MDG News and Updates

We had an unexpected and wonderful guest last week! My family and I volunteered to escort the chart topping Christian singer Matthew West to a very special concert at the Milwaukee County House of Correction, an important stop before his show at the Wisconsin State Fair Grounds later that night. At the House of Correction, his lyrics touched the hearts of those in attendance. FOX 6 was there to capture it all, and Matthew shared with them, “No matter how messed up this stage of your life might be, this does not have to define you.” After the show, I shared how his song “Do Something” had played a role in creating our Feed, Clean, Save vision, as we also hope that we can make an impact in someone’s life, doing more than just being a business. To our surprise, he was excited to learn more about our efforts. Since we were less than a mile from our Franklin office, we invited him to stop by and talk more. While he was here, he shot a personal video message to one of our employees, who was also inspired by his songs and is currently doing mission work in Haiti. It was such an inspiring day and I will […]

Not too long ago, a biofertilizer customer came to me frantically and explained, “I need to grow 7 strains of Bacillus in 3 weeks because it’s planting season and I can’t miss this year’s season.” I felt sorry for him, yet I had no choice but to say: “I’m sorry, but we cannot help you. Your timelines just aren’t realistic.” This exact interaction has happened more times than I care to remember. Trust me, I understand how big the opportunities are, especially with row crops like corn, soybeans, and wheat, and it truly pains me not to be able to help. Nevertheless, the size of the market and opportunity doesn’t magically reduce the time needed to optimize the microbial strains. Down the road he went, hoping to find someone who would say yes to his impractical timeline. He found someone who would take his money, but they too were unable to deliver. I would later come to find out that both his product and company didn’t make it. I wish we could have done more; if only they had involved us earlier! We find customers will spend years on strain development to only flush it all down the drain by giving their […]

Under the Microscope is a member of our Blending Operations Team, Bob Pustejovsky. Bob is one of the team members working in our new facility in Oak Creek, WI and is one of the last employees to handle the very products that leave our shipping docks before arriving at our customer’s location. 1. What drew you to Microbial Discovery Group? I wasn’t very happy with my previous line of work and was looking to try something completely different. Everything that I had heard about MDG sounded awesome, and I really liked the idea of having a more physically active job instead of just sitting around all day. 2. What does your typical day look like? Most days I’m putting together formulas for either liquid or powder blends. I’m weighing out ingredients and loading them into the mixers to spin. After everything is nicely blended, I collect samples of the formula and we send them to our friends in the lab. They test the samples to ensure we have a quality product and if everything looks good I package and ship it off to our customers. 3. What are you working on right now? Now, I’m getting ready to grind up […]

Under the Microscope is one of our Quality Control Microbiologist, Katie Pernic. Being the first designated QC microbiologist at MDG, Katie has played a pivotal role in the development of our QA/QC processes. 1. What drew you to Microbial Discovery Group? When I joined MDG in 2012 it was a very small group of about 10 people, but I could tell right away that MDG was aiming for higher goals. There was (and still is!) a lot of opportunity for growth, and I thought my prior experience in QC would help the company to grow as well. 2. What does your typical day look like? My mornings are spent reading and reporting results from the previous day’s plates, performing short tests such as enzyme assays, writing reports, or setting up materials for testing later in the day. The main chunk of our work is done in the afternoon once all QC samples have arrived; this might consist of things like plating the samples for count, performing DNA extractions, PCR, or running gels. 3. What are you working on right now? I am currently helping to train a new employee, writing a report on some proof-of-concept testing from last week, comparing […]

Research Microbiologist, Claire Heile, has taken our Feed, Clean, Save initiative to the next level by dedicating her entire research efforts to environmental conservation. 1) What drew you to Microbial Discovery Group? I believe that our shared goals to find microbial solutions to world issues (specifically pollution) drew us together. MDG recognized and supported my determination, becoming the catalyst to bring these goals to fruition.   2) What does your typical day look like? My typical days are rather atypical; I have a variety of responsibilities that make every day unique and interesting.   3) What are you working on right now? I am currently gathering data for two patents, operating a lab-scale landfill simulator, isolating/identifying/testing new Bacillus sp., running chemical/molecular tests, creating/implementing new procedures, contributing to documentation needed to import our Bacillus to other countries, processing/analyzing data, preparing for a discussion with landfill industry leaders, organizing a blood drive and beach clean-up with our Feed Clean Save program, working on posters to present at upcoming conferences and constructing a digital library/database.   4) What is the most inspiring part of your job? The most inspiring part of my job is having the opportunity to find solutions to global challenges that impact […]

It takes quality people to make quality products; that’s why MDG invests in passionate people like our Fermentation Manager, Brian. 1)  What drew you to Microbial Discovery Group? I left the job I was at for 13 years to come here. I needed something new and exciting. Returning to school was not an option at that point in my life. I was lucky enough to find MDG and they took a chance on me.   2)  What does your typical day look like? Insanely busy… On any given day I could be loading tanks, cleaning separators, loading or unloading freeze dryers, cleaning tanks, harvesting tanks, maintenance around the plant, keeping up on GMP paperwork, filling out tank paperwork, switching over tanks to begin new runs, making sure addition cans are ready for use, having enough addition cans in rotation, etc. etc.   3)  What are you working on right now? At this moment it is tank reload, sterilization and separator cleaning.   4)  What is the most inspiring part of your job? Accomplishment, problem solving and results.   5)  What is your favorite aspect about working at MDG? Nothing is ever the same. There are new challenges and new obstacles […]

If you are anything like me, the sands of time are moving pretty fast these days.  It seems only a moment ago I was loading my little ones on the school bus and then hunkering down to work diligently on a business plan, humbly seeking support for this dream of MDG to become a reality. Fast forward and in the blink of an eye, I find myself penning a message in celebration of MDG’s 10-year anniversary, a dream fully realized, and my oldest is in college and my youngest is driving. No doubt this has been a remarkable season of growth with so many “firsts”, so many special moments, and so many blessings. As I look back on this past decade, I feel so fortunate and humbled to reflect on the amazing relationships that have been built, our culture, our shared values, our incredible “why” that gets us out of bed each day, and our passionate pursuit to explore all of what’s possible in the world of microbial discovery. Amazing Relationships While you set out to conquer the world by starting a business, then quickly move to outrun failure, along the way you receive the enrichment of the relationships you build.  Our […]

Microbial Discovery Group LLC (MDG) has filed a patent for a blend of novel plastic degrading shelf stable Bacillus. This unique combination works to aid in the biodegradation of plastics. MDG’s goal will be to leverage the bacteria along with research gathered to develop a new product for treating landfills and leachate, potentially reducing pollutants, toxicity, cost, post-closure care, hydrogen sulfide emissions, and accelerating waste stabilization. MDG recognizes that twenty-five million tons of plastics are discarded to landfills annually, accounting for 13% of municipal solid waste (MSW). Plastic film, including grocery bags are difficult to recycle. While there are machines that remove plastic bottles and other plastic materials from garbage, a cost-effective solution that targets the removal of plastic bags does not currently exist. The degradation can take up to 1,000 years resulting in high costs for building new landfills. Even if the US continues to promote bans of plastic bags, or increase regulations around them, there will still be a need for accelerating landfill breakdown, as well as reducing costs related to post-closure care. For these reasons, bioaugmentation was evaluated as a more cost-effective solution for landfill and plastic remediation. MDG has put focus on finding a combination of shelf-stable […]

Microbial Discovery Group (MDG) obtained third party certification in November 2016 for Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP), meeting your needs for GMP and FSMA requirements. This certification demonstrates their commitment to bringing safe, quality products to market. The scope of the certification covers all products including the Bacillus fermentation and processing and provides assurance that all products are manufactured in appropriate conditions to support the highest standard of safety. Since its inception in the 1960s, the HACCP system has become the global standard. HACCP is a logical, science-based, highly effective system of product safety control that relies on prevention. It builds a systematic approach to product safety from raw material to product end use. HACCP provides a written plan for product safety using Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), Sanitation, Non-conformances, Corrective Actions, Recall, Customer Complaints, and Raw Material & Supplier Approval. The certification also ensures that MDG’s procedures meet the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) requirements for Hazard Analysis and Risk Based Preventive Controls for feed. “Having auditors from an outside company review our program provides additional assurance that MDG’s products are safe for their intended use. Third Party Certification is voluntary; but we at MDG feel it delivers value for our customers and strongly aligns […]

Have you ever looked at your neighbor’s lawn and wondered how they grow such green grass? You quickly hop on the internet and search for tips and tricks to a greener lawn only to find there’s no simple solution, there’s work involved. The principle of having to take care of your lawn in order to produce results is reflected across most areas of work. People working in bioremediation either know this already, or are reading this article to find tips and tricks to effectively treat soil. Here’s some good news, the same principles for growing green grass can be applied to make Bacillus products work well in bioremediation applications. Just as there are some commonly known standards to growing grass, such as water is required, microbes are a standard for success in bioremediation sites, but MDG believes in a applying a total systems approach to bioremediation. The Secrets To Success: Nitrogen and Phosphorus.  Many of you have probably read about adding fertilizer to your lawn to get green grass. Ever wonder why? A healthy lawn requires the nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients (and potassium) that are found in fertilizers. It’s the same for bioremediation. Nitrogen and phosphorus are essential nutrients to any bioremediation […]