NEW TECH FOODS

Canadian tech company Miraterra has acquired the assets of California-based ag-tech firm Trace Genomics, including its intellectual property, product portfolio and analytical laboratory in Ames, Iowa.

The move aims to accelerate innovation in soil analysis and expand the reach of precision agriculture tools.

The acquisition brings together Miraterra’s advances in Raman spectroscopy with Trace’s DNA-based soil testing platform. Together, the two technologies offer a more comprehensive understanding of soil health – from mineral composition to microbial life – with the goal of improving agricultural outcomes and ecosystem resilience.

Trace Genomics helped usher in a new era of soil testing by applying DNA sequencing to uncover the hidden biology and microbiome within soil, a habitat that supports nearly 60% of life on Earth. Its technology gave farmers and agronomists new visibility into soil health, enabling more precise recommendations to boost crop yields and sustainability.

Miraterra sees the integration of Trace’s products and lab as a starting point for broader innovation. By building on Trace’s research and extensive data, the company aims to expand its capabilities across the entire agricultural system – from soil to plants to food – and establish itself as a global leader in measurement technology and agronomic insights.

Miraterra’s immediate focus is on maintaining service continuity for existing Trace Genomics customers while expanding access to new users. Central to this effort is the team at the Ames, Iowa lab, whose expertise and institutional knowledge will play a key role in supporting and advancing the company’s measurement capabilities.

Nate Kelly, CEO of Miraterra, said: "Miraterra's integration of Trace's technology, lab and team accelerates our ability to deliver breakthrough soil-to-table measurement at scale. We're making advanced testing more accessible, useful and trusted across the agricultural value chain. We invite customers to explore Trace's proven products and our expanding offerings, and we welcome researchers and institutions to partner with us in unlocking new insights from decades of rich soil biology and soil chemistry data."

Tom Chi of At One Ventures, an early investor in Miraterra, explained: "Miraterra has dramatically improved the scope and depth of Raman spectroscopy enabling new approaches to soil health. Soil health has mineralogical, hydrological and biological elements, but current approaches really only cover mineralogical. Miraterra's capability combined with Trace Genomics fill out the full suite of all three elements of soil health, and can do so at massively improved cost structure."