Dairy innovation competition begins its third year Anewnameand increased focus onad- vancing development of functional dairy products highlight the 2021 version of the annual California Milk Advisory Board dairy product innovation competition. The Real California Milk Excelerator, the thirdeditionof theCMABcompetition with innovationconsultancyVentureFuel, will awardup to$650,000 inprizes for new dairy products that support performance and recovery benefits. This year’s contest taps into the func- tional-foods market. With people priori- tizing personal health and wellness in re- sponse to the pandemic, CMAB said, the competitionseeksearly-stagestartups that use Californiamilk in their products. Specifically, the competition encour- ages applicants with a cow’s milk-based product or working prototype that plays a critical role in personal performance— focus, energy, exercise, strength—and/ or recovery: rejuvenation, relaxation, gut health, sleep. Up to 12 applicants will be selected to join the program, with each receiving a $10,000 stipend, support to refine and scale their individual business, and group resources including sales development andmarketing tools. They will also be en- tered into theCMAB/VentureFuelMentor Program, which includes counsel from founders, investors, executivesandexperts in design, marketing, sales, manufactur- ing, distribution, farming and processing. The first-place winner will earn up to $150,000 worth of additional marketing support fromCMAB toaccelerateproduct growth in the marketplace. Second place will receive $100,000. To further advance opportunities for fi- nalists, a private Buyer/Investor Day will be hosted for finalists to pitch actual cli- ents to drive business development and secure financing.
For the first time, CMAB said, it and VentureFuel also will award up to three companiesentry intoanewRealCalifornia Milk Incubator Boot Camp, an option for companies with promising ideas that are too early for the competition. LedbyexecutivesatCMAB,VentureFuel and the California Dairy Innovation Center, Boot Camp participants also will gain entry into the VentureFuel Mentor Programandreviewof products, tweaking of pitch, introductions to food labs, nutri- tionists, etc., valued at $50,000. John Talbot, the milk board CEO, said the programs give CMAB the ability “to support companies as they innovate with dairy, tobringmore of theseproducts fea- turingmilk fromCalifornia dairy farmers tomarket.” CMAB said VentureFuel Inc. is again partnering with it to run the programand to identify the best-emerging opportuni- ties from its global network of investors, founders and academics. Compe t i t i on r u l e s and app l i - cat ion documents are avai lable at RealCaMilkExcelerator.com. Application deadline is June 25. In addition to the Excelerator compe- titions, which in the past have focused on fluid milk and snack-product start- ups, CMAB also developed last year the CaliforniaDairy InnovationCenter,which it describes as a collaborative platform created to further product-oriented in- novation and enhance productivity for Californiadairy throughresearch, training and education. Research looks at drought tolerance Inadevelopment that couldimprovethe drought tolerance of crops, University of Californiascientistssaytheyhaveidentified genes that protect plants fromdrying out. Working with tomato plants, the UC researchers uncovered genes that tell the plant to make xylem—hollow, pipe-like vessels that transport water and nutrients fromthe roots to the shoot. Theyalso foundgenes thatdirect anout- er layer of the root to produce lignin and suberin. Suberin surrounds plant cells in a thick layer, holding in water during drought,while ligninwaterproofscellsand providesmechanical support. Genes that encode for a plant’s root meristem—the growing tip of each root— turnedout tobesimilaramongtomato, rice andaweed-likemodel plant. Researchers said being able to change themeristemof a plant’s roots will help thembreed crops that survive longer during drought.
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16 Ag Alert May 26, 2021
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