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Center for Environmental Sustainability through Insect Farming (CEIF)

The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the Center author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Center Overview

The mission of the Center for Environmental Sustainability through Insect Farming (CEIF) is to develop novel methods for using insects as feed for livestock, poultry, and aquaculture. CEIF brings together leading industry and academic experts to create ways in which insect-based products can become a sustainable alternative for feed and food production. Research results can also help decrease pollution and competition for human-grade food, increase quality assurance and quality control of products, and improve efficiency in production. CEIF’s collaborative research leads to new strategies for optimizing production, better understanding the insects’ impacts on diets, and increasing the safety and overall sustainability of this novel industry.

CEIF serves as the conduit for communications among these experts, helping them develop common goals. To support this rapidly developing agriculture sector, CEIF will help prepare the next generation of scientist-entrepreneurs, as trainees will gain cross-disciplinary experiences in entomology, microbiology, genetics, chemistry, engineering, food science, business, and other areas.

Universities

Texas A&M University
Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis
Mississippi State University

View Center Website

Center Personnel

Jeffery K Tomberlin
Center Co-Director
+1 979 845 9718
JKTomberlin@tamu.edu

Heather R Jordan
Center Co-Director
+1 662 325 8252
jordan@biology.msstate.edu

Christine Picard
Center Co-Director
+1 317 278 1050
cpicard@iupui.edu

Cheryl Preyer
Center Industry Liaison Officer
+1 303 601 9746
cheryl@insectcenter.org

Research Focus

CEIF focuses research efforts on optimizing industrially relevant insect traits to increase efficiency, promote quality assurance, and support product diversification for insect agriculture. Projects include the study of animal feed supplemented with insect protein, microbiome utility for feed and waste conversion, and genomics for trait selection and breeding strategies. They also include surveys for quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC). This research will be invaluable in developing standard operating procedures for QA/QC and to regulatory bodies seeking independent research as insect agriculture continues to grow.

Awards

2052788

IUCRC Phase I: Mississippi State University: Center for Environmental Sustainability through Insect Farming (CEIF)

This Industry University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) for Environmental Sustainability through Insect Farming (CEIF) represents a first of its kind IUCRC to support the animal nutrition and human food industries that go beyond conventional protein sources currently available. At current rates of population growth, traditional agriculture will be under intense pressure to meet protein demands. Insect farming can increase the food supply for both animals and humans. In addition, sustainable and cost effective methods for remediating agricultural waste while producing high value protein is essential to the long term health of ecosystems and agriculture. Select insects can take waste, such as that produced in agro-ecosystems or urban environments, and convert it into protein and compost. Industry can utilize the knowledge created in the center to further explore the use of insect protein, with suitable regulatory approvals, as food for humans and animals. Thus, insect-farming and its innovations could represent a circular economy, which reduces land and/or water use and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Insect farming may also relieve the stress imposed on marine and agricultural resources to generate protein for food and animal feed. The Center for Environmental Sustainability through Insect Farming (CEIF) comprises of three sites (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis [IUPUI], Texas A&M AgriLife Research [TAMU], and Mississippi State University [MSU]), with each site specializing in a specific area of research. The sites will work collaboratively to deliver industry-desired, fundamental research into the genetics/genomics of the insect systems, evaluating the heritability of traits, and determining the genetic contributions to traits, allowing for future optimization and mass production. Through this research, new knowledge and technologies will fill critical scientific and industrial gaps related to insect farming for livestock and aquaculture production as well as insect production for human consumption. Laboratory and field-based experiments will also engage interdisciplinary expertise in microbiology, engineering, chemistry, food nutrition, physiology, and biology with cutting edge technologies. The purpose of the MSU site is to: 1) Investigate insect microbiomes to optimize and evaluate their utility for increased insect nutrition, nutrition as feed, and waste conversion; 2) Conduct experiments to determine the effects of probiotic supplementation on insect nutrition, feed nutrition, and waste conversion; 3) Use classical and molecular microbiology to develop and implement management plans for quality assurance (prevention) and control (detection) of microbial pathogens. MSU will work with the other sites to integrate research thrusts across the three sites with IUPUI and TAMU focusing on genetics, insect biology, engineering, and feed trials. All three sites will work with strains produced by industry as well as strains developed internally as a means to optimize mass production.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. Read More >

2052454

IUCRC Phase I Texas A&M: Center for Environmental Sustainability through Insect Farming (CEIF)

This Industry University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) for Environmental Sustainability through Insect Farming (CEIF) represents a first of its kind IUCRC to support broad nutritional needs that go beyond conventional protein sources currently available. At current rates of population growth, traditional agriculture will be under intense pressure to meet protein demands. Insect farming can increase the food supply for both animals and humans. In addition, sustainable and cost effective methods for remediating agricultural waste while producing high value protein is essential to the long term health of ecosystems and agriculture. Select insects can take waste, such as that produced in agro-ecosystems or urban environments, and convert it into protein and compost. Industry can utilize the knowledge created in the center to further explore the use of insect protein, with suitable regulatory approvals, as food for humans and animals. Thus, insect-farming and its innovations could represent a circular economy, which reduces land and/or water use and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Insect farming may also relieve the stress imposed on marine and agricultural resources to generate protein for food and animal feed. The Center for Environmental Sustainability through Insect Farming (CEIF) will be comprised of three sites (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis [IUPUI], Texas A&M AgriLife Research [TAMU], and Mississippi State University [MSU]), with each site specializing in a specific area of research. TAMU will serve as the lead site for the center. The sites will work collaboratively to deliver industry-desired, fundamental research into the genetics/genomics of the insect systems, evaluating the heritability of traits, and determining the genetic contributions to traits, allowing for future optimization and mass production. Through this research, new knowledge and technologies will fill critical scientific and industrial gaps related to insect farming for livestock and aquaculture production as well as insect production for human consumption. Laboratory and field-based experiments will also engage interdisciplinary expertise in microbiology, engineering, chemistry, food nutrition, physiology, and biology with cutting edge technologies. TAMU will: 1) Optimize mass production of insects used for either food or feed; 2) Conduct trials using insects as feed (e.g., poultry and aquaculture); and 3) Develop strategies for maximizing quality assurance (prevention) and control (detection) of contaminants (e.g., pathogens, heavy metals, and toxins). TAMU will work with the other sites to integrate research thrusts across the three sites with IUPUI and MSU focusing on genetics and microbiology. Further, all three sites will work with strains produced by industry as well as strains developed internally as a means to optimize mass production.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. Read More >

2052565

IUCRC Phase I IUPUI: Center for Environmental Sustainability through Insect Farming (CEIF)

This Industry University Cooperative Research Center (IUCRC) for Environmental Sustainability through Insect Farming (CEIF) represents a first of its kind IUCRC to support the animal nutrition and human food industries that go beyond conventional protein sources currently available. At current rates of population growth, traditional agriculture will be under intense pressure to meet protein demands. Insect farming can increase the food supply for both animals and humans. In addition, sustainable and cost effective methods for remediating agricultural waste while producing high value protein is essential to the long term health of ecosystems and agriculture. Select insects can take waste, such as that produced in agro-ecosystems or urban environments, and convert it into protein and compost. Industry can utilize the knowledge created in the center to further explore the use of insect protein, with suitable regulatory approvals, as food for humans and animals. Thus, insect-farming and its innovations could represent a circular economy, which reduces land and/or water use and reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Insect farming may also relieve the stress imposed on marine and agricultural resources to generate protein for food and animal feed. The Center for Environmental Sustainability through Insect Farming (CEIF) will be comprised of three sites (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis [IUPUI], Texas A&M AgriLife Research [TAMU], and Mississippi State University [MSU]), with each site specializing in a specific area of research. TAMU will serve as the lead site for the center. The sites will work collaboratively to deliver Industry desired fundamental research into the genetics/genomics of the insect systems, evaluating the heritability of traits, and a determination of the genetic contribution to traits, allowing for future optimization of mass production. Through this research, new knowledge and technologies that fill critical scientific and industrial gaps that relate to the insect farming as related to livestock and aquaculture production and for insects for human consumption. Laboratory and field-based experiments will also engage interdisciplinary expertise in microbiology, engineering, chemistry, food nutrition, physiology, and vertebrate biology with cutting edge technologies.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. Read More >

Member Organizations

IUCRC affiliated member organizations are displayed as submitted by the Center. Non-federal organizations are not selected, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the National Science Foundation.