Iowa Bio-Based Products and Bio-Energy Roadmap

Iowa has a very interesting roadmap for developing bio-based products. It's worth a look if you are heading in this direction.

The Iowa Industries of the Future (IIOF)/Agriculture project was launched with the purpose of developing a vision for converting agricultural crops and residues into biobased products and bioenergy and charting a roadmap for achieving this vision.

Here is what the program's vision statement has to say:

Results: A Vision for the BioEconomy in Iowa in 2020

Iowa leads the nation in developing the BioEconomy. Growth of the BioEconomy has led to an unprecedented period of sustained economic growth in the state and has allowed Iowa to develop abundant amenities and a quality of life rated among the highest in the United States. Iowa biorefineries enjoy widespread support from Iowans because they consistently:

• produce superior products
• capture significant value for all segments of bioproduct value chains
• provide high rates of return to investors
• attract local and outside capital
• provide exciting, challenging, and lucrative jobs
• improve environmental conditions and ecological diversity

The roadmap focuses on these key issues:

- Creating the science and technology necessary to build bio-products on the future.
- Building a policy environment to support growth of the industry.
- Attracting public and private capital to invest in research, people, facilities and products and services.
- Building markets for bio-products worldwide.
- Educating and training people in the fields associated with the bio-products industry.
- Creating the standards of performance and excellence for these products.

Download the roadmap here.