Jul 6, 2026
Opening up biomass: steam explosion in action
Before underutilised agricultural feedstocks like grass, cotton residues, or olive tree prunings can be broken down by microorganisms, their tough, fibrous structure needs to be opened up. At VTT's Bioruukki pilot facilities, steam explosion does exactly that — using high-pressure steam and a rapid pressure release to disrupt the biomass from within. We look at how the process works, and why grass, greenhouse byproducts, olive tree prunings, and cotton residues each need different treatment conditions.
Jun 25, 2026
Grass as an underutilised feedstock: PRIMARY featured in Kehittyvä Elintarvike
The latest issue of Kehittyvä Elintarvike (3/2026), a Finnish food science trade publication, features a four-page article on the potential of grass as an underutilised agricultural feedstock.
Mar 27, 2026
Grass is not just grass
During summer 2025, the project's first grass harvesting season took place in Jokioinen, Finland. Despite a rainy summer, researchers from Luke, Valio and VTT successfully collected and processed timothy and red clover samples — frozen, dried and ensiled — to explore their potential across a range of applications.
Mar 12, 2026
PRIMARY Project Launches €900,000 Open Innocation Call for Agricultural Bioeconomy Innovation
The PRIMARY project is opening applications for financial support to validate and adapt innovative approaches to transforming underutilised agricultural feedstocks into valuable products. The Open Call will fund 6-9 consortia with grants of up to €150,000 to pilot processing technologies and business models in their regions.
Dec 15, 2025
Unlocking cotton residues: insights from PRIMARY’s field trials in Greece
PRIMARY's Greek field trial in Karditsa tests two methods for harvesting cotton residues, comparing forage harvester and baling systems for rural bioeconomy.
Oct 30, 2025
Building a circular bioeconomy: PRIMARY, EMBEDED, and HarWASTing collaborate for rural innovation
PRIMARY, EMBEDED, and HarWASTing are joining forces to accelerate Europe's circular bioeconomy. Funded under the same Horizon Europe call, the three sister projects are collaborating to transform agricultural feedstock and agroforestry waste into high-value products, creating new economic opportunities for farmers and rural communities across Europe.
May 28, 2025
PRIMARY officially launches: transforming European agricultural feedstock into valuable resources
We're excited to announce that PRIMARY has officially launched! Our groundbreaking Horizon Europe project is set to revolutionise how Europe handles agricultural by-products, creating valuable business opportunities for farmers whilst advancing the EU's circular bioeconomy goals.