Agricultural Products
Overview
Agriculture is evolving through innovative technologies that improve food production while protecting natural resources. At the Sustainable Waste-to-Bioproducts Engineering Center (SWBEC), researchers develop agricultural products by transforming municipal, agricultural, industrial, and food processing residuals into valuable biological resources that support sustainable farming, food production, and environmental stewardship.
Rather than viewing waste streams as materials to be discarded, SWBEC uses biological and engineering approaches to recover nutrients, biomass, water, and other renewable resources that can be converted into products for agriculture and food systems. These innovations improve resource efficiency, reduce environmental impacts, and create new opportunities for sustainable production across the agricultural sector.
Through interdisciplinary research, pilot-scale technology development, and collaboration with industry, municipalities, government agencies, and academic partners, SWBEC is helping build a more resilient and sustainable circular bioeconomy.
Caption: SWBEC develops agricultural products that improve resource efficiency while supporting sustainable food production.
Recovering Valuable Resources for Agriculture
Modern agriculture depends on healthy soils, clean water, and responsible nutrient management. Every day, municipal wastewater, agricultural operations, and food processing facilities generate valuable nutrients, carbon, and organic materials that are often lost through disposal.
SWBEC develops technologies that recover these resources and return them to productive agricultural use. Instead of allowing nutrients to become pollutants, researchers transform them into products that improve soil health, support crop production, and reduce dependence on nonrenewable resources.
This resource recovery approach improves environmental performance while creating sustainable solutions for agriculture and food production.
Circular resource recovery diagram: Agriculture → Food Processing → Wastewater → Resource Recovery → Agricultural Products → Agriculture
Agricultural Products from Biological Resources
At SWBEC, agricultural products include renewable materials and technologies that improve crop production, livestock systems, soil health, food production, and resource efficiency.
Research focuses on recovering valuable biological resources from wastewater, agricultural residues, algae, food processing byproducts, and other renewable feedstocks that can be transformed into products such as:
- Biofertilizers
- Soil amendments
- Nutrient recovery products
- Renewable biomass
- Agricultural feedstocks
- Sustainable biological ingredients
- Resources that support next-generation food production
Rather than producing a single product, SWBEC develops integrated systems capable of generating multiple valuable products from a single waste stream, maximizing both environmental and economic value.
Caption: Renewable biological resources recovered from waste streams can be transformed into valuable agricultural products.
Food Products and Cellular Agriculture
Agricultural innovation extends beyond traditional crop production. SWBEC also investigates technologies that support the future of sustainable food production through biological engineering and cellular agriculture.
Cellular agriculture produces meat by cultivating animal cells in carefully controlled environments rather than raising entire animals. This emerging field has the potential to reduce land use, water consumption, and greenhouse gas emissions while improving the efficiency and sustainability of food production.
SWBEC explores how renewable biological resources, algae-derived nutrients, sustainable processing technologies, and biological engineering can contribute to next-generation food systems. Research also investigates opportunities to recover valuable ingredients from food processing residuals, creating additional value from existing agricultural resources while reducing waste throughout the food production chain.
These efforts complement SWBEC's broader mission of transforming biological resources into products that strengthen agriculture, improve food security, and support a resilient food system.
Caption: Cellular agriculture uses cultivated animal cells to produce meat, creating new opportunities for sustainable food production.
Engineering Sustainable Agricultural Systems
SWBEC combines biological engineering, environmental engineering, microbiology, chemistry, and process engineering to develop technologies that improve agricultural productivity while protecting natural resources.
Researchers investigate algae cultivation systems, nutrient recovery technologies, wastewater treatment processes, biological treatment systems, and renewable biomass production to create integrated solutions for agriculture and food production.
Many projects are conducted at the Algae Processing and Products (APP) Facility, where laboratory research and pilot-scale systems allow scientists to evaluate new technologies under conditions that closely resemble real-world operations. These facilities help bridge scientific discovery with practical implementation while supporting collaboration with industry and government partners.
Caption: Pilot-scale systems at the APP Facility support the development and evaluation of sustainable agricultural technologies.
From Research to Real-World Applications
SWBEC collaborates with agricultural producers, food manufacturers, municipalities, wastewater utilities, government agencies, and industry partners to develop technologies that address real-world agricultural and environmental challenges.
Research progresses from laboratory investigations to pilot-scale demonstrations where scientists evaluate technical performance, environmental benefits, and economic feasibility before moving toward larger-scale implementation.
Students play an essential role throughout this process by designing experiments, operating pilot-scale systems, analyzing data, and helping develop technologies that support the future of sustainable agriculture and food production.
This collaborative approach accelerates technology transfer while preparing the next generation of engineers and scientists to solve complex environmental and agricultural challenges.
Caption: Undergraduate and graduate students gain hands-on experience while developing sustainable agricultural technologies.
Environmental and Economic Benefits
Recovering resources from waste creates benefits that extend throughout the agricultural and food production systems.
SWBEC's technologies help:
- Recover valuable nutrients and biological resources
- Improve soil health and crop productivity
- Reduce nutrient pollution and improve water quality
- Support sustainable food production
- Reduce dependence on nonrenewable resources
- Increase resource efficiency
- Reduce waste from agricultural and food processing operations
- Support renewable biological manufacturing
- Create opportunities for technology transfer and commercialization
By transforming waste into valuable products, SWBEC helps strengthen agricultural systems while promoting environmental stewardship and economic development.
Infographic highlighting environmental, agricultural, and economic benefits of resource recovery technologies.
Advancing a Sustainable Circular Bioeconomy
Agricultural Products research is part of SWBEC's broader mission to transform waste streams into valuable bioproducts through engineering innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration.
By recovering nutrients, water, biomass, carbon, and other renewable biological resources, SWBEC is developing technologies that support healthier soils, more efficient farming systems, innovative food production, and responsible resource management.
Whether improving crop production through nutrient recovery, developing renewable agricultural products, supporting cellular agriculture, or creating new opportunities for food processing industries, SWBEC continues to advance practical solutions that strengthen agriculture, protect natural resources, and contribute to a resilient circular bioeconomy.
Current Research Areas
- Sustainable agricultural products
- Resource recovery for agriculture
- Biofertilizers and soil amendments
- Nutrient recovery technologies
- Algae cultivation systems
- Agricultural biomass utilization
- Wastewater reuse for agriculture
- Food processing residual utilization
- Cellular agriculture
- Sustainable food production
- Renewable biological feedstocks
- Livestock waste management
- Nitrogen and phosphorus recovery
- Pilot-scale technology development
- Circular bioeconomy systems
- Technology transfer and commercialization