Wisconsin Institute for Sustainable TechnologyCollege of Natural Resources

Market opportunities for natural chemicals from vegetable production
and processing 

February 28, 2017 

Heartland Farms Operations, Technology and Training Center

Hancock, Wisconsin

8 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

Lunch is included for registered attendees.

This conference is free but registration is required.

An estimated 15 percent of vegetable material delivered for processing is not useable as food. This includes peels, stems and leaves as well as blemished or wrong-sized vegetables. This residual material could be a source for high-value, natural chemicals such as antioxidants and oils.

This half-day event will explore challenges and opportunities in extracting, purifying and commercializing these chemicals. 

The conference invites participation from supply chain partners including:

• potato and vegetable growers
• entrepreneurs
• fruit and vegetable processors
• manufacturers and suppliers of specialist pre-processing and processing equipment
• downstream users of naturally derived chemicals looking to differentiate their product lines

Why you should attend

Hear about potential economic opportunities in the growing market for naturally derived chemicals to replace those derived from fossil fuels. This conference will bring together representatives of the vegetable supply and natural chemical value chains, beginning with growers and ending with home and personal care businesses using naturally sourced chemicals in their product lines. Five highly regarded speakers will discuss harvesting and processing techniques, the economics of value-added chemical extraction and purification, drivers for increased use of naturally occurring chemicals in non-food applications and the challenges that exist in bringing such chemicals to market. 

Attendees will also hear an update on a collaborative project already underway to create a "proof of concept center" validating commercialization possibilities. Project participants include:

• Del Monte Foods
• Heartland Farms
• Pavelski Legacy Partners
• Midwest Food Products Association
• Wisconsin Potato and Vegetable Growers Association
• The Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. and WiSys Technology Foundation are providing advice on commercialization strategies.

There will be time for questions with each presentation and time for discussion during a provided luncheon.

Image of Heartland Farms Operations, Technology and Training Center © 2016 Weston Imaging Group with usage rights granted Ellis Construction Co.