SOLASTA Bio aims to play a leading role in the transition toward sustainable crop protection. (Image source: SOLASTA Bio)

In an attempt to accelerate the development of its unique peptide-based, nature-inspired bioinsecticides, leading agri-biotech company, SOLASTA BIO has completed an oversubscribed US$14mn Series A funding round, attracting major investors including Forbion, FMC Ventures and Corteva Catalyst

The investment round was led by Forbion through its BioEconomy fund strategy with co-lead investment from agricultural strategics FMC Ventures (FMC Corporation) and Corteva Catalyst (Corteva, Inc). SOLASTA Bio has developed the world's first technology platform for creating insect control agents that are nature-inspired rather than selected from a synthetic chemistry library. 

Besides meeting the efficacy standards of current chemicals on the market, these environmentally friendly agents address a growing global need for effective crop protection by selectively targeting insect pests while protecting beneficial pollinators such as bees. SOLASTA Bio’s platform can be mobilised for any pest of interest, across both crop and non-crop applications such as stored grain. 

With the investment round secured, SOLASTA Bio will continue to advance its technology platform and pipeline of insect control agents, targeting a US$27bn annual market opportunity. In parallel, the business will continue to build out its US operations, having already established a base in North Carolina, expand its real-world field trials across key geographies, scale-up its biomanufacturing capabilities and further develop strategic opportunities including applications beyond crop use.

With the urgent need to protect pollinators and wildlife, while boosting agricultural productivity, SOLASTA Bio aims to play a leading role in the transition toward sustainable crop protection. The company is targeting market entry as early as 2027 – at least half the time traditionally taken by synthetic pest control products - demonstrating a significant advantage of the platform technology.

“SOLASTA Bio has come a long way since we set out on this journey three years ago. Having established operations in the UK and US, we’ve now got an international team with outstanding competencies in technology and agribusiness and, importantly, we have developed our unique technology platform to address grower pain points," said FRSE, CEO and co-founder of SOLASTA Bio, Shireen Davies PhD. "The results of our field trials have been hugely encouraging, demonstrating high efficacy of biopeptides against target insect pests, as effective or better than standard insecticides. With Series A now secured, it’s time for SOLASTA Bio to kick on to the next level and successfully hit our targets for commercialisation.”

The new LEMKEN Competence Center Crop Care has been built at the Dutch site in Dinteloord. (Image source: LEMKEN)

The new LEMKEN Competence Centre Crop Care was constructed in Dinteloord (near Rotterdam) in the Netherlands in February 2023

Within a record-breaking nine months, as early as October 2023, the largest construction phase for the production department was put into operation and the first LEMKEN blue hoeing machines were delivered to customers. With the construction of the new factory, LEMKEN has fully integrated the hoeing technology it acquired from Steketee in 2018 into its own brand world. 

In the following months, everything from the offices to the cafeteria and the façades were completed and occupied. Dinteloord specialises in the development and production of crop care technology. It will also be home to the Competence Center Crop Care for farmers, experts and universities, which will form part of the global network of LEMKEN sites. For this purpose, a sophisticated technical auditorium has been built next to the AgroForum exhibition area, where events and training courses can be held in an optimal environment. 

Production is divided into three areas: 

- The manufacturing area: This includes the manufacturing and preparation of parts for the paint line.

- The warehouse: Pre-produced parts and components from suppliers are received and stored in the warehouse.

- Pre-assembly and assembly areas: Assembly takes place in these areas. The plant is set up for stationary assembly and currently has eight assembly stations, which can be expanded as required to accommodate larger machines. Free-floating cranes offer maximum flexibility.

The final inspection which involves two fully equipped test stations ensures the quality and functionality of each machine prior to leaving the factory. 

“The new LEMKEN factory in Dinteloord stands for innovation, efficiency and sustainability in the agricultural machinery industry and will play a central role in meeting our customers’ future requirements," said partner Nicola Lemken. "We are therefore very excited about its opening."

The Thulit MF/1200 harrow which is now available in small quantities, will start its series production in March 2025. (Image source: LEMKEN)

LEMKEN presents Thulit MF/1200, its first weeder harrow with more than 12 m working width

The new model is based on the innovative properties of the Thulit MF product series launched last year. The design with four bars and eight rows of harrow tines and hydraulic tine pressure adjustment is unique on the market. The tine pressure can be continuously adjusted from 100 g to 5,000 g across the entire width during travel and remains constant at every setting – for optimum and reliable work results.

The new Thulit MF/1200 comprises five harrow sections, with various folding options available for different applications. For greater ground clearance at the headland, LEMKEN offers the option of folding the weeder harrow into a V position. To do this, the outer folding segments are angled slightly upwards to prevent the tools from coming into contact with the ground. For convenient and safe road transport, the weeder harrow can be folded in on both sides to a transport height of 3.3 m. The automatic transport locking system is active in all variants, making manual intervention a thing of the past.

For the frame, LEMKEN uses torsion-resistant support profiles that guarantees both stability and low weight. The frame design with six support wheels at the front, distributed across the entire working width, has an extremely positive effect on the smooth running of the machine and thus on the guidance of the harrow tines to the soil surface. The Thulit MF/1200 can additionally be operated as a rigid implement or with ground contour adjustment.

Customers opting for the rigid frame will not need the optional support wheels behind the side panels. If the individual working sections of the weeder harrow are to follow the soil horizon at all times, the Thulit must be equipped with additional rear support wheels. This ensures maximum flexibility and perfect working results on hilly terrain. Precisely adjustable trailing harrows on the rear support wheels eradicate wheel marks and leave loosened weeds on the soil surface to dry out. 

The Thulit MF/1200 harrow which is now available in small quantities, will start its series production in March 2025.

Ambient Carbon’s mission is to develop and commercialize effective, safe, and scalable technologies that mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. (Image source: Adobe Stock)

Denmark-based company, Ambient Carbon has announced its new partnership with Benton Group Dairies to field-test a prototype of Ambient Carbon’s Methane Eradication Photochemical System (MEPS)

This first-of-a-kind non-invasive technology helps remove methane from airy barn exhaust. Ambient Carbon also has a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Danone North America which sources milk from Benton. This month, the company will install methane monitors at Benton's dairy farm in Ambia, Indiana in preparation for installing and testing a MEPS field prototype in early 2025. 

On 2 October, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM) released a new report on the need and potential for atmospheric methane removal. MEPS is a point-source methane removal system which is the only scalable, cost-effective solution for eradicating low-concentration (non-flammable) methane from cattle and manure, as well as other point sources. It uses a patented gas-phase photochemical process that combines chlorine atoms and UV light in a reaction chamber, mimicking a natural process of methane destruction in the atmosphere.  As dairy barn air is cycled through MEPS, it breaks down methane at its source, preventing its release into the ambient air. The chlorine atoms are generated onsite via electrolysis of saltwater, and after eradicating 80-90% of the methane, the chlorine is recycled in a closed system.  

While the Indiana tests are underway, Ambient Carbon will also test another MEPS field prototype in Denmark as part of the AgriFoodTure PERMA Project, which includes Northern European dairy cooperative Arla, and is publicly funded by Innovation Fund Denmark and the EU’s NextGenerationEU. 

“We believe that by 2030, Ambient Carbon will be eliminating well over one gigaton of CO₂ equivalent annually by destroying methane from dairy barns and other low-concentration methane sources such as wastewater treatment plants and biogas plants,” said Ambient Carbon’s co-founder and COO, David S Miller, while Chris Williams, conservation lead at Benton Dairies also expressed his enthusiasm regarding their collaboration with Ambient Carbon.