In this interview, Paul MacDonald, Head of Community at World Bio Market Insights speaks to Rob Owen, Executive Director at Bio Nebraska.
Paul MacDonald (PM): Welcome to 5 Minutes With…Tell us a bit about Bio Nebraska.
Bio Nebraska is a non-profit trade association dedicated to supporting, promoting and growing Nebraska’s biosciences. The roughly 130-member organizations represent the biomanufacturing, animal health, human health, agriculture and renewable fuels sectors. Members also include academic institutions (e.g., University of Nebraska, Southeast Community College & Metropolitan Community College), architecture and engineering operations and law firms.
Bio Nebraska plays in what I like to say “three sandboxes” to fulfill its mission:
- Networking— Bring people together to form valuable connections and relationships.
- Advocacy– Stimulate growth and positive change by championing Nebraska’s biosciences.
- Workforce Development – Aid in the development of a highly educated and diverse workforce
I like to think that Bio Nebraska is the “glue” that brings all things biosciences together in the state.
What makes Nebraska well-suited to lead the U.S. bioeconomy?
Nebraska has all the ingredients to make it “the bioeconomy” state. As the third largest producer of corn in the United States (1.7 billion bushels in 2023), affordable and reliable power generation (third cheapest in the country for average business rate), an abundance of water and a well-educated workforce, Nebraska is primed to be a leader in this sector.
But I would say that Nebraska is already leading the U.S. bioeconomy. Nebraska is home to 24 ethanol plants, Cargill’s 500-acre biorefining campus that NatureWorks, Novonesis, Evonik and Veramaris also call home, and ADM’s wet mill facility that has the potential of being something special. I am proud to say all these biomanufacturing companies are Bio Nebraska members.
Nebraska has the resources and industry investment, but it also has the leadership necessary to lead in this bioeconomy. Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen has made growing Nebraska’s role in the bioeconomy a top priority for his administration. He recently announced the Nebraska BioEconomy Initiative to “amplify Nebraska’s unique assets and solidify the state as the epicenter for a sustainable re-industrialization that will secure the United States and deliver food, fuel and energy independence.” The Initiative has already shown results. Recently, DG Fuels, a U.S.-owned sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) company, selected Nebraska for its first Midwest production facility. The plant will produce 193 million gallons of zero or low CO2 lifecycle emissions SAF per year and meet ASTM fuel standards. Production is expected to begin in 2030.
With strong leadership from the top, an abundance of resources and a proven track-record, there is no reason Nebraska cannot lead the U.S. bioeconomy.
What steps is Bio Nebraska taking to grow the bioeconomy sector?
Even though Nebraska is currently primed to be a leader in the U.S. bioeconomy, it cannot remain static if the state would like to continue at the top.
To help the state move forward, Bio Nebraska, along with Southeast Community College and Invest Nebraska, launched the Fermentation Collaborative Initiative in 2023 to help with workforce development. The Initiative is a partnership between the bioscience industry and Nebraska’s colleges and universities to grow a precision fermentation/bioprocessing workforce and support fermentation innovation. I take great satisfaction to say the Initiative was designated an Innovation Hub by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development last year.
The Initiative has three components:
- Build relationships between academic institutions (2-year & 4-year) and industry to better understand industry’s workforce needs and design curriculums that are mutually beneficial.
- Create an awareness campaign for junior and senior high school students and teachers to highlight the fermentation/bioprocessing industry and associated jobs.
- Foster an entrepreneurial ecosystem for start-ups and small companies to thrive that includes technical assistance, mentorship and infrastructure capacity.
On September 24-25, 2024, Nebraska will host Bio Innovations Midwest, World Bio Market’s first U.S. event. What is the significance of this event for Nebraska?
I cannot think of a better location to host the first-ever Bio Innovations Midwest event than Omaha and Bio Nebraska is proud to partner with Nebraska Department of Economic Development and BioMADE to bring this event to Nebraska.
The Midwest, especially Nebraska, is at the very center of the rapidly growing biomanufacturing sector in the United States and this event will provide an opportunity to not only display Nebraska, but Midwest companies, innovations and assets. If the Midwest wins, Nebraska wins.
Having the organizers of World Bio Markets behind this event only magnifies the event’s importance and the need to commercialize today’s bioeconomy. Bio Nebraska looks forward to welcoming the world to Nebraska next month.
