By Scout Nelson
Minnesota Farm Bureau member Bryan Boll, owner of Northstar Lime in Crookston, has been named a Top 10 finalist in the 2025 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge. This annual competition, organized by the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) in partnership with Farm Credit, highlights entrepreneurs in agriculture who push the boundaries of innovation.
Northstar Lime is a sustainable lime fertilizer created from spent lime, a byproduct of a nearby sugarbeet processing plant. The pelletized lime improves soil pH, enhances nutrient absorption, and promotes efficient crop productivity while repurposing waste material.
The 10 semi-finalist teams, including Northstar Lime, will present their innovations in a virtual pitch round judged by experts from different sectors of the agricultural supply chain. Four finalists will be announced on October 17, each receiving $10,000. These finalists will compete at the AFBF Convention in January 2025 for a chance to win the grand prize.
“New ideas and innovative businesses have continually pushed the boundaries of what’s possible in farming,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “We doubled the prize and the impact for this competition to support entrepreneurs in helping farmers and ranchers.”
Now in its 11th year, the Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge is the first national business competition focusing exclusively on rural entrepreneurs in agriculture and food-related industries.
Photo Credit: minnesota-farm-bureau
Categories: Minnesota, General, Sustainable Agriculture