New ADM Aquaculture Innovation Lab Opens in Illinois

American agribusiness Archer Daniels Midland (ADM) opened its new Aquaculture Innovation Lab at the company’s Animal Nutrition Technology Center (ANTC) in Decatur, IL, expanding its aquaculture research and development activities to the North American region for the first time, the company announced Tuesday.

“The opening of this new wet lab demonstrates our commitment to scientific discovery, bringing expanded capabilities to our competitive aqua innovation network worldwide,” Nuria Miquel, Ph.D., vice president, R&D for ADM Animal Nutrition, said in a release. “It also reinforces knowledge-sharing between our animal and human nutrition colleagues, allowing our innovation projects to benefit from a central hub of expertise.”

A pilot lab in the Aquaculture Innovation Lab includes production capabilities for commercial-equivalent feeds to quickly prototype new technologies, including feed ingredients and additives, used to boost production efficiency, reduce environmental impacts, and improve animal health and welfare.

“This location positions the new aquaculture lab at the heart of our innovation capabilities and the project lifecycle teams that drive nutrition breakthroughs, from concept to commercialization,” said John Bowzer, Ph.D., senior research scientist in Aquaculture and on-site director of the Aquaculture Innovation Lab, in a statement.

ADM currently operates aquaculture research sites in Brazil, Mexico, and Vietnam. The facilities in Latin America house outdoor research labs for shrimp and fish in large-scale, farm-like systems. The new Decatur site will focus on upstream research and product development.