Biome Makers appoints Dr. Parnell as the Director of Agronomy

Biome Makers, a leading agtech company, announced the return of Dr. Jacob Parnell as the new Director of Agronomy. Dr. Parnell, an expert in soil health and biology, is rejoining Biome Makers after contributing significantly to global soil biodiversity initiatives at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.

"We are excited to welcome Jacob back to Biome Makers to lead our agronomy team," said Adrian Ferrero, CEO of Biome Makers. "His work at the FAO has provided him with a global perspective on soil health, which will be invaluable as we continue to develop innovative solutions for resilient and productive farming practices."

Dr. Parnell originally joined Biome Makers in 2021. He played a key role in developing innovative soil health solutions, and his work during this period laid the groundwork for many of the company's current technologies and approaches.

In 2023, Dr. Parnell left Biome Makers to take on a critical role at the FAO, where he led the development of a global soil biodiversity observatory. This ambitious project aimed to monitor and improve soil health worldwide, promote sustainable agricultural practices, and ensure long-term food security.

"Rejoining Biome Makers feels like coming home," said Jacob Parnell. "The work I did at the FAO was incredibly fulfilling, and I'm eager to bring those insights and experiences back to Biome Makers. Together, we will continue to advance soil health and sustainability, benefiting farmers and ecosystems worldwide."

Dr. Parnell earned his PhD from Michigan State University's Department of Crop and Soil Sciences and Center for Microbial Ecology in 2007. Following a postdoctoral fellowship at Utah State University, he joined the faculty to study metagenomics and metaproteomics of environmental microbial communities. He also contributed to the National Ecological Observatory Network in Boulder, Colorado, designing their terrestrial microbial strategy.

In 2014, Dr. Parnell joined Novozymes as a senior scientist, where he led projects to discover and validate beneficial microbes for soybean and corn. His work in these roles has been instrumental in advancing soil health and microbial ecology.