Skip to content
i2E
  • Programs
    • For Startups
      • E3
      • Bridge2
      • OCN
    • For Students
      • Entrepreneur’s Cup
    • For Corporations
    • For Investors
  • Client Portfolio
  • About
    • Our Values
    • Meet Our Team
    • Board of Directors
    • Corporate Partners
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Media
  • Programs
    • For Startups
      • E3
      • Bridge2
      • OCN
    • For Students
      • Entrepreneur’s Cup
    • For Corporations
    • For Investors
  • Client Portfolio
  • About
    • Our Values
    • Meet Our Team
    • Board of Directors
    • Corporate Partners
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Media
Search

Agriculture grabs focus of Oklahomans at BIO show

Get in Touch
Jeff Moen with the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation/Oklahoman photo
Jeff Moen with the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation/Oklahoman photo

By Lillie-Beth Brinkman
Copyright (©) 2015, The Oklahoma Publishing Company

PHILADELPHIA — A representative from the Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation in Ardmore is attending the 2015 international convention of Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) to promote that organization’s work in agriculture, including its efforts to develop year-round grazing and its relatively new national initiative with the Farm Foundation to study soil science more in depth.

“First and foremost, we want to make sure we help promote the biosciences in Oklahoma to the rest of the world,” Moen said. “We’re looking for any partner who has made advancements in plant science or is working in areas that we’re working in or might have challenges that they have identified.”

Agriculture represents a smaller but important part of the Oklahoma delegation’s efforts to showcase the state’s bioscience industry, said Josh O’Brien, with the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber.

“I’ve been doing this a long time and we always get a lot of conversation about agriculture,” O’Brien said, noting that both Noble and Oklahoma State University are key pillars of the state’s agriculture research because of the science they are doing and strong reputations. OSU sent representatives to BIO this year as well.

At BIO this year, Moen hoped to start conversations around two key new programs at the Noble Foundation, whether the foundation, with its 350 employees that include 150 with doctorates, could help that organization or benefit from their products products.

Grazing system launch

First, The Noble Foundation has launched a new initiative to develop a year-round sustainable grazing system for ranchers, called Forage365. Tailored for the Southern Plains region right now, this effort, when implemented, would help ranchers reduce their costs of bringing in hay during winter months, as well as improve water quality and be more sustainable.

To implement it, the foundation is looking at how to develop different varieties of forages and grasses in four pillar species — winter wheat, grass, tall fescue and alfalfa — that will grow year round, Moen said.

“We’re bringing up plants that are more tolerant, more resistant, increasing yields,” Moen said. “That involves the understanding of the biology of that plant.”

The foundation released four different plant varieties in the last year that are for sale — new varieties of wheat, oat, rye and triticale. They are all available through Oklahoma Genetics, Inc.

The Noble Foundation’s other initiative with a broader focus is the Soil Renaissance, a collaboration with the Farm Foundation that was announced last year.

For years, research has focused on plant and animal interaction and how to make plants more drought and disease resistant. However, researchers haven’t looked as deeply beneath the soil, Moen said. While there are soil experts, often they work regionally and don’t have as much opportunity to share their research.

The Soil Renaissance seeks to change that so agriculture producers can benefit.

The initiative takes the foundation back to its roots from its founding in 1945 in order to study soil management and fight erosion, Moen said.

The Soil Renaissance’s goals include establishing a standard system of measuring soil no matter what kind of dirt it is. The project is working with scientists from around the country and looking for additional funding partners, Moen said.

The project will require a lot of biotech research and both soil and plant scientists working together to grow healthier, more sustainable crops, he said.

Moen said at BIO he wanted to both find ways to benefit his organization and have the foundation benefit others.

“That spirit of collaboration goes both ways,” he said.

Lillie-Beth Brinkman is content marketing manager for the Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, which is a member of the Oklahoma Bioscience Association and a supporter of the OKBio booth at the 2015 BIO international convention.

Read the story at newsok.com

 

 

More News

Loading...
Blog, Featured, News
06.25.25

i2E Showcases Startup Innovation at Bridge2 Cohort 3 Demo Day

Read more
Blog, Entrepreneur's Cup Featured, Entrepreneur's Cup News
04.25.25

Oklahoma Collegiate Entrepreneurs Take Home Over $167K at Entrepreneur’s Cup

Read more
Blog, Featured, News
12.16.24

MidAmerica and i2E Announce Award Winners

Read more
Blog, Featured, News
11.21.24

i2E & Plains Ventures Surpasses $100M Milestone in Total Investments

Read more
Blog
09.30.24

i2E Receives 2024 Excellence in Economic Development Award from IEDC

Read more
Blog
06.18.24

Bridge2 Demo Day Returns, Highlighting Promising Oklahoma Startups

Read more
Blog, Entrepreneur's Cup Featured, Entrepreneur's Cup News
05.13.24

Student Entrepreneurs Triumph at 20th Anniversary Entrepreneur’s Cup, Winning $158,000 in Prizes

Read more
Default Featured Image
Blog, Entrepreneur's Cup News
04.24.24

Beyond the Cup: Tracking Success Stories from the Entrepreneur’s Cup Series – Jessica Kinsey

Read more
Default Featured Image
Blog, Entrepreneur's Cup News
04.23.24

Beyond the Cup: Tracking Success Stories from the Entrepreneur’s Cup Series – Nathan Fountain

Read more
Default Featured Image
Blog, Entrepreneur's Cup Featured, Entrepreneur's Cup News
04.23.24

Beyond the Cup: Tracking Success Stories from the Entrepreneur’s Cup Series – Srijita Ghosh

Read more
Default Featured Image
Blog, Entrepreneur's Cup Featured, Entrepreneur's Cup News
04.18.24

Beyond the Cup: Tracking Success Stories from the Entrepreneur’s Cup Series – MaxQ

Read more
Blog, i2E
01.30.24

i2E Celebrates Success of Inaugural Bridge2 Demo Day

Read more
i2E

Oklahoma City Office

201 Robert S Kerr Ave, Suite 600
Oklahoma City, OK 73102
+1 (405) 235.2305

Tulsa Office

12 N. Cheyenne Ave, Suite 112
Tulsa, OK 74103
+1 (918) 582.5592

  • Client Portfolio
  • About Us
  • Media
  • Events
  • Contact
  • Resources
  • Funding
  • Venture Advisory

© 2025 i2E Privacy Policy

Follow us:

Linkedin Twitter Facebook Instagram Youtube

Programs

  • For Startups
    • E3
    • Bridge2
    • OCN
  • For Students
    • Entrepreneur’s Cup
  • For Corporations
  • For Investors
  • For Startups
    • E3
    • Bridge2
    • OCN
  • For Students
    • Entrepreneur’s Cup
  • For Corporations
  • For Investors
  • Client Portfolio

Services

  • Access to Funding
  • Venture Advisory Services
  • Events
  • Contact
  • About
  • Our Values
  • Our Team
  • Board of Directors
  • Corporate Partners
  • Media
i2E