Free Republic

Tyson, a major US producer of beef, pork and chicken, is betting on protein that comes from insects. The meat processor said on Tuesday that it has invested in Protix, a Netherlands-based insect ingredients maker. Tyson is not only taking a minority stake in the company, but is working alongside it to build a US factory. That facility will use animal waste to feed black soldier flies, which will then be turned into food for pets, poultry and fish. Tyson did not disclose the financial specifics of the deal. Those flies are not going into human food, at this point....

Tyson Foods announced it had invested in insect-protein supplier Protix and plans to build a partnership US production facility. “The American meatpacker said Tuesday that it agreed to buy a stake in Dongen, Netherlands-based Protix BV to help fund its expansion. The companies will also form a joint venture to build and operate a US facility that will produce bug-based meal and oil, which are typically used in fish feed and dog food. Financial terms of the deal weren’t disclosed,” Bloomberg reported. The meat giant did not disclose the size of its minority stake it has taken in Protix. Protix...

The individual larvae of black soldier flies, which are native to the Americas, can each eat double their weight of garbage every day, according to experts. The farm in Sichuan province then turns the bugs into a high-protein animal feed and their feces into an organic fertilizer. “These bugs are not disgusting! They are for managing food waste. You have to look at this from another angle,” said Hu Rong... ... But the black soldier fly, a rather long and slender critter, does more than eliminate waste. Once fattened, some of the larvae are sold live or dried to feed...