and engineering, as well as feed trials.

Sources:

  • Mississippi State University news release, Aug. 18 (TNSMon)
  • Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, no date (cited as a reference in the Mississippi State University news release)