FAPC announces major modernization to support Oklahoma’s growing food industry
Thursday, January 15, 2026
Media Contact: Stephanie Greenlee | Communications and Media Manager | 405-744-0442 | stephanie.greenlee@okstate.edu
The Robert M. Kerr Food and Agricultural Products Center at Oklahoma State University is launching a major modernization effort following a $6 million investment from the Oklahoma legislature aimed at expanding support for Oklahoma’s growing food and agricultural processing sector.
“This funding arrived at exactly the right time,” said Rodney Holcomb, assistant director of FAPC. “Oklahoma’s food processors are innovating rapidly, and FAPC needed the technology and space to match that momentum. These upgrades ensure we are built for what’s next.”
Secured in 2025 with support from leadership of the FAPC Industry Advisory Committee and statewide partners, the investment modernizes equipment, product innovation spaces and production areas across the facility. The upgrades respond to rising demand for technical assistance, food safety support, small-scale production and product development as older tools have reached the end of their service life.
One of the most significant additions is a high-pressure processing unit, which brings hyperbaric cold pasteurization to Oklahoma for the first time.
“This technology changes what’s possible for food businesses in our state,” Holcomb said. “Producers can improve food safety and extend shelf life without adding preservatives — something that previously required leaving Oklahoma.”
Common high-pressure pasteurization applications include deli meats, cold-pressed juices, guacamole, hummus, salsa, sauces and prepared entrées, providing Oklahoma businesses with access to higher-value markets and expanded distribution opportunities.
“These improvements strengthen Oklahoma’s entire food system,” said Roy Escoubas, FAPC director. “A business can develop products, test them, produce them under inspection and enter the marketplace all in one facility. No other resource in the state offers this level of technical and regulatory support, and very few across the country can.”
Additional upgrades include new refrigeration and thermal processing systems, dairy and beverage equipment, expanded meat processing tools, updated bakery and grain quality instruments, and advanced packaging and product development technologies.
An innovation kitchen, scheduled to open to clients in July, will support entrepreneurs and both small- and large-batch producers as they develop products before scaling to commercial manufacturing.
“FAPC was created to drive economic development for Oklahoma,” Holcomb said. “This investment ensures we can continue doing that, and this investment allows us to do it at a whole new level.”
All equipment installations are expected to be completed by June 2026, in conjunction with the next Industry Advisory Committee meeting, when tours and demonstrations will highlight the modernization effort.
FAPC's modernization effort is one of three initiatives identified in OSU Agriculture's strategic plan to serve Oklahoma and make a global impact. In addition to advancing value-added agriculture, OSU Agriculture is creating an Agronomy Discovery Center and launching a Beef Center of Excellence.
To learn more about FAPC workshops, services and resources, visit food.okstate.edu.