Key Takeaways
- The Corn Refiners Association and other bioeconomy organizations praised the NSCEB’s biotechnology report and recommendations.
- The NSCEB report calls for urgent U.S. investment in biotechnology to maintain global competitiveness.
- The Corn Refiners Association emphasized the role of bioproducts and corn refining in national security and economic development.
- Industry groups support scaling up U.S. biomanufacturing and streamlining policy coordination.
- The report outlines 49 recommendations, including creating a National Biotechnology Coordination Office in the White House.
Corn Refiners Association Backs National Biotechnology Strategy
Following the release of the National Security Commission on Emerging Biotechnology’s (NSCEB) report, Charting the Future of Biotechnology: An Action Plan for American Security and Prosperity, the Corn Refiners Association (CRA) joined other agricultural and bioeconomy leaders in endorsing the report’s goals and urging prompt action from policymakers.
The NSCEB’s 49 recommendations center on making biotechnology a national priority, mobilizing private sector investment, and enhancing U.S. competitiveness amid strategic moves by global players such as China.
“This report makes clear that America must be the leader in all aspects of the ag bioeconomy, including innovation in bioproducts,” said John Bode, President and CEO of the Corn Refiners Association. “Standing by as other countries make strategic investments threatening that American leadership is not an option.”
Bioeconomy Advocates Call for Implementation
Industry alignment on key priorities
The Corn Refiners Association, Plant Based Products Council (PBPC), and the Ag Bioeconomy Coalition (ABC) all support the NSCEB’s vision, particularly its emphasis on policy coordination, rural development, and biomanufacturing scale-up.
“Bioindustrials represent a significant growth opportunity for the corn refining industry,” Bode added, “and building an advanced biotechnology industry in the United States offers benefits far beyond an economic boost.”
PBPC’s Executive Director James Glueck emphasized the value of strengthening federal focus and encouraging private investment to avoid losing the benefits of American innovation to global competitors.
National Security and Economic Considerations
Policy recommendations and sector impacts
The NSCEB report outlines a broad policy framework that includes:
- Establishing a National Biotechnology Coordination Office in the White House
- Appointing biotechnology leads at relevant federal agencies
- Enhancing supply chain security
- Supporting R&D at the Departments of Defense and Energy
- Modernizing USDA’s BioPreferred Program
These initiatives aim to create a cohesive strategy for scaling up biomanufacturing, improving regulatory clarity, and fostering workforce development—objectives that the Corn Refiners Association has long supported.
“Advancing policies that help the U.S. scale up and de-risk biomanufacturing… will generate greater demand for American agricultural commodities,” said ABC spokesperson Robin Bowen.
