Blog

On any given day at the Versova Innovation Center, a lab result can turn into a conversation that leads to change at a farm hundreds of miles away.

A feed sample test result might bring together a veterinarian, a lab technician, and a nutritionist, sparking a discussion on flock performance and hen care that impacts daily decisions being made on farms across the Versova footprint.

For the people working behind the scenes, every test, sample, and conversation connects back to one shared purpose: To care for our hens and help ensure safe, high-quality eggs reach families across the country.

That purpose is what makes the Innovation Center more than a laboratory. It is a place where science meets day-to-day farm experience, where specialists across disciplines work side by side to turn data and information into action, all with the mission to produce protein with purpose.

Where collaboration comes to life

Collaboration has always been part of Versova's culture. The company's founding families believed the best ideas came from working together, and in 2015 they created a space designed to make that collaboration happen every day.

What began as Versova Laboratory has grown into today's Innovation Center, bringing together laboratory services, veterinary medicine, nutrition, engineering, and logistics under one roof. This off-site, biosecure facility was intentionally designed to encourage easy collaboration between our top hen health and food safety experts.

Marissa Gregory, laboratory director, considers collaboration the Innovation Center’s most inspiring work.

“Laboratory professionals do not always step outside the lab, but the Innovation Center creates opportunities to connect with colleagues across the business and show how each role contributes to the bigger picture,” says Gregory.

She leads a team that has become instrumental to how Versova monitors food safety risks, evaluates flock health, and supports better decision-making across the business.

“While the Innovation Center now houses several disciplines, the lab team remains central, turning testing data into faster answers, clearer insights, and stronger support for the farms,” Gregory explains.

A feed sample may begin in the laboratory before moving to Stacey Roberts, Ph. D., senior director of nutrition, to better understand ingredient quality and nutritional consistency. If the discussion points toward flock health, Dr. Abbey Sindt, senior director of veterinary services, joins the conversation to help interpret what the results mean for the hens. Together, they connect information that would otherwise live in separate reports, giving farm teams the information they need to provide the best care possible for our hens.

“Instead of waiting days to connect, our teams can gather around the same table, ask questions in real time, and make better-informed decisions together,” says Sindt.

The proximity of these teams changes how problems are solved. Every conversation builds on the last, creating a culture where continuous learning and collaboration drive better outcomes.

From the lab to the farm

Few people understand the connection between the Innovation Center and the farm better than Karly Boettcher. She started in the lab as a student, then became a lab technician. She then transitioned to overseeing flock health, biosecurity, and production schedules. She is now moving into a new role supporting the entire Versova footprint by connecting the work of the Innovation Center lab with day-to-day operations.

"My experience at the Innovation Center provided me with valuable hands-on experience that became a strong foundation for my career,” says Boettcher. “As I’ve progressed from production into a broader support role, I’ve been able to build on that knowledge and gain a deeper understanding of the bigger picture, how we care for our birds while supporting the teams that make it all possible.”

Stories like Boettcher’s show how the Innovation Center helps develop future talent. Its location at the Iowa State University Research Park creates opportunities for internships, building a pipeline of future talent, and introducing students to the science behind modern egg production.

“It’s exciting to see students continuing their passion for science and agriculture, and to have a place where they can get real-life laboratory and work experience,” Gregory says.

Every test tells a story

Long before an egg reaches a grocery store shelf, hundreds of decisions have helped support the health of the hens that produced it.

Each week, the Innovation Center laboratory performs hundreds of tests that help verify flock health, monitor feed quality, document vaccination programs, and identify potential concerns before they become larger issues.

The Versova Laboratory is a National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) authorized laboratory. The team follows rigorous testing standards while remaining current on the latest diagnostic methods and quality requirements. The farm locations submit samples for analysis at the Versova Laboratory to ensure alignment with the FDA Final Egg Safety Rule.

For Gregory, however, the work goes far beyond meeting regulatory requirements.

“Fast, reliable testing helps the team detect concerns early, rule out potential risks, and provide farm teams with actionable information that supports biosecurity, flock management, and informed decision-making,” says Gregory. “These tests truly protect our hens and ensure families across the country have safe, delicious eggs to eat every day.”

The laboratory continues to expand its capabilities to meet the evolving needs of the farms. Serology testing now helps document vaccination programs and evaluate immune response, while new and expanded feed analysis provide even more insight into flock health and nutrition.

Every test helps answer a question, giving our hen care team greater confidence in the decisions they make each day.

Better solutions through collaboration

A test result is never just a number on a report. It is the beginning of a conversation. The departments work together to interpret the data, ask questions, and determine the best course of action.

“Timely, accurate data leads to informed decisions,” says Roberts. “Our feed testing capabilities give our nutrition team valuable insights into ingredient quality and consistency, helping us optimize diets, minimize waste, and continuously improve how we care for our hens.”

The lab tests both complete feed rations and ingredients to determine the nutritional value. For example, in soybean meal, the protein, fiber, and moisture levels are analyzed. The data verifies that feed ingredients meet the proper specifications and can identify or rule out feed-related concerns, while also providing greater accountability with suppliers.

Feed testing results are transmitted to Bill Tiejde, senior feed formulator, where he incorporates the information into the feed formulation, ensuring our flocks are provided with the correct nutrient levels to thrive.

Our nutrition program is designed to precisely meet the hens’ requirements for each nutrient every day. By testing ingredients and evaluating nutritional values, the laboratory provides Roberts and her team with information that helps correlate diets with hen health and flock performance.

Sindt and the veterinary team bring another perspective to those same conversations. Together, they evaluate data from multiple angles, ensuring decisions are based on a complete understanding of hen health, nutrition, and farm management.

"The addition of in-house serology testing has changed how we evaluate flock health," explains Sindt. "Working alongside our laboratory and nutrition teams allows us to interpret those results in the context of the hen's full lifespan and well-being, giving us greater confidence that our vaccination programs and overall health management strategies are performing as expected."

Small team, big impact

What may surprise people most is how much the lab accomplishes with such a small team. Gregory credits the technicians as the driving force behind the lab’s daily success and describes the team as a service laboratory at its core.

“Our two lab technicians handle much of the daily testing. Together, the team runs an average of 400 tests per week, and that number continues to grow,” says Gregory. “Their efficiency, consistency, and willingness to help have allowed the lab to keep pace with changing needs while continuing to look for better ways to serve Versova’s farms.”

That adaptability is part of the lab’s identity and its role as an innovation hub.

“The commitment to continuous improvement has allowed the lab team to bring more testing in-house, reducing turnaround times. Faster results mean faster decisions, and in a laboratory designed to serve Versova’s family of farms, that responsiveness is essential,” adds Gregory.

Looking ahead

The work ahead at the Innovation Center is focused on excellence and continuous improvement.

“Additional feed testing is a top priority, and the team is excited about expanding capabilities to provide even more timely and useful information to the farms,” Gregory concludes.

But while new testing capabilities and scientific advancements are important, Gregory believes the Innovation Center's greatest strength isn't found in the equipment. It's found in the people.

Getting eggs onto the table takes a remarkable community of talented, dedicated people, and the lab plays an important part in that shared effort.

On the surface, the Innovation Center is a laboratory filled with samples, data, and diagnostic tools. In reality, it is a place built around conversations.

After all, every egg starts with healthy hens, and healthy hens start with people who never stop asking how they can do better.