Previous winner giving back this year with scholarship in his name

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – The community is invited to enjoy an afternoon of beautiful music on Sunday, March 5, as talented vocalists from across the U.S. and beyond compete in the 18th annual Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition. This one-of-a-kind event awards more than $700,000 in scholarships and prizes and provides an opportunity to attend the University of Kentucky as part of the UK Opera Theatre program. The competition begins at 2 p.m. at the UK Singletary Center for the Arts. Admission in complimentary.

Since it began, the Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition has enabled more than 190 students to pursue their operatic ambitions and receive an education in the arts. Winners have traveled the world — performing, teaching and providing inspiration to others.

The competition was initiated in 2006 by the late Dr. Pearse Lyons, who was an avid supporter of the arts. His friendship with Dr. Everett McCorvey of the UK Opera Theatre inspired what is now one of the largest vocal scholarship competitions in the world.

The competition attracts some of the top vocal performers from around the world, helping them overcome financial barriers and paving their way to a successful career. The Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition has been credited as a contributor to the major growth of UK’s opera program, which is now widely considered to be one of the best in the United States.

“There is no other opportunity like this in the world,” Dr. McCorvey said.

This year, one of the early winners of the competition is giving back to UK Opera Theatre by sponsoring an additional scholarship. In 2007, the second year of the competition, Reggie Smith traveled nine hours from Atlanta to Lexington on a Greyhound bus and arrived just in time to take the stage.

“He walked right out onto the stage and the minute he opened his mouth, you had goosebumps. It was amazing,” recalled Mrs. Deirdre Lyons, cofounder of Alltech. “It was a life-changing moment for him. Now, he is well-known around the globe and wants to give a scholarship to another deserving student.”

The Reginald Smith Jr. Prize will be presented at this year’s competition. It will support students whose lives will be as dramatically changed by this opportunity as his was.

Since his time at UK, Smith has enjoyed a successful singing career. Among his many accomplishments, he participated in the young artist program at Houston Grand Opera, won the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in 2015 and sang on the Grammy Award-winning recording of the Metropolitan Opera’s 2019-20 production of “Porgy and Bess.” He has been lauded by Opera News as having “one of the most exciting baritone sounds to come along in years.”

“Reggie is a wonderful example of what the Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition is all about,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, Alltech president and CEO. “It is heartwarming to see my father’s legacy living on through the students whose lives have been transformed by the opportunity to study with Dr. McCorvey and sing with UK Opera Theatre. Thank you to everyone who has supported the Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition. Because of your generosity, nearly 200 talented singers have been empowered to pursue their dreams.”

Judges for the Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition will select multiple winners in several categories, including undergraduate, graduate and transfer students. In addition to cash prizes, winners will receive scholarships at attend UK, including full-tuition awards.

In addition to performing at UK, the Alltech Vocal Scholars infuse art into our community throughout the year with performances such as “A Grand Night for Singing” and the annual Alltech Celebration of Song, a free holiday concert at Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park.

Learn more about the Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition and watch last year’s competition at alltech.com/vocal.

Reginald Smith Jr.

The Kentucky Horse Park and Alltech are delighted to continue their long-standing partnership and have renewed their naming rights agreement, securing the designation of Alltech Arena for an additional five years. The sponsorship is a continuation of a landmark partnership for both parties. The Kentucky Horse Park is widely known as the state’s leading tourist attraction, one of Kentucky’s largest working horse farms, and one of the nation’s leading competition facilities, serving nearly one million visitors annually.

The Horse Park and Alltech have teamed up to host nationally and regionally significant events in Kentucky for decades. Alltech Arena has hosted many major equine and non-equine gatherings, such as the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in 2010, Alltech National Horse Show, Road to the Horse and Kentucky Crafted, among others.

“Our partnership with Alltech has spanned multiple decades, and we are excited they will continue to have a major presence at the Kentucky Horse Park for years to come,” said Lee Carter, executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park. “Alltech is committed to making positive, sustainable impacts throughout their diverse business channels. The company’s continued support of the Kentucky Horse Park allows us to maintain our position within the equine industry while also enhancing the overall quality of life in the commonwealth.” 

“As a long serving board member of the Kentucky Horse Park Foundation, our commitment to the Horse Park is monumental in moving forward our relationship in the equine industry and the Commonwealth of Kentucky,” said Deirdre Lyons, co-founder and director of corporate design, image and construction at Alltech.

“From the striking sunset at the Opening Ceremonies to the spellbinding Gold Medal dressage win of Edward Gal and Totillas at the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010, few fans will ever forget when the world championships of equestrian sport found a home in Kentucky,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “For Alltech, our partnership with the Kentucky Horse Park on the Alltech Arena is a commemoration of the Commonwealth of Kentucky’s shining moment on the world stage in 2010 and an ongoing commitment to celebrating the bond between humanity and horses.”

Alltech Arena has a total permanent seating capacity of 5,512, including nine VIP Suites. It contains a full event concourse suitable for trade shows and vendors and six separate concession areas, along with a multi-speaker sound system with delayed distribution. The arena is ADA-compliant, with accessible seating and companion seating.

For more information about the Kentucky Horse Park, visit KyHorsePark.com and to learn more about Alltech, visit alltech.com.

Vendor applications due Feb. 17; parade participant deadline is March 1

[LEXINGTON, Ky.] – Everyone is a “little Irish” on St. Patrick’s Day, and the best way to celebrate Irish culture is at the Alltech Lexington St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival, which returns to downtown Lexington on Saturday, March 11.

Father Norman Fischer will kick off the celebration at 10:45 a.m. at Henry A. Tandy Centennial Plaza (formerly the Fifth Third Pavilion) with the traditional “blessing of the keg” from Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. The day will include a festive lineup of Irish entertainment, food and crafts – including headliner Tuatha Dea, a progressive Americana band with an Appalachian/Celtic vibe. Also performing: Liam’s Fancy and William Sutherland Reid Pipes and Drums, and local Irish dancers from Bluegrass Ceili Academy, Lexington Irish Dancers and McTeggart Irish Dancers.

The parade begins at 1 p.m. and goes down Main Street from Midland Avenue to Mill Street. This year’s grand marshals are Dr. Frank and Catherina McDonnell, Dublin natives who have lived in Lexington for 35 years. The McDonnells have made substantial contributions to the Lexington community, donating both time and money to local organizations and helping those in need.

“We’re very much looking forward to bringing the parade and festival back to the streets of downtown this year,” said Megan Moloney, Bluegrass Irish Society president and parade chair.

There is still time to participate as a vendor or parade participant. Applications can be found online at lexingtonstpatsparade.org/parade/forms/. Vendor applications are due by Feb. 17; parade unit entry forms are due March 1.

The Alltech Lexington St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Festival is Lexington’s longest-running civic event. Sponsored by Alltech and the Bluegrass Irish Society, the parade and festival are produced by the Lexington Division of Parks and Recreation with community support from local businesses and cultural organizations. Alltech has sponsored the parade since its inception.

The parade celebrated its 40^th anniversary in 2019, the last time the full event was held in person. The festival was canceled in 2020 and 2021 because of COVID-19. Inclement weather led to the festival being rescheduled and moved in 2022 to Moondance Amphitheater, where Alltech cofounder Mrs. Deirdre Lyons was honored for her dedication to the event and her many civic accomplishments.

“The Lexington St. Patrick’s Day Festival and Parade is a lovely celebration of Irish culture,” Mrs. Lyons said. “We are proud to have sponsored it since the beginning.”

The Bluegrass Irish Society formed in 1980 to celebrate and maintain interest in Irish culture. One of its first events was the St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The parade gained instant credibility when then Gov. John Y. Brown and first lady Phyllis George Brown cosponsored it and arranged to have Ed McMahon from the Johnny Carson Show to serve as the first grand marshal.

The group aims to connect Irish and Kentucky culture and provide a focal point in the region for those interested in Ireland and its traditions.

“The Irish have long been involved in the history and culture of Kentucky,” the group says on its website. “Listen to the fiddlers in Eastern Kentucky or the clog dancers and you will hear the refrains of Irish jigs and reels. Kentuckians have long shared, among other things, their love for horses, music and bourbon whiskey-making with the Irish."

Alltech cofounder Mrs. Deirdre Lyons served as grand marshal for the 2022 parade and festivities, which were held at Moondance Amphitheatre in Lexington.

[Ocala, FL] – It was standing room only at World Equestrian Center (WEC) – Ocala for the $100,000 Alltech Grand Prix during week V of the 2023 Winter Spectacular Show Series. The night culminated with local fan-favorite Aaron Vale (USA) piloting Alise Carrico and Thinks Like A Horse’s Cristo Beech (Its The Business x Ragua) to the horse’s very first Saturday night grand prix win at the venue.

 “This was our second annual Alltech Grand Prix at the World Equestrian Center – Ocala, and the experience never disappoints. The facilities and staff are truly unmatched. This year, we included several of our feed partners on a weekend showcase highlighting our continued sponsorship of this extraordinary venue, and the grand prix itself was the cherry on top of an already fun-filled and educational weekend,” noted Alltech director of lifestyle business Tim Karl.

“The opportunity to build our brand presence with consumers and to showcase our many exciting Alltech equine technologies is extremely valuable, and we look forward to continuing this partnership with WEC – Ocala,” said Karl.

FEI Level III course designer Peter Grant (CAN) set the tracks for Saturday night’s class where 14 managed to qualify for the returning jump-off. The short course proved to be a challenge as only five found a double-clean effort.

“The jump-off was a nice technical track. The tricky part was the two right turns. You had to turn right and land right, then after the big oxer in the middle you had to turn right and leave right again. When you come right and leave left, it’s a bit easier for the horses to jump clear. Then the last combination was pretty tight for most horses, so the rails were coming down a lot there,” said Vale.

Olympian Cian O’Connor (IRL) and Nicole Walker’s Eve D’ouilly (Qlassic Bois Margot x Tefnout D’ouilly) were the first pair to find a double-clean effort. O’Connor and the talented nine-year-old mare found a fast track in 44.567 seconds to set the pace for the remainder of the class.

Numerous entries tried to find O’Connor’s quick time, but all faced rails along the way. It wasn’t until Aaron Vale (USA) entered the arena aboard his first mount I Adermie R 4 (Den Ham Blue R x W.Adermie 1) owned by Lori Osterstock. Vale and the ten-year-old Dutch Warmblood mare soared around the track in 43.686 seconds to snatch the lead.

Victory seemed to be sealed as more competitors fell victim to rails down in the jump-off, but Santiago Lambre (BRA) entered the arena aboard his own Pampero (Chacco-blue x Naloutaire) with the determination to find a clear round. Lambre and the 13-year-old Oldenburg gelding flew around the jump-off track in a blistering fast time of 42.607 seconds to take over the top spot on the leaderboard.

Richard Spooner and Show Jumping Syndications International’s Quirado RC found a clean jump-off track, but fell short with a time of 45.865 seconds.

Vale had one more chance to try and secure the victory on his final mount Cristo Beech.

“He is a little bit quirky. I didn’t know if I could get the eight done. I turned the corner and saw a fast spot to the fence one – I wasn’t even sure if I could get to that spot. I landed and wasn’t sure exactly what I was seeing, but I just kept kicking with the hopes he would take off and he did,” chuckled Vale.

“After I got the eight, I turned as fast as I could to the liver pool. He usually pushes back a little bit and tips the back rail to big oxers like the one in the middle, so I tried to stay wide enough where I could keep running as fast as I could to get his eye on it long enough where I could keep going after. I turned right back to the yellow, not super tight, but you needed a little momentum away from that off of the 270-degree turn. Then I ran over to the in-and-out and almost chipped in, because for some reason that’s how he jumps it best. Then I did eight to the last like everyone else.”

The pair flew through the finish in 42.110 seconds to secure the victory.

Vale spoke about his talented up-and-coming mount, “He has been very consistent. He’s been jumping a lot of clear rounds, so he’s been getting some more chances in the jump-off,” said Vale.

 “He is a quirky horse. He is scared of other horses in the warmup area, so you have to be cautious, because if he gets jarred by one, he stiffens up his body and is a totally different horse. Even though he’s quirky, I really enjoy his personality. He should have more confidence in himself than he does. He reminds me of that old Saturday Night Live skit, Daily Affirmations. He doesn’t think other horses like him. He’s a shy, neat little animal, and I think that’s one of the things I love best about him.”

An additional $5,000 was awarded to the fastest four-faulter of the $100,000 Alltech Grand Prix. Rodrigo Pessoa and Artemis Equestrian Farm LLC’s Quality FZ received the award with an incredibly fast time of 77.651 seconds with one down.

Peter Petschenig (AUT) received the $5,000 ‘Luck of the Draw’ award.

$100,000 Alltech Grand Prix Results:

1 Cristo Beech, Aaron Vale (USA), Alise Carrico & Thinks Like A Horse: 0 | 0 | 42.110
2 Pampero, Santiago Lambre (BRA), Santiago Lambre: 0 | 0 | 42.607
3 I Adermie R 4, Aaron Vale (USA), Lori Ostertock: 0 | 0 43.686
4 Eve D’ouilly, Cian O’Connor (IRL), Nicole Walker: 0 | 0 | 44.567
5 Quirado RC, Richard Spooner (USA), Show Jumping Syndications International: 0 | 0 | 45.865
6 Comtess 202, Santiago Lambre (BRA), Santiago Lambre: 0 | 4 | 43.338
7 Valentine Car, Sharn Wordley (NZL), Fernando Cardenas Jr.: 0 | 4 | 43.624
8 MTM Apple, Tracy Fenney (USA), MTM Farm: 0 | 8 | 41.607
9 Verdini D’Houtveld Z, Lauren Balcomb (AUS), Lauren Balcomb: 0 | 8  | 48.886
10 Rock Of Cashel, Tom Wachman (IRL), Coolmore Showjumping: 0 | 8 | 49.027

For more information about the World Equestrian Center, visit worldequestriancenter.com  and to learn more about Alltech, visit alltech.com.

Alltech released its 2023 Alltech Agri-Food Outlook today, highlighting global feed production survey data. Despite significant macroeconomic challenges that affected the entire supply chain, global feed production remained steady in 2022 at 1.266 billion metric tons (BMT) in 2022, a decrease of less than one-half of one percent (0.42%) from 2021’s estimates. The annual survey, now in its 12^th year, includes data from 142 countries and more than 28,000 feed mills.

Europe bore the brunt of the impact, including significant disease challenges, severe weather and the impacts of the invasion of Ukraine. The global COVID-19 pandemic has had major impacts on the agri-food sector, contributing to supply chain challenges and accelerating the adoption of new technology and environmental sustainability practices.

The top 10 feed-producing countries over the past year were China (260.739 million metric tons [MMT]), the U.S. (240.403 MMT), Brazil (81.948 MMT), India (43.360 MMT), Mexico (40.138 MMT), Russia (34.147 MMT), Spain (31.234 MMT), Vietnam (26.720 MMT), Argentina (25.736 MMT) and Germany (24.396 MMT). Together, the top 10 countries produced 64% of the world’s feed production, and half of the world’s global feed consumption is concentrated in four countries: China, the U.S., Brazil and India. Vietnam experienced a great recovery in terms of its feed tonnage in 2022, entering the top 10 ahead of Argentina and Germany and crowding out Turkey, which reported reduced feed tonnage. Russia overtook Spain, where there was a significant reduction in feed production.

Key observations from the survey:

• Feed production increased in several regions, including Latin America (1.6%), North America (0.88%) and Oceania (0.32%), while Europe decreased by 4.67%, Africa by 3.86% and the Asia-Pacific region also dropped 0.51%.
   
• Globally, increases in feed tonnage were reported in the aquaculture, broiler, layer and pet food sectors, while decreases were reported in the beef, dairy and pig sectors.
   
• Although it experienced a narrow reduction in feed production, China remains the largest feed-producing country in the world, followed by the United States and Brazil.

Notable species results:

• The poultry sector experienced increases in both layer and broiler feed production.
  • Avian influenza, other diseases and the high costs of raw materials affected the layer sector in many markets, especially in Asia, Europe and Africa. On the other hand, growth in the sector was boosted due to bigger challenges in other sectors that led to increased demand for eggs. Overall, layer-sector feed production increased by 0.31%.
     
• • While the overall tonnage in the broiler sector increased by 1.27%, there were significant differences from country to country. Overall, feed production growth in the broiler sector was reported mainly from the Middle East, North America and Latin America.
     
• Pig feed production was down globally in 2022 by almost 3%. ASF and high feed prices depressed pig production in many countries. However, in Vietnam, China, South Africa, Brazil and Mexico, better pork prices and other market conditions led to growth in the sector.
   
• Dairy feed tonnage decreased by 1.32%, mainly due to the high cost of feed combined with low milk prices, which caused farmers to reduce their numbers of cows and/or rely more on non-commercial feed sources. Some exceptions included Ireland, where drought caused farmers to rely more on commercial feeds, and New Zealand, where milk prices were higher.
   
• Beef feed production decreased slightly by 0.34% globally. The downward trend continued in Europe, but increases were seen in almost all other regions. In Australia, the reduction in feed tonnage was a result of plentiful grass and not a reflection of any changes in the demand for beef.
   
• The aquaculture sector experienced a total global feed production growth of 2.7%. The Top 5 aquaculture feed countries are China, Vietnam, India, Norway and Indonesia. Significant increases were reported in China, Brazil, Ecuador, the Philippines and the U.S. Aquaculture feed production was one of a few sectors that saw growth in Europe.
   
• Pet feed production had the highest increase among the sectors, with a global average 7.25% rise in production. This significant increase is largely due to the rise in pet ownership amid the COVID-19 pandemic. North America and Europe continue to be the top pet feed-producing regions.

Notable regional results:

• North America reported an increase of 0.88% (2.272 MMT) and the U.S. remained the second-largest feed-producing country globally, behind China. Growth was reported in the broiler, beef and pet food sectors.
   
• Latin America experienced growth of 1.6% (3.006 MMT), and Brazil remained the leader in feed production for the region and ranked third overall globally. Most of the growth was reported by Mexico, Brazil and Chile.
   
• Europe saw the largest decrease in feed production of 4.67% (-12.882 MMT) in its feed production due to issues that include the invasion in Ukraine and the spread of animal diseases, such as African swine fever (ASF) and avian Influenza (AI).
   
• Asia-Pacific remained flat as decreases reported in China, Pakistan, Thailand and Malaysia were offset by increases in Vietnam, the Philippines, Mongolia and South Korea. The region is home to several of the top 10 feed-producing countries, including China, India and Vietnam.
   
• Africa experienced a decrease of 3.86% in feed tonnage (-1.718 MMT), mainly because of reductions reported in Egypt, Morocco, Kenya and Nigeria. South Africa, on the other hand, saw an increase of more than 2%, and Namibia also reported higher feed tonnage in 2022
   
• The Middle East region is up significantly at 24.7% (6.301 MMT), as a result of more accurate reporting and efforts by the Saudi Arabian government to increase broiler production as part of its Vision 2030 plan.
   
• Oceania was flat, with a small reduction reported by Australia that was offset by a slight increase reported by New Zealand.

Alltech works together with feed mills and industry and government entities around the world to compile data and insights to provide an assessment of feed production each year. Compound feed production and prices were collected by Alltech’s global sales team and in partnership with local feed associations in the last quarter of 2022. These figures are estimates and are intended to serve as an information resource for industry stakeholders.

To access more data and insights from the 2023 Alltech Agri-Food Outlook, including an interactive global map, visit alltech.com/agri-food-outlook.

To accelerate innovation and keep Alltech at the leading edge of smarter, more sustainable solutions for agriculture, the company has formed a new Innovation Department, appointing Dr. Kyle McKinney as vice president of innovation and Dr. Rebecca Delles as innovation & analytics manager.  The team will be responsible for horizon scanning to meet the needs of tomorrow’s customers, rigorously challenging ideas before investment and bringing new technologies to market.

“Our new Innovation Department will serve as an important hub of connection, collaborating with our global sales team and customers to identify opportunities, piloting new innovations with our operations and sales teams and successfully launching new innovations into the market with the support of teams throughout our organization,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “This is an exciting development in our effort to exploit more of Alltech’s capabilities and ultimately deliver on our ambitions for Working Together for a Planet of Plenty™.”

Since 2018, Dr. McKinney has served as the Global Director of Alltech’s Enzyme Management platform. Prior to that role, he spent three years in Costa Rica focused on leveraging Alltech Crop Science technologies to control disease and reduce chemical applications. While there, he helped establish a fermentation lab to evaluate microbial solutions for disease control. He also worked in Alltech’s applications research program for more than a decade, playing an instrumental role in the design of Alltech True Check™, an in vitro digestion system that evaluates diets and the impacts of feed technology in monogastric animals. Dr. McKinney received his bachelor’s degree in agricultural biotechnology from the University of Kentucky, his master’s degree in brewing and distilling fermentation technology from Heriot-Watt University and his Ph.D. in agricultural biotechnology from Harper Adams University.

Dr. Delles has supported Alltech as a research scientist since 2013. Her focus has been on the impact of nutritional strategies on the oxidative stability of fresh meat products and the role of nutrition on inflammaging (the impact of inflammation on the aging process) in companion animals. She received her bachelor’s degree in medical technology at the State University of New York at Fredonia and her master’s, Ph.D. and MBA from the University of Kentucky.

For more information, visit alltech.com.

Alltech is pleased to announce that Dr. Roy Brister has joined the team as a Strategic Poultry Advisor. With nearly four decades of experience in the poultry industry, he will focus on supporting sales and technical teams, bridging the gap between suppliers and poultry integrators, and driving new research. He is also passionate about creating actionable steps that help the poultry industry meet its sustainability goals.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Brister to our team,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “Dr. Brister exemplifies our Alltech values, including lifelong curiosity. He is committed to producers’ profitability and to the nutrition and wellbeing of poultry. To this, he brings both sound science-based practice and the rigorous pursuit of innovative approaches that can achieve greater performance and sustainability.”

Dr. Brister began his career as a technical nutritionist at Nutrius Inc./Diamond Shamrock and later Spring Valley Farms, the latter of which was acquired by Tyson just months after he joined. His 37 years at Tyson Foods included roles as director of nutrition and feed milling. He specializes in nutrition and feed milling management and is particularly interested in growth modeling as an innovative technology that can help producers achieve increased efficiency and sustainability. He is also interested in alternative ingredients that support circular nutrition and in utilizing data to guide critical decisions.

Born and raised in Texas, he received a bachelor’s degree in agriculture education from Texas A&M University and went on to receive a master’s degree and Ph.D. in poultry science from Texas A&M University.

Dr. Brister will be attending the International Production & Processing Expo (IPPE) at the Alltech booth in Hall B, booth #4507. For more information about Alltech, visit alltech.com.

Alltech is pleased to announce two additions to its U.S. pig business team. Andy Rash has been appointed general manager and Mark Hulsebus is now sales and portfolio director of Alltech’s pig business team.

“Andy and Mark are highly respected throughout the U.S. ag industry,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “Their extensive experience in modern pork production will enable us to support more producers with nutritional solutions and services that enhance their efficiency, profitability and sustainability.”

Rash will be leading Alltech’s pig team, strengthening alignment across the business from research and development to account management. Hulsebus will be working with the commercial pig team on strategic direction to advise commercial development and strengthen customer support.

Prior to joining Alltech, Rash served as Cargill’s commercial director of beef in North America and their pork sales leader. He also served as vice president of sales and marketing at River Valley Cooperative. He earned his master’s degree in ag education at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and his Bachelor of Science in animal sciences at Western Illinois University.

Hulsebus spent more than 20 years in senior roles at Cargill, most recently as the commercial director of pork in North America. He also served for five years as the live production manager at Tri Oak Food’s 70,000 sow system. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in animal science and agronomy at Iowa State University.

For more information about Alltech, visit alltech.com.

Strengthening its commitment to Working Together for a Planet of Plenty™, Alltech Crop Science has acquired Ideagro, based in Murcia, Spain. This partnership joins two leading platforms to accelerate soil and crop research, and to enhance biological and other microorganism-based offerings to Alltech Crop Science customers throughout the world.

“We are excited to announce that Ideagro has joined the Alltech Crop Science global team, providing us with a partner who shares our vision and significantly scaling our research capabilities,” said Andy Thomas, CEO of Alltech Crop Science. "This is the strengthening of a longstanding partnership. We have worked closely with the Ideagro team since their founding 11 years ago.”

Ideagro is a leader in agri-food research and development with a team of more than 20 scientists. It is committed to improving the productivity and profitability of agricultural systems. Its expertise in developing beneficial organisms for soil aids the growth of crops, reduces the impact of chemical inputs and helps plants to resist biotic and abiotic stress. Ideagro’s analytical capabilities, with special emphasis on in-vitro research, phytopathology, soil dynamics and microorganisms, further enable growers to identify microorganisms and quantify enzymatic activity in the soil.

“We are facing a great growth opportunity for Ideagro because we are going to have better means and more technological capacity to develop our research, which will now have a global projection,” said Pedro Palazón, CEO of Ideagro. “We will no longer only study the soils of the Iberian Peninsula, but we will work with soils from all over the world to achieve more sustainable and environmentally friendly agriculture.”

Ideagro has state-of-the-art laboratories and experimental research stations and fields for carrying out trials in Spain. To date, the company has researched more than 90 different crops and performed more than 10,000 physicochemical and biological analyses. This has led to the development of new agricultural strategies based on microorganisms.

Ideagro’s three laboratories are fully equipped with the latest technologies to focus on nutraceuticals, phytopathology, research and development and molecular biology. Its services include:

• Precise diagnoses, identification and semi-quantification of more than 290 microorganisms at the species level in different crops. Through the development of multispecific detection kits, it can simultaneously detect up to 40 pathogenic microorganisms in a single sample, with results in 24-48 hours.
• Molecular identification of microorganisms as well as genetic characterization of specific strains and determination of pathotypes of a pathogen.
• Analysis of nematodes.
• Design of specific probes for specific microorganisms. As a result, Ideagro is able to detect specific microorganisms in soil, water, plant material and biostimulants.
• Mycotoxin analyses. With more than 15,000 analyses carried out to date, Ideagro can identify and quantify the risks of aflatoxin B1, fumonisins, zearalenone and deoxynivalenol trichothecenes and T2 toxin. It provides monthly data on mycotoxin contamination in animal feed and in the main crops of the Spanish and European markets.

Ideagro is accredited by MAPAMA (EOR 82/13) and has ISO 9001:2015 certification. In June 2021, it was named a Reference Regional Laboratory by GLOSOLAN, the Global Soil Laboratory division of the FAO.

“The combination of the Ideagro expertise with the reach and scale of Alltech will allow us to extend world-leading understanding of the interface between soil, crop, animal and human health to the global market,” said Andy Thomas, CEO of Alltech Crop Science. “The potential implications of these insights cannot be understated as we endeavor to improve the vitality of our global food system, from the ground up.”

For more information about Alltech Crop Science, visit alltech.com/crop-science.

Alltech is proud to continue to partner in the Women in Food & Agriculture (WFA) Mentorship Program. Applications are now open for new mentors of any gender and for female mentees from across the global food and agriculture sector. Now in its third year, the free-to-join program matches applicants based on their preferences, which can include gender of mentor, areas of expertise, language and industry sector, and offers opportunities for women in food and agriculture to develop meaningful industry connections.

“Over the past few years, all of us have come to more deeply value the power of human connection,” said Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech. “A commitment to the growth and development of another person unleashes energy, inspires ideas and empowers both individuals to have a greater impact. We view our involvement in the Women in Food & Agriculture mentorship program as an investment not only in the lives of women but in the future of agriculture as the industry most integral to the nourishment and vitality of our planet.”

Findings from the annual WFA survey and ongoing feedback from all levels of the food and agriculture sector consistently suggest that a hurdle to greater success for women in the global agri-food industry is a lack of mentorship opportunities. To tackle this issue, WFA launched its Mentorship Program. In partnership with Alltech in 2022, the initiative grew with 320 industry representatives matched across two cohorts. Now in 2023, the program will be open for applicants year-round with two matching sessions taking place to help even more women in food and agriculture progress their careers. The initiative has supported a variety of people around the world from CEOs of agribusinesses to small-scale farmers, from academics to ag-tech professionals, with sector representatives paired with mentors that complement their professional objectives.

“We are very pleased to again have Alltech supporting the 2023 WFA Mentorship Program,” said Elisabeth Mork-Eidem, global chair of WFA. “Mentorship is vital in supporting women across food and agriculture in developing their careers, we’ve had very positive feedback from both mentors and mentees. Many of our mentors joined the initiative as a selfless act of support for equality in our sector, but realized they got as much out of the experience as the mentees. This is such an exciting opportunity to learn about yourself, develop your skills and support an important initiative that is working to improve diversity, equality and inclusion in the food and agriculture industry.”

For those interested in taking part in the 2023 Mentorship Program, WFA is looking for mentors of any gender who have at least one year of experience in the food and ag sector. During matching, WFA will ensure all mentors have more work experience than mentees, so this should not be a barrier to mentors applying. Potential mentees should be women working in the food and ag industry who would benefit from help, guidance and support from a senior sector representative.

Alltech believes that inclusion cultivates creativity, drives innovation and is essential to the company’s purpose of Working Together for a Planet of Plenty^TM. In 2019, Alltech selected Gender Equality as one of the nine United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to which the company committed to advancing.

Applications are open now for the Women in Food & Agriculture (WFA) Mentorship Program, supported by Alltech. For more information and to apply to be a mentor or mentee, visit https://wfa-initiative.com/mentorship-program/.