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CapitalPress.com
January 26, 2018
People & Places
Technology puts bacteria to work
Karsten Temme
produces nitrogen
through crop’s
microbiome
Established 1928
Board of directors
Mike Forrester
Steve Forrester
Kathryn Brown
Susan Rana
Mike Omeg
Corporate Officer
Heidi Wright
Chief Operating Officer
Western
Innovator
By JULIA HOLLISTER
For the Capital Press
OAKLAND, Calif. —
During the time Karsten
Temme was studying biomed-
ical engineering in Iowa he
saw a need for farmers to have
internet access to support their
operations.
“I started a company to
provide a wireless link to the
internet, especially for markets
that didn’t have cable or DSL,”
he said. “Through this experi-
ence I gained an appreciation
for the challenges growers
face, including the prohibitive
cost of fertilizer.”
After a chance meeting
with a fellow Ph.D. student
at the University of Califor-
nia-Berkeley, the two created
a shared hypothesis: What
if microbes could be re-pro-
grammed, like computer
programs, to meet a specific
need?
“We married our skillsets
of microbiology, genetics,
engineering and computer
programming and founded
Pivot Bio in 2011 to identify,
characterize and fine-tune mi-
crobes to produce nitrogen on
demand within plant roots,” he
said.
The company uses what it
calls ON (Optimized for Nutri-
ents) Technology.
“Our patented process uses
the crop’s own microbiome
to produce nitrogen for the
plant,” he said. “Decades of
fertilizer use have caused this
Capital Press
Karsten Temme
Age: 38
Residence: Oakland, Calif.
Occupation: CEO, Pivot Bio
Education: BS and MS
in biomedical engineering
from the University of Iowa,
Ph.D. in bioengineering
from the University of
California-Berkeley and the
University of California-San
Francisco.
Quote: “I have a passion for
improving the productivity
and sustainability of global
agriculture by expanding
access to innovative tech-
nologies.”
Pivot Bio
Karsten Temme, CEO of Pivot Bio, illustrates how microbes live in symbiosis with a corn plant’s root
system. He says this innovative technology is effective in fertilizing crops and increasing yields.
Capital Press Managers
Joe Beach ..................Editor & Publisher
Elizabeth Yutzie Sell .... Advertising Director
Carl Sampson ................Managing Editor
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Samantha McLaren .... Circulation Manager
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natural process to go dormant
in the field. We’ve been able
to reawaken and amplify the
ability of these microbes to fix
nitrogen into forms the plant
can use.”
After years of research,
study, testing and tweaking, he
said the company has moved
past the introductory phases
and now has data to show that
ON Technology is not only vi-
able, but also effective in fertil-
izing crops, increasing yields
and positively impacting the
environment.
“Our ON Technology will
initially be available for corn
planting in spring 2018,”
Temme said.
In the future, he plans to
expand the technology to other
crops.
ON Technology is ap-
plied through seed coatings
or in-furrow at planting. The
microbes work in synergy with
the crop’s root system to deliv-
er nitrogen during the growing
season. This is ideal, he said,
because it provides nitrogen
when the crop needs it most —
as the plant matures and grain
develops.
“We’re aiming to produce
over 150 pounds of nitrogen
per acre,” Temme said. “This
will allow farmers to use less
fertilizer and avoid the time
and expense of in-season side-
dress applications.”
In approximately two years,
the product will be offered to
growers nationwide.
This year the company will
expand to the development of
microbes that will increase ac-
cess to other nutrients, such as
phosphorus and potassium, in
wheat, sorghum and rice.
“Excess use of fossil-fuel
derived nitrogen fertilizers is
a world-wide problem that im-
pacts both the sustainability of
agricultural practices but also
associated environments that
are negatively impacted,” said
Gary Stacey, a professor of
plant science at the University
of Missouri.
“However, any solutions to
this problem must themselves
be sustainable and, perhaps
more importantly, protect
crop yields, which ultimately
control profitability,” he said.
“Karsten Temme with Piv-
ot Bio is seeking this type of
solution by focusing on bacte-
ria that promote plant growth
while providing the nitrogen
so essential for maintaining
yield.
“Pivot Bio is at the van-
guard of a worldwide phenom-
enon in which biologicals (e.g.,
bacteria) are being sought that
can take the place of environ-
mentally detrimental chem-
icals to support sustainable
agriculture, including crop-
ping practices widely prac-
ticed in California,” Stacey
said.
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Scholarships available for Clackamas students
The Clackamas, Ore.,
Soil and Water Conserva-
tion District is offering local
students two $3,000 scholar-
ships for the 2018-19 school
year.
To be eligible, a student
must:
• Be a graduate of a
Clackamas County high
school or a current resident
of Clackamas County.
• Be at the sophomore
level or above working to-
ward an associate, bachelor
or graduate degree.
• Be a full-time college
student (12 hours or more
per quarter or semester
equivalent) studying agricul-
ture, natural resource scienc-
es, or a related field such as
horticulture.
• Have a minimum cumu-
lative grade point average of
3.0.
Previous recipients may
re-apply for the scholarship
annually.
The scholarship may be
used toward an associate,
bachelor or graduate degree.
Applicants must have com-
pleted their freshman year
and will be considered a
sophomore or higher in fall
2018 to be eligible for the
award.
Clackamas County is
ranked fourth in agricultur-
al sales in Oregon. It is also
known for its abundance of
natural resources, including
popular recreation areas and
the drinking water source
for the Portland metropol-
itan area. For this reason,
the Clackamas Soil and Wa-
ter Conservation District is
committed to supporting lo-
cal students who care about
natural resources and wish
to promote conservation,
impacting future natural re-
source decisions, according
to a district press release.
The goal is to assist col-
lege students majoring in the
fields of agriculture (includ-
ing horticulture), natural re-
source science, or a related
discipline. With the cost of
education skyrocketing, the
district board feels strong-
ly about providing financial
resources to help support
future conservation profes-
sionals.
Over the last six
years the district has of-
fered nearly $30,000 in
scholarships.
Previous applicants used
their scholarship to pursue
studies in engineering, veter-
inary medicine and agricul-
ture. Our recipients attended
local community colleges as
well as four-year colleges
and universities.
Download an application
at https://goo.gl/S7yqTW.
Applications must be
received by 4:30 p.m.
April 6.
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mit an Event.” Calendar items can
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in the subject line.
kane Convention Center, 334 W Spo-
kane Falls Blvd., Spokane, Presen-
tations on the weather, ag economy
and a listening session on the farm
bill will be featured in addition to a
full slate of workshops and the large
display of equipment and services.
An FFA presentation and career fair
will also be offered. Website: www.
agshow.org
Through Saturday
Jan. 27
Friday, Feb. 16
EcoFarm Conference. Asilomar
Conference Grounds, 800 Asilomar
Ave., Pacific Grove, Calif. The Eco-
logical Farming Association (Eco-
Farm) presents the 38th annual Eco-
Farm Conference. Featuring over
70 workshops, intensives, keynote
speakers, an exhibitor marketplace,
seed swap, live entertainment, mix-
ers and organic culinary fare. To
learn more and to register, visit www.
eco-farm.org/conference.
Thursday-Saturday
Feb. 1-3
Agri-Action 2018. 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
College of Southern Idaho Expo
Center, 315 Falls Ave., Twin Falls,
Idaho. Southern Idaho’s largest ag-
ricultural show. Website: http://www.
kmvt.com/features/agriaction/
Tuesday, Feb. 6
Developing or Expanding Your
Farm Stand or Agritourism Operation,
Part 2. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. OSU Extension,
Auditorium, SOREC, 569 Hanley
Road, Central Point, Ore. Are you in-
terested in developing or expanding a
farm stand or agritourism operation?
Feb. 6 is Starting a Farm Stand/Agri-
tourism Operation. Website: http://bit.
ly/JacksonSmallFarms
Tuesday-Thursday
Feb. 6-8
Spokane Ag Expo and Pacific
Northwest Farm Forum. 9 a.m. Spo-
Pesticide-free Strategies for the
Landscape Professional. 9 a.m.-5
p.m. Oregon City Pioneer Communi-
ty Center, 615 Fifth St., Oregon City,
Ore. Field session March 14. Cost:
$50 http://www.pesticide.org/healthy_
landscape_workshop
Monday, Feb. 19
Oregon Blueberry Conference.
8 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Salem Convention
Center, 200 Commercial St. SE, Sa-
lem. Program includes a blueberry
production summary and trends,
industry speakers and research up-
dates, trade show and reception.
Website: oregonblueberry.com
Thursday, Feb. 22
Part 1: Farm & Ranch Succes-
sion Planning Workshop. 6-8:30 p.m.
Clackamas Small Business Devel-
opment Center, 7726 SE Harmony
Road, Milwaukie, Ore. Register now
for the four-part Farm and Ranch
Succession Planning Workshop Se-
ries. No need to attend in person. You
can take this workshop remotely from
anywhere in the state. This program is
offered and taught by the Clackamas
Small Business Development Center,
along with guest presenters such as
attorneys and CPAs. In addition to
informative topics and experienced
ag professionals, courses include
confidential, one-on-one business
counseling. A complimentary light din-
ner will start each evening at 6 p.m.
To register, call 503-594-0738. Cost:
Free. Website: http://bit.ly/2CX1jvl
GASES / WELDING / SAFETY / FIRE
www.oxarc.com
Thursday-Friday
Feb. 22-23
Logging, Construction, Trucking
& Heavy Equipment Expo. Lane
County Fairgrounds and Convention
Center, 796 W 13th Ave., Eugene,
Ore. The exhibits, demonstrations
and log-loading competition are
sponsored by the Oregon Logging
Conference, which is celebrating its
80th year. Included is the Oregon
Women In Timber annual dinner and
auction. Website: www.oregonlog-
gingconference.com
Family Farm Alliance Annual
Conference, Eldorado Resort Casi-
no, 345 N. Virginia St., Reno, Nev.
The theme of this year’s conference
is “One year in: What’s changed and
where are we going in Western wa-
ter?” Website: http://bit.ly/2hGieJU
Saturday, Feb. 24
Oregon Small Farms Confer-
ence 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Oregon State
University LaSells Stewart Center
and CH2M Hill Alumni Center, 200
LaSells Stewart Center, Corvallis,
Ore. The Oregon Small Farms Con-
ference is a daylong event geared
toward farmers, agricultural pro-
fessionals, food policy advocates,
students and managers of farmers’
markets. Twenty-seven educational
sessions are offered on a variety of
topics relevant to the Oregon small
farmers and include a track in Span-
ish. Speakers include farmers, OSU
Extension faculty and agribusiness
representatives. Website: http://
smallfarms.oregonstate.edu/sfc/reg-
istration
Monday-Tuesday
Feb. 26-27
Oregon Dairy Farmers Asso-
ciation Annual Convention. Salem
Convention Center, 200 Commercial
St. SE, Salem, Ore. Website: https://
oregondairyfarmers.org
20 Northwest Locations
Tuesday-Thursday
March 6-8
FSPCA Preventive Controls for
Animal Food. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Hilton
Garden Inn, 1741 Harrison St. North,
Twin Falls, Idaho. The new FSMA
regulation requires every processing
facility to have a trained resource
person who has completed a spe-
cialized training course (such as this
one) developed by the Food Safety
Preventive Controls Alliance that is
recognized by the FDA. Cost: $720/
Individual or $648 per person for 2 or
more. Website: http://www.techhelp.
org/events/400/fspca-animal-food-2-
5-day-course-twin-falls/
Thursday, March 8
Part 2: Farm & Ranch Succes-
sion Planning Workshop. 6-8:30 p.m.
Clackamas Small Business Devel-
opment Center, 7726 SE Harmony
Road, Milwaukie, Ore. Register now
for the Farm and Ranch Succession
Planning Workshop Series. No need
to attend in person. You can take this
workshop remotely from anywhere in
the state. This program is offered and
taught by the Clackamas Small Busi-
ness Development Center, along with
guest presenters such as attorneys
and CPAs. In addition to informative
topics and experienced ag profes-
sionals, courses include confidential,
one-on-one business counseling. A
complimentary light dinner will start
each evening at 6 p.m. To register,
call 503-594-0738. Cost: Free. Web-
site: http://bit.ly/2CX1jvl
Tuesday-Thursday
March 20-22
International Mass Timber
Conference. Oregon Convention
Center, 777 NE Martin Luther King
Jr. Blvd., Portland, Ore. There
will be 70-plus speakers from 20
nations and more than 60 exhib-
its, plus a tour of Oregon’s mass
timber buildings. Website: www.
forestbusinessnetwork.com
1-800-765-9055
Thursday, March 22
Part 3: Farm & Ranch Succes-
sion Planning Workshop. 6-8:30
p.m. Clackamas Small Business
Development Center, 7726 SE Har-
mony Road, Milwaukie, Ore. Reg-
ister now for the Farm and Ranch
Succession Planning Workshop
Series. No need to attend in per-
son. You can take this workshop re-
motely from anywhere in the state.
This program is offered and taught
by the Clackamas Small Business
Development Center, along with
guest presenters such as attor-
neys and CPAs. In addition to in-
formative topics and experienced
ag professionals, courses include
confidential, one-on-one business
counseling. A complimentary light
dinner will start each evening at 6
p.m. To register, call 503-594-0738.
Cost: Free. Website: http://bit.ly/
2CX1jvl
Thursday, April 5
Part 4: Farm & Ranch Succes-
sion Planning Workshop. 6-8:30
p.m. Clackamas Small Business
Development Center, 7726 SE Har-
mony Road, Milwaukie, Ore. Reg-
ister now for the Farm and Ranch
Succession Planning Workshop
Series. No need to attend in per-
son. You can take this workshop re-
motely from anywhere in the state.
This program is offered and taught
by the Clackamas Small Business
Development Center, along with
guest presenters such as attor-
neys and CPAs. In addition to in-
formative topics and experienced
ag professionals, courses include
confidential, one-on-one business
counseling. A complimentary light
dinner will start each evening at 6
p.m. To register, call 503-594-0738.
Cost: Free. Website: http://bit.ly/
2CX1jvl
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Capital Press
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Salem, OR 97308-2048
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Index
Dairy .................................... 21
Idaho Innovators ............. 14-19
Livestock ............................. 20
Markets ............................... 13
Opinion .................................. 6
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