Gerald Shurson
Food production systems; food loss and waste; sustainability of livestock production; One Health; circular agri-food systems
Background & Expertise
Gerald (Jerry) Shurson, PhD, received his BS degree in animal science and agricultural economics at the University of Minnesota and his MS and PhD degrees in swine nutrition at Michigan State University. He is currently a professor in the Department of Animal Science at the University of Minnesota with research and outreach responsibilities. Shurson has an extensive, diverse and transdisciplinary research program that includes determining biological mechanisms of animal nutritional responses; assessing the feeding value of biofuels co-products; feed safety, biosecurity and environmental impacts of feed ingredient supply chains; upcycling food loss and waste to animal feed; and integrating One Health, sustainability and circularity strategies in food animal production systems. He provides programmatic leadership for several interdisciplinary research teams at the University of Minnesota and collaborates with numerous national and international researchers, educators and industry professionals. His research program has resulted in more than 225 refereed publications, book chapters and white papers, 250 abstracts, five technical handbooks, 95 conference proceedings, and over $21 million in research funding. He has presented his research findings to audiences in over 50 countries. He has also provided service in several professional leadership roles and has received numerous awards for outstanding accomplishments and contributions in research, teaching and extension over his 39-year academic career.
Featured Project: Gerald Shurson
Evaluating and Promoting the Sustainability and One Health Benefits of Seaweed in Animal Feed
Challenge
The seaweed industry in the U.S. and Europe has not been developed to the extent it has in East and Southeast Asia because of uncertainty around whether there will be a long-term sustainable market. Animal feed and livestock industries also haven’t given much consideration to using seaweed and its bioactive chemical compounds as a significant long-term feed resource because of inadequate supply and uncertainty of economic sustainability of the seaweed industry.
Meet the Project Team
Project Lead
All Projects Featuring Gerald Shurson
IonE’s 2025 Impact Goal Grants Fund $1.13 million in Sustainability Research
Since 2019, IonE's Impact Goals grantmaking program has supported actionable sustainability research with more than $4 million in critical funding. This year, we’re excited to announce seven new projects, which will receive a total of $1.13 million. Our 2025 projects bring the Impact Goal grant portfolio to some $5.5 million in dispersals to 52 interdisciplinary teams across the state and the University of Minnesota (UMN) system, all working toward solutions to pressing environmental challenges.