Sustainability is more than a buzzword in the agro-tech world— it's a necessity in the rapidly changing environment, and as more weather extremes occur every growing season. This is where one partnership aims to change the way emerging agriculture is seen.
Southeast Missouri State University’s Sikeston campus recently announced a partnership with Saluna, a St. Louis-based agricultural technology startup focused on advancing hemp as a competitive and sustainable alternative for farmers.
As a part of this agreement, Saluna will lease space and field-testing property at the University’s Sikeston Campus, where it will conduct seed trials and hire and train SEMO students to support its research.
Saluna CEO Matt Plummer talked about how the idea was born, with the region in mind.
“There is a strong horticultural and agricultural program at SEMO, and a big part for us is to find talent that is not only knowledgeable but passionate about what we’re up to. And having that resource right there between Sikeston and Cape Girardeau is exactly what we’re looking for”, said Plummer.
The partnership highlights SEMO’s ability to bridge rural resources with urban innovation. As Saluna continues to grow, the collaboration also aims to demonstrate SEMO's role in driving workforce development, supporting new businesses, and creating opportunities.
According to a news release from Southeast Missouri State, Saluna's connection began in 2023 after hiring a student intern from the University. The company also saw the region's agricultural industry and land as an asset to their business model.
Plummer continued to speak about his long-range vision for business development.
“We’ve found the resources we’ve needed to develop our business, and hopefully we can return their knowledge of the space and their experiential learning back to them. So we’re very excited to start this off, the SEMO facilities themselves, outside of the human talent, there’s nothing like that in a few hundred-mile radius”, Plummer said.
Southeast Missouri State's faculty also saw this as an entrepreneurial opportunity for students.
“This partnership puts us in the heart of our target geography where we can grow and foster the entrepreneurial spirit of farmers across the Mid-South,” said Dr. Mike Gerau, chief technology officer at Saluna and adjunct professor at SEMO.
Dan Presson, assistant vice president of economic and workforce development at SEMO, was also enthusiastic about the partnership.
“This is exactly the kind of innovative partnership we want to attract to our regional campuses. With this partnership with Saluna, we’re creating space for new technologies, new ideas, and new opportunities that will benefit our students, our economy, and our agricultural communities”, said Presson.
More details about the program can be found on SEMO's website.
