What if the future of farming starts with insects? In this episode of The Hatch Podcast: Bioscience Innovation Stories, producer Tim Scott talks with Michael Lynch, founder and CEO of CHONEX — an Alabama bioscience company transforming chicken waste into powerful organic fertilizer through black soldier fly technology.

Born in Alabama’s Black Belt, CHONEX is pioneering regenerative agriculture, improving soil health, and creating a circular farming economy that benefits farmers, the environment, and rural communities. Lynch shares how his faith, humility, and servant leadership turned a “crazy idea” into a biotech success story — one now supported by Hatch’s Biotech Accelerator on the Gulf Coast.

In This Episode

• How CHONEX converts poultry waste into high-value organic fertilizer
• The science of black soldier flies and soil regeneration
• How Alabama’s Black Belt inspired a circular-economy startup
• The connection between soil health, food quality, and community well-being
• CHONEX’s growth from local field trials to national distribution

Featured Guest

Michael Lynch — Founder & CEO, CHONEX
Innovator in sustainable agriculture and bioscience, Lynch leads CHONEX, a company redefining how organic waste can fuel regenerative farming and soil health across the Southeast.

Quote

“The circular economy is real — we’re turning waste into something that benefits nature, the planet, and the people on it.” — Michael Lynch

About The Hatch Podcast

The Hatch Podcast: Bioscience Innovation Stories highlights founders, researchers, and entrepreneurs shaping the future of Alabama and the Gulf Coast — where discovery meets purpose and innovation takes flight.

Produced by Tim Scott for The Hatch Podcast — bioscience innovation stories from the Gulf Coast and beyond.

Links
CHONEX → chonex.ag
Hatch Biotech Accelerator → hatchfairhope.com/programs/biotech
Hatch Fairhope → hatchfairhope.com

Applications close February 2026 — join the next cohort.