Hello,

Welcome, and thank you for joining The Frass Institute community. Whether you've been following our work since the beginning or signed up recently, we're glad you're here. Our goal is to connect research, practical experience, and emerging opportunities around insect frass and soil health. We'll generally reach out quarterly with updates, resources, and opportunities to engage.

Why this update? The Frass Institute was launched to help Convene, Clarify, and Scale conversations around frass. This update shares a few highlights from recent activity and a look at what's ahead.

Recent Updates

Over the past several months, we've continued building the foundation for what we hope becomes a trusted home for information, research, and collaboration around insect frass and soil health.

We've continued sharing research highlights, industry developments, and practical insights through The Frass Institute LinkedIn page, helping connect emerging science with real-world applications. If you haven't already, we encourage you to follow The Frass Institute there, where updates, articles, and opportunities to engage will be shared regularly.

Looking Ahead: Insects to Feed the World

Next week, I'll be attending the Insects to Feed the World conference in Torino, Italy, one of the largest global gatherings focused on insect agriculture.

In addition to meeting with researchers, companies, and industry leaders from around the world, we'll be hosting a discussion focused on the future of frass and soil health. My goal is simple: listen, learn, and better understand where the greatest opportunities exist for collaboration, research, and field-building.

The conversations and insights from Torino will help shape many of our priorities moving forward, including identifying opportunities where The Frass Institute can add value by convening stakeholders, clarifying emerging science, and helping scale practical applications.

Help Us Grow the Conversation

One of the most valuable things you can do is help expand this community.

If there are researchers, growers, consultants, academics, regulators, companies, funders, or other stakeholders who should be part of these discussions, please encourage them to join us. Forward this email, share our content, or simply make an introduction.

We're especially interested in connecting with people who are actively researching, testing, using, or evaluating frass in real-world settings.

We're also interested in hearing from you directly:

• What questions are you trying to answer?

• What topics would you like us to cover?

• What research, case studies, or resources would be most valuable?

• Who else should be part of this conversation?

The Frass Institute is intended to serve the field, and your input helps shape where we focus our efforts.

What's Coming Next

This summer, we plan to begin hosting virtual conversations to connect people working across different parts of the frass ecosystem. These sessions will be designed for sharing knowledge, identifying areas of mutual interest and guiding future research and collaborations.

Later this year, we're exploring a larger gathering, likely in conjunction with the NACIA Annual Meeting in November. More details will be shared as plans develop.

We're still in the early stages, but the enthusiasm and interest we've seen so far suggest there is a real opportunity to build something meaningful together.

Thank you for your interest, engagement, and support.

Best regards,

Aaron Hobbs
Director, The Frass Institute
Executive Director, NACIA

aaron.hobbs@nacia.org

Howdy Neighbors,

It's a busy, all-positive time for me, and I hope the same for all of you. Let's get right to the news.

Insects to Feed the World
Prepping for this event next week is my primary focus at the moment. Here is a quick rundown of the things I'll be doing to carry the "N. American flag":

  - foodCIRCUS Transnational Workshop (Monday, June 8): I'll be speaking about the use of food waste as a substrate.
  - IPIFF General Assembly (Monday, June 8): Attending the assembly, B2B meetings, and a dinner.
  - IFW Industry Panel (Tuesday, June 9): Speaking during the proper conference session.
  - Frass Institute Roundtable (Wednesday, June 10): Hosting this session in the morning.
  - Industry Networking (Wednesday, June 10): Attending a gathering of the largest insect producers in attendance.
  - Regulatory Session (Friday, June 12): Speaking about North American regulations.

I have scheduled several one-on-one meetings already and will no doubt fill the rest of my time with more conversations. My overall priority for the week is the promotion of the Frass Institute, followed by the promotion of NACIA members. If there are conversations that you would like me to have or folks you'd like me to connect with, please let me know.

Frass Institute Roundtable
The roundtable is intended to validate the Frass Institute’s role as a global field-building platform and thoughtfully broaden engagement with people who can help advance the work through funding, expertise, and time. Our goal is simple: help frass develop with credibility, shared learning, and practical pathways to adoption. The event will be held Wednesday, June 10, in the morning. Contact me for more information.

Frass Institute General
There is a good bit going on related to this initiative, and I am having productive conversations with interested folks from around the world. The most immediate need remains acquiring additional funding to allow the Institute to grow more quickly. I will be having conversations about this in Italy and welcome your support as well. I've priced out part-time communications support for the Institute and have a draft three-year funding needs plan available if you are interested. Finally, we have identified the first grant we will pursue and will have more to share with you all soon.

Trade
Trade continues to be a headache for the industry in both directions. Promises made about export support go unkept, and imports continue to be a challenge. I have no specific updates at the moment.

Organic Insects
Thank you to those who volunteered to help and for your patience. I've just heard back from the USDA regarding a question I asked a few months ago. I'd like to work on this in earnest upon my return from IFW. The primary need at the moment is to identify a certifier to work with and a volunteer to serve as a pilot participant. Let's talk in a few weeks.

Annual Meeting Location
I know it is only June, but I have already begun thinking about our Annual Meeting. I've seen strong interest for a meeting in California. I would love to do that, but until we secure a location, I would like input on where we should gather. We have two primary constraints: we want free meeting space and we need WiFi. If you can provide those or are willing to cover the cost for them, let's talk.

That's all I've got for today. Please reach out with questions, concerns, or just to say hey.

Aaron Hobbs

Executive Director

Let's Connect

202-510-8657

Howdy,

Hello members and friends. I've connected with many of you in recent weeks and have really enjoyed it. If we haven't caught up, I'd love to. A lot of focus right now is on making the most of time in Italy for IFW and growing the frass institute. Give it a review below.

IFW Prep

I'm excited to share that I've been invited to at least two additional events around IFW in June. One meeting is being hosted by Reploid and the other by IPIFF. Both provide additional opportunities for me to sing all of y'alls praises and bolster the dialogue around N. America. I also continue with planning and invitation to a small Frass Institute Roundtable discussion. I you have any questions or want to be further engaged, please let me know.

Frass Institute

I've got lots of conversations going on with interested parties, including potential funders, researchers, and other businesses. It is an exciting time and I'm working to convert the excitement into funds for the NACIA Foundation and continued forward movement for frass. If you have questions or wish to be more involved, please let me know.

Trade

Waiting, everyone is just waiting...we are waiting on a response to a request my with Senator McConnell's office and to see if we'll hear more from the safety report we filed with FDA via the Safety Reporting Portal. At this time, that's it, just waiting. 

Welfare

The board had robust discussion about welfare on their recent call. Ultimately, they sent me back to the drawing board to come back with an new outline for their consideration. They have that outline now and I expect to receive their feedback this week. Please stay tuned.

Member Minute

It's been a minute since we've had a member minute, excited to share one now! Please meet and join in me in welcoming Ryan Steppler of Prairie Cricket Farms.

Prairie Cricket Farms is owned and operated by Ryan Steppler. They are located in Miami Manitoba, Canada. What began as a small hobby in 2016 steadily grew into a business by 2019. Today, we raise crickets for both human consumption and pet food markets. As our business continues to grow, we are always exploring new opportunities and markets. We look forward to meeting new people and are excited to be joining NACIA.

General Membership Update

I am delighted to report that we have steady interest in NACIA membership and engagement with the Frass Institute. As you become aware of new companies, please be sure to introduce us. And thank you for your continued support of NACIA as well.

WWF Survey Opportunity

Our longtime friend Ellen Dierenfeld has provided us the opportunity to respond to a survey that WWF’s US aquaculture team has initiated on use of animal byproducts in aqua feeds.  

Assessment of Animal By-Product Use in Aquaculture Feeds – Fill out form Thanks for consideration contributing your expertise to this topic!

That's all for today. 

Aaron Hobbs

Executive Director

Let's Connect

202-510-8657

Hello all,

It was great to see the Board this past Friday for their meeting. We had a full agenda and generally good discussion. There is a good bit going on, so let's get right to it. 

Board Update

The board met on April 10 to handle NACIA Foundation and NACIA business, with time spent on our priorities - Fundraising, Regulatory & Policy Leadership, and Member Value, Outreach & Industry Positioning. Much of what was discussed is covered in individual updates below. 

Fundraising

I have started a six-week Philanthropy Kickstart Challenge, now in week 2. It has been interesting so far and is helping me with focused time on our number one priority for this year.

Also, I have had numerous discussions with friends and potential funders, but no contributions to date.

I will be representing us at IFW in June and our first goal is to generate some support for this opportunity, see more next.

Insect to Feed the World

As previously mentioned, I will be attending IFW in June. I am working now on several things and need your support and feedback. I really do need some help please.

Dinner - I am organizing a dinner for members and select invited guests. Everyone will be responsible for their own check unless I find a sponsor. If you have ideas or wish to help organize, please let me know.

Roundtable - I organizing  an invite only roundtable for the Frass Institute as well. Initial working title; Frass & Soil Health: What Do We Actually Know, and What Is Missing? Planning for a group of about 15 thoughtfully gathered for this discussion. If you want to help, please let me know.

And as mentioned above, I am looking for financial support focused around the Frass Institute Roundtable. This is a field-building opportunity to engage with global researchers and industry leaders. Modest support beginning at $500 and up to $7,500, will be extremely helpful. Please reach out if you have ideas.

Finally, if you are attending, please fill out this form to facilitate coordination.

Trade

We have a next step. We have been directed by FDA to us the Safety Reporting Portal to report any issues with pet or animal foods: Safety Reporting Portal. I will do this on NACIA's behalf, but you are also able to use the system and report concerns. Information from the submitted report is sent to the FDA district in which the manufacturer is located, to be used as background information to identify possible problem areas that need to be looked at the next time the company is inspected. The same is true for foreign manufacturers. Please let me know if you have questions or concerns.

Other Regulatory & Policy Leadership

Plant Biostimulants
(Reprint) The pathway to making biostimulant claims is becoming clearer. A spreadsheet outlining AAPFCO-recognized microorganisms and the approved claims associated with them now exists. Essentially, if you can show that your frass contains one or a combination of these microorganisms, you can make the associated approved claim on your label. There are some important rules you must follow and some nuance, but it is a path to legal claims. I'm happy to discuss this with anyone in more detail.

Organic Insects

We, along with partners in Academia and USDA, continue to explore a pathway for organic insect registration. If this is of interest to you, please let me know. 

Welfare

As previously mentioned, we have started working to develop a broad statement on welfare. A handful of board members met recently with Bob Fisher to discuss the topic as well. I have created a very rough draft of a statement on the topic and the board is reviewing. After they have had time to digest, we will reconvene to determine next steps. If this is a project you would like to be more engaged in, please let me know.

Member Value, Outreach & Industry Positioning

I continue to spend a good amount of time (and thoroughly enjoy it) on direct outreach, introductions, and answering your questions. There has been a noticeable increase in inbound questions, particularly around frass, regulatory pathways, and practical implementation. That’s a good sign.

And I could use your help.

I am aware of a few companies that are not members or at all engaged with us, let's change that. Please do one of two things, introduce me or schedule a call between the three of us. At a minimum, I'd like to know them and of course will do my best to recruit them to join us as members.

Frass Institute
There continues to be strong interest in frass. I am fielding a steady stream of questions from both members and external stakeholders. It is clear that there is more demand for information than there are resources to support it. I continue to position the Frass Institute as the place where science, standards, and practical application come together and I welcome your engagement and support on LinkedIn or otherwise. 

Drying, everyone's headache? 

Before my Spring Break I shared a document with you all regarding drying. If you missed it, let me know.

Communications
I have continued posting regularly on LinkedIn and supporting member visibility where it makes sense. If you have content, announcements, or something worth amplifying, send it my way please. Separately, I am keeping an eye on some of the negative coverage coming out of Europe. I don't plan to engage directly, but we do need to continue telling our story clearly and consistently.

That's all for today. Please reach out to me with questions, concerns, or just to catch up.

Sincerely,

Aaron Hobbs

Executive Director

Let's Connect

202-510-8657

Hello everyone. 

I've struggled this year to get my newsletter rhythm dialed in, so this one might be a bit longer than usual. Also, I'll be on vacation at the next publication date, so the next newsletter will be delayed until April 7. 

One random thing this week - see the bottom of the newsletter if you are shopping for a used Reinartz press and filtration system available for sale.

Alright, let's get right to it.

2026 Membership & DuesQuick reminder to please take care of your 2026 dues if you haven't already. Membership is steady, and I have a few conversations with prospective members ongoing. 

Board Update

The board met on Feb. 27 and had a robust discussion over 90 minutes. They provided guidance and oversight for the work of both the NACIA Foundation and NACIA with time spent on our priorities - Fundraising, Regulatory & Policy Leadership, and Member Value, Outreach & Industry Positioning. Much of what was discussed is covered below. 

One area of highlight, the board did direct engagement on the topic of animal welfare. We will have an initial conversation on the topic with an outside researcher in the coming weeks. I expect our first chat will be to identify and test assumptions on all sides of the discussion. Please stand by and let me know what questions you have.

Fundraising

I had a wonderful introductory conversation with FFAR (Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research) a few days ago. We got to know each other and identified potential areas for future collaboration. It was a great next step with them. Other initial outreach is still ongoing. 

Trade

I am waiting further direction from FDA regarding how to formally present our concerns to the agency. We slowed our work slightly due to some import challenges within N. America but are now back on track. Our engagement is currently centered around the Foreign Supplier Verification Program and ensuring that importers are following this program correctly. If you have questions or concerns please give me a ring.

Other Regulatory & Policy Leadership

Plant Biostimulants
The pathway to making biostimulant claims is becoming clearer. Attached is a spreadsheet outlining AAPFCO-recognized microorganisms and the approved claims associated with them. Essentially, if you can show that your frass contains one or a combination of these microorganisms, you can make the associated approved claim on your label. There are some important rules you must follow and some nuance, but it is a path to legal claims. I'm happy to discuss this with anyone in more detail.

Also, attached is an updated overview of the plant biostimulants regulatory pathway and current state map as provided by our friend Ed from TFI. A growing number of states have now passed the AAPFCO Uniform Bill, while others are actively considering legislation this session. Some states require separate legislative or rulemaking action to adopt the AAPFCO model, while others already accept the AAPFCO Official Publication or do not currently regulate these products.

Farm Bill

I've taken a quick look at the current farm bill language that is active in Congress to identify opportunities and potential concerns for our industry. There are some opportunities with soil health, biostimulants, domestic production, and regional supply chains. I'll continue to monitor and engage where appropriate.

Member Value, Outreach & Industry PositioningI continue to spend a good amount of time (and thoroughly enjoy it) on direct outreach, introductions, and answering your questions. There has been a noticeable increase in inbound questions, particularly around frass, regulatory pathways, and practical implementation. That’s a good sign. As a reminder, if you have specific questions or are trying to work through something, please reach out. 

Academic & Research Engagement

We have recently initiated outreach with several academic and research partners, including ASIFF and Kansas State, with additional conversations underway. The focus of this work is to strengthen coordination between research and industry, ensure practical perspectives are reflected where appropriate, and identify opportunities for collaboration across research, extension, and commercial application.

Along these lines, most recently, I provided, on NACIA's behalf, a letter of support for a multi-institution USDA AFRI proposal led by Kansas State, with involvement from University of Arkansas, University of Missouri, and USDA-ARS.

Frass Institute
There continues to be strong interest in frass. I am fielding a steady stream of questions from both members and external stakeholders. It is clear that there is more demand for information than there are resources to support it. I continue to position the Frass Institute as the place where science, standards, and practical application come together and I welcome your engagement and support on LinkedIn or otherwise. 

Drying, everyone's headache? 
Drying keeps surfacing in member conversations as a headache for everyone in either the past, present or future. Some of you have shared that you have equipment that has not performed as expected. Some took years to dial in and/or are are still dialing in systems years later. A few would like to expand into dried products but lack the confidence to commit capital again. 

It sure seems like a shared challenge to me. I have started to compile information from a variety of sources and would like to hear from you on the topic if I have not already. I will ultimately produce something for everyone to see. It might be a decision tree, a comparative analysis of drying options based upon size, but honestly, I'm not quite sure yet. At a minimum, I hope to be able to provide something that flattens the learning curve for you and future members when dealing with insect drying. Please reach out if you'd like to discuss more. 

Communications
I have continued posting regularly on LinkedIn and supporting member visibility where it makes sense. If you have content, announcements, or something worth amplifying, send it my way please. Separately, I am keeping an eye on some of the negative coverage coming out of Europe. I don't plan to engage directly, but we do need to continue telling our story clearly and consistently.

IFW Coordination & Prep (reprint)

Insects to Feed the World is coming up this June. We have submitted and abstract for consideration and conversations are ongoing with global peers about meeting on the edges of this event. A final decision on NACIA's participation is pending further board discussion.

Finally, If you are interested in the press, please see the attached photos and reach out to Matthew Newman | Facilities and Real Estate Operations, NOCO Energy, 716-614-4287, mtnewman@noco.com for more information.

That feels like a lot for a few weeks. If I missed something, let me know. As always, if you have questions, need support, or want to be more involved, reach out.

Sincerely,

Aaron Hobbs

Executive Director

Let's Connect

202-510-8657

Hello everyone. Let's get right to it today.

2026 Membership & Dues

I'm happy to report our membership is steady and we have a few prospects! If you haven't paid your 2026 dues, please do so ASAP. 

2026 Priorities (reprint)

The Board has set our priorities for the year into three main buckets - Financial Stability & Resource Development; Regulatory, Policy & Advocacy Leadership; and Member Value, Outreach & Industry Positioning. 

Under these primary buckets there are three specific activities holding the majority of our attention right now - Launching a Fundraising Committee, Educating Policy Makers about Imports, and Building our Presence online. If you have questions about any of these topics and/or want to be more involved with them, please let me know.

Fundraising

Thanks to a two members and a colleague at USDA we have three live conversations with three potential supporters of the Frass Institute happening now. No clue where they will end up, but thanks to these volunteers we're in the door at least. 

Trade

In case you missed it celebrating America's hockey dominance - the Supreme Court of the United States struck down most of the President's tariffs and he pretty quickly put 10% tariffs on almost everyone. The good news is, products between the US, Canada, and Mexico should still be exempt. 

Beyond this, I continue to develop our ask to FDA regarding imports. I am building a formal ask at this point that I will ask the board to review before presenting. Please stay tuned.

Trade and Whistleblowing - no one expressed interest. Will put on the shelf for now.

Communications Updates

In case you missed it, we launched a new home for dialogue and discussion about Frass, the Frass Institute LinkedIn page. Please head there now and give us a follow. As you have or will notice, I have been posting with some regularity. If you have content for me please share.

Sustainability Definition Workgroup

Some of our awesome volunteers did the work drafting the answer to, "what does sustainability mean to NACIA?" The Board has now approved the statement below. So when asked, about how we collectively define sustainability please feel free to refer to this. I will be incorporating this into our websites and generally how we speak about ourselves as appropriate. I will also be drafting an article for LinkedIn. You might think this is a bit long, but it closely models the USDA's definition of Sustainability.

NACIA Statement on Sustainability
At the North American Coalition for Insect Agriculture (NACIA), sustainability means building agricultural systems that are practical, resilient, and grounded in long-term value.

We define sustainable agriculture as an integrated production approach that, over time:

• Supports human food and fiber systems by supplying nutrient-dense inputs for animal, plant, and soil health.

• Enhances environmental quality and strengthens the natural resource base on which agriculture depends.

• Uses resources efficiently, prioritizing the recovery and reuse of nutrients and integrating biological processes where appropriate.

• Maintains economic viability for producers by enabling scalable, fit-for-purpose operations.

• Promotes responsible insect production practices that support insect health and well-being throughout the production lifecycle.

• Contributes to the well-being of farmers, communities, and society by strengthening regional food and agricultural systems.

Insect agriculture plays a complementary role within sustainable agriculture by ensuring nutrients are used for their highest and best purpose—reducing waste, improving efficiency, and supporting a more circular and resilient agricultural economy in North America.

AAPFCO Updates

Last week, as you saw on LinkedIn, Ian Banks and I were in Ft. Worth for the American Association of Plant Food Control Officials meeting. In addition to seeing the cast of Lioness filming across the street, we enjoyed great dialogue with regulators and industry partners and enjoyed the continued advance of frass normalization. The big win was the finalization of a new insect frass definition. The definition below was voted to official by the Board - 

• MNP-2 Insect Frass – Is the excreta of insects which is produced in a controlled environment and consist primarily of the digested material passed by insects. It is a source of Nitrogen, Phosphate, and Potash.

Additionally, we believe we've identified a clear path to making bio-stimulant claims on frass labeling but please standby for confirmation. We are going to discuss with the board later this week. 

IFW Coordination & Prep

Insects to Feed the World is coming up this June. We have submitted and abstract for consideration and conversations are ongoing with global peers about meeting on the edges of this event. A final decision on NACIA's participation is pending further board discussion.

That's it for today. Let me know what questions you have.

Aaron Hobbs

Executive Director

Let's Connect

202-510-8657

And we're back! Happy New Year!

Hello everyone, I hope you celebrated, rested, celebrated some more, and are having a wonderful start to the New Year. I'm excited to begin another year together and see what we can accomplish. How about it?

This edition of the newsletter includes sections on Trade, Members @ IPPE, the Frass Institute, Fundraising, Membership, and more.

2026 Membership & Dues

I'm happy to report our membership is steady and we have a few prospects! If you haven't paid your 2026 dues, please do so ASAP. 

2026 Priorities

The Board has set our priorities for the year into three main buckets - Financial Stability & Resource Development; Regulatory, Policy & Advocacy Leadership; and Member Value, Outreach & Industry Positioning. 

Under these primary buckets there are three specific activities holding the majority of our attention right now - Launching a Fundraising Committee, Educating Policy Makers about Imports, and Building our Presence online. If you have questions about any of these topics and/or want to be more involved with them, please let me know.

Fundraising Committee

This group of volunteers continues to refine and sharpen our focus and ultimately our outreach to generate additional financial support for NACIA and the NACIA Foundation. We will take a targeted approach, likely with a frass and soil health angle, to our initial outreach. Again, if you'd like to participate or have questions please let me know.

Trade

Trade issues continue to give us all heartburn. We have a rough draft of an outreach and engagement plan with Federal authorities and are in the process of solidifying our knowledge base in preparation for these meetings. 

If you are involved with importing product or have data on imports, please keep reading. I am compiling the following information and would love your support -

1. HS Codes being used to import insects and insect products. 

2. Import volumes.

3. Companies importing materials that are not members of NACIA.

Thank you for your assistance. Let me know what questions you have.

Trade and Whistleblowing

Including this once again. FYI, I've heard from no one on this and will drop it unless I do. We face continued pressure from low-cost and low-quality imports. These products distort fair competition, undermine legitimate domestic production, and have the potential to significantly damage the industry’s credibility. The potential of a whistleblower pathway that may include a financial reward was mentioned recently. To learn more, please see the attached document. Upon review and with particular attention to, "How NACIA Could Engage," if you wish to explore further, please contact me.

Communications Updates

In case you missed it, we launched a new home for dialogue and discussion about Frass, the Frass Institute LinkedIn page. Please head there now and give us a follow. Also, please invite others to do the same. 

Also we had the awesome opportunity to be the lead article in Feed & Additive Magazine this month. Give it a read, especially the quote from your President Christopher Warburton!

IPPE - Let's get together, ya ya ya

I know that some of you will be in Atlanta, January 27-29 for the IPPE. I have created the following Form for you to share the dates you'll be there and your contact information as a way to help facilitate you all gathering. Just giving this a try, if you all don't use it, I won't do it again. 

Annual Meeting Links

Sharing again the links to the remarks given at our Annual Meeting. These resources are for you and your company's use. I'd rather you not share them outside of our membership. Why, you ask? Well you paid for our work, they didn't. 

Welcome by Buhler
North American Fertilizer Overview, Ed Thomas, Vice President, Government Affairs, The Fertilizer Institute MINIstock Program Update, Helen Amorim
AAPFCO Update, The Ian Banks
North American Industry Updates, American Feed Industry Association, Leah Wilkinson, Chief Policy Officer
Ingredient Pricing Insights, Mark Finke, President, Mark Finke LLC - A Pet Nutrition Consulting Company
2025 Association Report, Aaron Hobbs
Closing Remarks, Christopher Warburton, Board Chair

Sustainability Definition Workgroup

Our Sustainability workgroup has met twice and is now preparing a draft definition for Board review. Please stay tuned. 

California Updates Labeling Rules for Beneficial Substances (Including Frass)

In case you missed it from last edition - California has finalized new labeling requirements for products classified as “beneficial substances,” following passage of SB 1522 and completion of rulemaking by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA).

These changes may apply to insect frass products sold or registered in California, depending on how the product is positioned (e.g., soil amendment vs. beneficial substance/biostimulant) and how claims are made.

In general:

• California has replaced the prior “Nonplant Food Ingredient(s)” label language with a new “Contains Beneficial Substance(s)” format for applicable products.

• The new requirements apply immediately to new labels and will be phased in for existing registrations beginning January 1, 2026, based on registration cycle.

• Products that function solely as soil amendments through physical means may not be subject to the new format.

NACIA members selling frass into California should review the updated requirements and confirm whether their product classification and labeling are aligned.

That feels like a lot and I'm still nervous that I forgot something. Please ping me if I did. 

Sincerely,

Aaron Hobbs

Executive Director

Let's Connect

202-510-8657

Hello everyone. 

We've come to the end of another year together and I am grateful to still be working with all of you. Thank you for your membership and support of me and the organization as a whole. This will be the last newsletter of 2025, so read slowly! 

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. Now to the news.

2026 Membership & Dues

Please respond to me if you haven't and be on the lookout for your 2026 membership invoice. Holler if you have any questions, and please pay your dues as soon as you can. 

From a priority perspective, 2026 will see continued focus on communications, specifically highlighting advancements in N. America relating to our growth and frass. Also, as mentioned, we have launched a fundraising workgroup to generate revenue for the NACIA Foundation and allow us to expand our reach. If you missed our first meeting, no worries, please contact me to be included going forward. 

If you have questions or suggestions on other areas of focus, please let me know.

Communications Updates

Keep your eyeballs peeled for the next LinkedIn article where I attempt to reset the dialogue about our industry. At least start to reset it.

Additionally, I am selling advertisements on our website and in the newsletter. I will be managing these sales directly, so please reach out to me with questions. I welcome inquiries from members and non-members alike. 

Annual Meeting Links

Sharing again the links to the remarks given at our Annual Meeting. These resources are for you and your company's use. I'd rather you not share them outside of our membership. Why, you ask? Well you paid for our work, they didn't. 

Welcome by Buhler
North American Fertilizer Overview, Ed Thomas, Vice President, Government Affairs, The Fertilizer Institute MINIstock Program Update, Helen Amorim
AAPFCO Update, The Ian Banks
North American Industry Updates, American Feed Industry Association, Leah Wilkinson, Chief Policy Officer
Ingredient Pricing Insights, Mark Finke, President, Mark Finke LLC - A Pet Nutrition Consulting Company
2025 Association Report, Aaron Hobbs
Closing Remarks, Christopher Warburton, Board Chair

Sustainability Definition Workgroup

Our Sustainability workgroup met recently and will convene again tomorrow to move this work forward. We have a shared google document that we are working on between meetings and will come together to cuss and discuss changes. Would you like to join us?

Trade and Whistleblowing

We face continued pressure from low-cost and low-quality imports. These products distort fair competition, undermine legitimate domestic production, and have the potential to significantly damage the industry’s credibility. The potential of a whistleblower pathway that may include a financial reward was mentioned recently. To learn more, please see this document. Upon review and with particular attention to, "How NACIA Could Engage," if you wish to explore further, please contact me.

California Updates Labeling Rules for Beneficial Substances (Including Frass)

California has finalized new labeling requirements for products classified as “beneficial substances,” following passage of SB 1522 and completion of rulemaking by the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA).

These changes may apply to insect frass products sold or registered in California, depending on how the product is positioned (e.g., soil amendment vs. beneficial substance/biostimulant) and how claims are made.

In general:

• California has replaced the prior “Nonplant Food Ingredient(s)” label language with a new “Contains Beneficial Substance(s)” format for applicable products.

• The new requirements apply immediately to new labels and will be phased in for existing registrations beginning January 1, 2026, based on registration cycle.

• Products that function solely as soil amendments through physical means may not be subject to the new format.

NACIA members selling frass into California should review the updated requirements and confirm whether their product classification and labeling are aligned.

Ok, that's all from me for 2025. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Happy New Year and as they say in the biz...

That’s all folks!

Aaron Hobbs

Executive Director

Let's Connect

202-510-8657

An Updated Website You Say?!

In case you missed it, our refreshed website is live now and I encourage you to give it a look. 

Communications

Last week I published my second article on LinkedIn. It is imperative and frankly cheap and easy for each of you to like, comment, and/or share these posts. Please do so now. I will publish again later today or tomorrow as well. 

FRASS

A lot of behind the scenes work has been going into the finalization of the Frass Institute website. I have a draft that I am happy for you to review, please contact me to do so. Again, Marianne of Enviroflight for the win getting the page started and doing the bulk of the work. Stay tuned for the official launch soon.

Trade

More uncertainty as of the court ruling, but no changes until Oct. 17 to allow for further appeal. Stay tuned.

Annual Meeting - please RSVP

This year our colleagues from Buhler are hosting us at their Minneapolis facility for our Annual Meeting. The team there is helping organize a great set of meetings and your RSVP is greatly appreciated. Also, please use this link to book your hotel room if joining us in person.

Lunch 'n' Learns

Our next scheduled lunch 'n' learn is on October 17. Look forward to seeing you all then.

Member Minute

I'm elated to say that we have added another new member and have a few others "on the line". Look for their intro in the next newsletter.

NACIA Foundation

As mentioned above - "A lot of behind the scenes work has been going into the finalization of the Frass Institute website. I have a draft that I am happy for you to review, please contact me to do so. Again, Marianne of Enviroflight for the win getting the page started and doing the bulk of the work. Stay tuned for the official launch soon."

Alright team, that is all for today. Please let me know what questions you have, help out on LinkedIn and rsvp for the Annual Meeting.

Sincerely,

Aaron Hobbs

Executive Director

I'm baaaack.

Hey everyone. I'm back from vacation. Thank you to the Board and all of you for the time off. My family and I visited the 49th state, Alaska, which happened to be the 49th state I have personally visited. Only North Dakota to go. I have two action items, RSVP requests actually, for you today - the Annual Meeting and our second Lunch 'n' Learn - please don't miss them.

Now to the news.

An Updated Website You Say?!

I case you missed this section in July.... A big shoutout to Marianne Shelter of Enviroflight for doing the heavy lifting to refresh our website. It is live now and I encourage you to give it a look and review. 

Thanks to those who have helped us catch minor misses so far, if you see something that needs a tweak, please let us know - marianne.shetler@enviroflight.net. We'll do some thoughtful promotion starting this month.

Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors met the July 18 to review progress to date. They had a full agenda but I'd like to highlight one area please - our budget. As you may know, we have had several large companies go out of business in the past eight months and this has a big impact on association revenue. The board reviewed our current financial position and discussed how we finish the year well. There are two things each of you can do.

If you are aware of any company in our space that is not a member, please introduce us. If you know work with any foundations, funders, or family offices that are interested in supporting the industry, please introduce us as well. Thank you for your continued support.

FRASS

In case you forgot - Boom, bam, bang, pow, zap, wham, pop, yee freakin haw. The last of our members with an application before OMRI has been approved. Woo woo!

I'm going to keep leading with the above for a while! Please also see the note in the NACIA Foundation section about the buildout of the Frass Institute website that is ongoing. Also, we have brought renewed focus to our work related to chitin claims. Please stay tuned.

I am very excited about this - I have been exploring the creation of a frass research library that we populate and then can access using AI to analyze and answer questions. Recently I found a tool to do just that, NotebookLM. With the help of Ian Banks (yeah that guy again) we now have 74 publications in our library and the tool has created a mindmap, a podcast, and so much more. It is amazingly scary. However, I have no figured out how to widely share the tool. Until I do, I have two ideas for how everyone of you can access this tool - 1. send me your questions and I send you back the response, 2. schedule time with me and we'll play with it together via Zoom. As a preview, please find the AI generated podcast below. Again, awesome and a little scary, all I did was push a button.

 Insect_Frass__The_Tiny_Solution_to_Sustainable_Agriculture_and_Waste_Management.m4a

Trade

Groundhog day, at least related to trade changing often! I continue to follow as best I can the tariff changes. My primary concern is movement of goods between the US and Canada. Our industries products should be covered under the USMCA and not impacted by current tariffs, but if you are having a different experience please let me know.

Ingredient Definitions

This week state regulators and some of their counterparts from FDA are meeting in Omaha, NE for the summer meetings of AAFCO and AAPFCO. I have weighed in on our behalf as an advisor but am not in attendance this time. Fortunately, our colleague Ian Banks is there (thanks Ian and Enviroflight) and Amanda Ashworth of the USDA MINIStock team is also making a frass presentation (again thanks Ian). I'll have more to report in two weeks.

Annual Meeting

This year our colleagues from Buhler are hosting us at their Minneapolis facility for our Annual Meeting. The team there is helping organize a great set of meetings and your RSVP is greatly appreciated. 

Lunch 'n' Learns

Our next Lunch 'n' Learn is this Friday, August 8, co-hosted by Soldier Fly Technologies. You can sign-up here, and please help promote within your network. 

Member Minute

Oh yeah - another new member! - Please welcome John Bloch and the intersect Agriculture (iA) team. 

intersect Agriculture (iA) is a BSFL company started by a team with a food processing/environmental science background and interested in learning more about the US insect farming space. As a new member of NACIA we want to get plugged in and collaborate as we feed this emerging market.

_____

NACIA Foundation

Work has ramped up to relaunch the Frass Institute under the NACIA Foundation structure. A rough outline of the new website and pages has been drafted and a small team is moving this work forward. 

We have submitted a proposal to led a session at the The Sustainable Ag Summit coming up this fall. I'll report back if we are successful.

Alright, what they actually say to tell sled dogs to go - yes useless Alaska learning, that's all I have for today. Holler if you need something.

Aaron Hobbs

Executive Director

An Updated Website You Say?!

Yep, I do say. A big shoutout to Marianne Shelter of Enviroflight for doing the heavy lifting to refresh our website. It is live now and I encourage you to give it a look and review. With only two sets of eyes on it, we won't be surprised if some minor detail was missed. We've already found a thing or two we want to tweak, so if you see something please let us know - marianne.shetler@enviroflight.net. We'll do some thoughtful promotion beginning in August.

Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors will meet again this coming Friday to work on both NACIA and NACIA Foundation business. Trade, frass, a new frass institute within the NACIA Foundation and a few other topics make up the agenda this week. 

FRASS

In case you forgot - Boom, bam, bang, pow, zap, wham, pop, yee freakin haw. The last of our members with an application before OMRI has been approved. Woo woo!

What does this mean? It means that everyone of our members who were seeking an OMRI listing for their frass have it. Boom, bam, bang, pow!

Trade

"Trade issues seem to have settled" is how I started this report last newsletter. Silly me. We are unsettled again and things will likely change several times between now and mid-Aug. Of note, there is some ambiguity regarding the trade of goods between the US and Canada. So for those of you in Canada, please keep an eye on your exports to the US and let me know ASAP if you start having issues. I don't expect this to become an issue, but you never know.

Ingredient Definitions

AAFCO and AAPFCO (focus on fertilizers) is meeting the first week of August in Nebraska. I will participate virtually but no fear, Ian Banks will be there in person. The agenda is lite on issues of specific interest to us. I learned this morning that there may be some fireworks around AAFCO's opposition to the PURR Act which if passed would take some authority away from state agencies and provide consistency to us. 

Annual Meeting

Please mark your calendar to join our Annual Meeting November 3 - 5 near Minneapolis, MN. We will be hosted by Bühler at their facility. More details to come.

Lunch 'n' Learns

Our next Lunch 'n' Learn is on the books for August 8, co-hosted by Soldier Fly Technologies. I've just published the event today, you can sign-up here, and we'll be promoting in the coming days. 

Member Minute

It's been a minute, but I'm happy to pick this back up with an intro and shout-out to new member Matt Beck of Valorize Bioscience. At Valorize Bioscience, they're reinventing downstream processing of insects to create dramatically improved ingredients, unlocking a sustainable future for the human and pet industries. Please welcome Matt, give them a looky, and reach out to collaborate. 

 Other Business

The Academic Society for Insects as Food and Feed (ASIFF) has recently launched. This is an academic society focused specifically on our industry and they are soliciting industry members. You can learn more at https://asiff.org/.

NACIA Foundation

Work has ramped up to relaunch the Frass Institute under the NACIA Foundation structure. A rough outline of the new website and pages has been drafted and a small team is moving this work forward. We are also looking at participation in several events in the fall, The Sustainable Ag Summit and State of Regenerative Agriculture (attached). The Foundation Board of Trustees will discuss both this week. 

 SORA'25 Deck - NYC Climate Week.pdf

That's all for today. Please let me know if I've missed something, you've got questions, or just want to chat.

 Sincerely,

 Aaron Hobbs

Executive Director

Hello All,

I'm happy to share that we are restarting something some of you may remember from years past, Lunch 'n' Learns. Next Friday, June 13 we will host our first in a series of lunch 'n' learns that will be co-hosted with our Allied Industry Members. These will be 45 minute Zoom meetings where the co-host "has the floor" and is invited to update attendees on their specific offerings to the market along with sharing their perspectives. A new thing, for me at least, we are going to try allowing these to be open to the general public. Registration will still be required and I will still monitor and admit attendees, but we will allow non-member participation. Anyway, please click one of the two links above to register. Of course please let me know if you find an error in the process or have any questions.

Board of Directors

Our Board of Directors will meet Friday to work on both NACIA and NACIA Foundation business. They'll be reviewing the work products from our strategic communications efforts, looking at website updates, and discussing many of the topics you see below.

FRASS

Frustratingly, this continues to be a mixed bag - another member received OMRI certification while another continues to face resistance from OMRI. If you have questions or are experiencing challenges with OMRI or any regulator, please reach out to me.

Trade

For real, who knows! As of this typing the tariffs remain in place. I did hear this week that if the ruling invalidating the tariffs made by the U.S. Court of International Trade stands, the tariffs might have to be refunded even. Seriously, who knows. 

State Registration/Regulatory Guide

I am happy to share with all of you the current version of our State Registration/Regulatory Tracker. The link should take you to a version of the tracker for viewing. If you have questions, find discrepancies, or wish to make updates, please let me know and I can change your access level. 

A big shout out to Alexx Blazzard for getting this started and work by Ian, Cheryl Powers, Erik Neff, Brenden Campbell, Karine Bouchard, and others for moving it along.

Ingredient Definitions

One item the board will review on Friday is the latest regarding how dried insects for insectivores are viewed by AAFCO. I've been part of a workgroup attempting to bring clarity to this topic. Fortunately for us, the one regulator that was causing issues on this topic has moved on and I believe a simple solution will prevail. Please stay tuned.

Other Business

The Innovative Feed Enhancement and Economic Development (Innovative FEED) Act (S. 1906) has now been reintroduced in both the House and Senate. This bipartisan legislation, if passed, will create a proper regulatory review process at the Food and Drug Administration for new animal food solutions that would improve animal health and production, food safety and on-farm conservation. Passage of this legislation will help bring new innovations to the marketplace in a timely way and help the animal food industry remain competitive with other countries that have already updated their regulatory review systems. Attached you will find AFIA's issue paper.

Annual Meeting

Please mark your calendar to join our Annual Meeting November 3 - 5 near Minneapolis, MN. We will be hosted by Bühler at their facility. More details to come.

_____

NACIA Foundation

Work continues slowly but steadily on our Foundation. We continue to build out the website, gather and sort data, that will live on the website, and look for opportunities for engagement. You may have noticed that the traditional NACIA website is also "under construction". I am working to update all of our public materials at the same time. If you enjoy websites, or just want to lend a hand, I could really use the help. 

Ok, that's all for today. Please let me know how I can help you and stay in touch.

Sincerely,

Aaron Hobbs

Executive Director

Let's Connect

202-510-8657