Ames Today

Trace Genomics, a California-based soil science, genomics and machine learning company, is opening a laboratory in Ames, a decision that comes after the company acquired soil processing assets from WinField United, also located in Story County. 

“We knew that we wanted to set up a lab in the Midwest,” Diane Wu, co-founder at Trace Genomics, told the Ames Tribune. “It was sort of a coincidence that we were also working with the facility at WinField, where they were doing our chemistry testing and the receiving of one-pound samples from our rural crop farmers, and then sending it to us for biology testing. That partnership worked so well that, when it came time, we were very interested in acquiring the facility and the assets from them.”

Trace Genomics, founded in 2015, helps farmers maximize their profits by analyzing the living soil. They then make the information available to every farmer so they can make the most profitable decisions. The company started testing soil in California and has expanded to the Midwest. 

The company has started working with corn and soybean farmers in the last few years, and the facility in Ames will help them better serve those farmers. 

The 11,700 square foot facility on Bell Street will be the company's Midwest headquarters for analyzing soil samples.

“The assets we’re acquiring have a proven track record. They are capable of receiving and processing thousands of samples a day while demonstrating tight quality control,” said Dan Vradenburg, Trace Genomics’ CEO in the release. “This laboratory provides a perfect  launchpad for our nutrient and disease offerings targeting row crops.”

Trade Genomics will hire local workers to run its Ames operation, starting with five to seven employees. The plan is to have a fully operational receiving facility by April or May. The hope is to eventually move the entire company's production to Ames.

“We really jumped on the opportunity to acquire the assets and are mostly focused on receiving the soil samples,” Wu said. “They really had built out a really customized facility for receiving soil samples, that was really attractive to us, and we do have an intention to move all of our production to Ames. In 2020, we will still have two production facilities. In Ames, we will have the receiving facility, and we will have the genomic testing facility in Burlingame (Calif.).”