A group of faculty and staff from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the Genetic Engineering and Society Center hosted the inaugural Sustainable Agri-Food Technology Summit (SAFTS) on May 21 at the Plant Sciences Building at NC State University. 

The SAFTS event was led by a team of CALS researchers and Extension specialists, including Khara Grieger, Katie Sanders and Minliang Yang, who have joint appointments across several NC State initiatives, such as the Genetic Engineering and Society (GES) Center, the Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center, the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative and the newly awarded Bezos Center for Sustainable Protein at NC State. Additional support was provided by GES faculty and staff members Katie Barnhill, Dawn Rodriguez-Ward, Sharon Stauffer and Patti Mulligan.

The daylong workshop aimed to deepen participants’ understanding of sustainability in food systems that rely on novel agrifood technologies, including gene-editing, genetic engineering, nanotechnology and alternative proteins. Through engaging talks, a poster session and roundtable discussions, the summit brought together diverse stakeholders to explore perspectives on the sustainability of novel agrifood technologies, share real-world innovations, and identify collaborative opportunities for the future. 

SAFTS hosted a total of six speakers to explore the diversity of innovations and perspectives across agri-food technologies. Bill Aimutis, executive director of the North Carolina Food Innovation Lab and co-director of the Bezos Center for Sustainable Protein, served as the keynote speaker. His talk, titled “Will We Be Able to Feed the World in 2060?”, explored the importance of working toward sustainability across agricultural and food sectors, while highlighting the role emerging innovations, such as alternative proteins, could play in a sustainable future. 

Five spotlight speakers from across North Carolina agricultural industries included:

• Kathryn Polkoff, co-founder and CEO of Hoofprint Biome, spoke about the mission of her company to reduce global GHG emissions from methane in cattle through their new genetically engineered probiotic. 

• Megan Thomas, founder and CEO at Ladder 17, discussed her time with Pairwise during the development and distribution of their CRISPR-edited mustard greens, highlighting the importance of communication around food technology. 

• Lyle Ralston, the crop efficiency platform lead, Plant Biotech R&D at Bayer Crop Science, presented about Bayer’s strategy for incorporating plant biotechnology into sustainable and regenerative agriculture. 

• Katie Barnhill, a senior research scholar at the GES Center at NC State, offered an alternative perspective on the role of technology in agri-food systems, demonstrating a framework of responsible research and innovation. 

• Daniel Sulis, a postdoctoral scholar in NC State’s College of Natural Resources, presented on the role of novel biotechnologies, like CRISPR, in agriculture and beyond.

SAFTS also featured a poster contest showcasing student research related to sustainable agri-food technologies. A total of 11 poster presenters shared their findings, with four winners selected:

• 1st Place: Gate-to-gate life cycle analysis of processed sweet potatoes: Identifying gaps and mitigation strategies, Rebekah Brown
• 2nd Place: Impacts of water stress on the soybean yields in NC, Dana Mugisa
• 3rd Place: Evaluating environmental risks through the use of case studies of novel genetically engineered plants, Nick Loschin
• People’s Choice: Assessing environmental impact and economic feasibility of cultured meat using LCA and TEA, Ajinkya Atkare

Alex Goodnight, university programs specialist with the N.C. Plant Sciences Initiative, Nourou Barry, a postdoctoral research scholar with the GES Center, and Andrew Ofstehage, Global Academy Program coordinator with CALS International Programs, served as judges for the poster session.

“Overall, the SAFTS workshop was a successful event highlighting diverse voices across the food systems to foster collaborations and visioning around sustainable agri-food technologies,” says Sanders. “We hope these discussions and efforts continue to grow, sparking interest in new pathways toward sustainability across the food system. A special thank you to our speakers, participants, and volunteers for making this event a success!”

Funding and support for SAFTS was provided by:

• U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) – National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) – Grant No. 2022-67023-36730 (Interdisciplinary Approaches to Evaluate Societal Implications and Foster Sustainability of Genetic Engineering and Nanotechnology in Food and Agriculture)
• Genetic Engineering and Society (GES) Center (NC State)
• Department of Food, Bioprocessing and Nutrition Sciences (NC State)
• Department of Agricultural and Human Sciences (NC State)
• Sustainable Futures Initiative (NC State)
• National Science Foundation under Grant No. CBET-2019435  – Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability (STEPS) Center