This year, the jury of the Agribusiness Award has nominated four companies for their innovative product or service, which is good for the farmer's wallet. Initiator Boerenbusiness congratulates the four nominees and introduces them in random order. The third nomination goes to Grassa, who is competing with her invention: grass refining. An innovation with a wide range of possibilities.
Grassa is a start-up and in recent years has developed a process that extracts nutrients from green leaf material. "The agricultural sector needs a transition to produce sufficient food in a sustainable manner. We are turning the largest cultivated crop in the world (grass) into a protein crop, with which the cow produces milk and meat in a more sustainable way. In addition, vegetable grass protein is produced ", the company reports.
Alternative to soy
According to Grassa, the alternative to soy has long been produced on the land, it is just not harvested and not properly processed. The company aims to become a new standard in the grass-to-food chain. The aim is for grass protein to become a food for humans without the intervention of the cow.
Grassa has a pilot press refining facility in Afferden, Limburg, where they make various products from grass. First of all, this is grass protein, which is suitable for human and animal consumption and can be a substitute for soy. Secondly, it is pre-biotic sugar, which stimulates the immune system of humans and animals. A vegetable mineral concentrate, an organic fertilizer for vegan applications, can also be made. In addition, the digested grass is a high-quality roughage for cows, with which cows achieve the same milk production but emit up to 30% less nitrogen and phosphate.
Tackling the nitrogen problem
Grassa says that with this process the real nitrogen problem is tackled twice at the source. Locally produced grass protein replaces imported soy protein and the cow receives less protein, resulting in lower emissions. This technique produces 1 times more human food from 2,5 hectare of grass, the CO2 footprint is reduced by up to 80% and farmers gain an additional revenue model. Finally, adding clovers and other herbs or using strip cultivation of herb-rich grass is good for biodiversity.
In an explanation, the jury says: "This is an extremely advanced process for extracting useful nutrients for humans and animals from green leaf material. Application to grass leads to a significantly higher yield of food per hectare, higher-quality roughage for cows, lower emissions (CO2 and nitrogen) and less imports of soy. In short, an innovation with a wide range of possibilities. Congratulations on your nomination!"
Four contenders
Curious about this year's finalists? The nominees for the Boerenbusiness Agribusiness Award further introduce themselves and their innovation in the coming weeks Boerenbusiness.
This year's last nominee will be announced here at 16.00 p.m. On November 2, the finalists will present themselves and their innovation to the jury through a pitch. The Agribusiness Award 21 will be presented during a private event on November 2023. It will then be announced which company will go home with a check worth €6.500 in media value and a follow-up process, offered by ABN Amro.
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