USDA Funds Re-Nuble’s Initiative to Improve Soil Health Across Underserved U.S. Farms
January 27, 2025 Re-Nuble, a climate technology company, has launched a new project to enhance soil health and resilience in food systems through climate-smart practices. This initiative, supported by a $4.6 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is in collaboration with Chapul Farms, an insect farming technology innovator, and the IPM Institute, a nonprofit focused on advancing sustainable agriculture.
This project is a part of USDA’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program, and aims to help small and underserved farms in New York, Michigan, Mississippi, and Kentucky transform food waste into valuable agricultural inputs. Using Black Soldier Fly farming technology, food waste is processed into insect frass—a nutrient-rich agricultural amendment that improves overall soil health, boosts crop yields, and increases farm revenue. Participating farms will apply the insect frass to the soil in which specific commodities must be grown, namely alfalfa, apples, corn, hemp, leafy greens, squash, or tomatoes (including those grown under protection).
Re-Nuble, Chapul Farms, and IPM Institute will combine their unique areas of focus to support underserved farmers and improve soil health. Their collaborative efforts aim to show how
scalable, closed-loop solutions not only turn waste streams into profitable resources for
farmers, but also help advance sustainability.
By combining this technology with regenerative agricultural methods, the project seeks to create a more sustainable and economically beneficial future for U.S. farmers.
“We want to help farms across the nation grow food more sustainably without exposing them to the typical risks that a grower has to deal with when implementing a new farming practice on-site,” says Tinia Pina, founder and CEO of Re-Nuble. “There is a lot on the line for farms when they pivot their operations, so we knew we had to pick the right project partners who would understand the risks that farms will be taking on. Both Chapul Farms and IPM Institute are experts in their fields, and with all of our experiences combined, we know we can achieve this goal with and for the farms.”
Re-Nuble’s collaboration with Chapul Farms and the IPM Institute is a step toward building a more resilient food system. Over the next three years, the project will work with 16 farms across the country, all of whom will receive a financial incentive for participating, to trial use of insect frass produced from food and crop “waste” on specific crops.
The USDA Climate Smart Project is poised to significantly impact national agricultural practices,
offering farmers the tools and knowledge needed to adopt climate-resilient methods that are
economically viable and environmentally friendly. For more information on this project or for
small and underserved farms in New York, Michigan, Mississippi, and Kentucky interested in
participating, please visit Re-Nuble’s website or contact media@re-nuble.com with the subject title [USDA CSC: Interested Farm Participant].