Batelle Study: Agriculture and Agbioscience Crucial for Economic Growth

Agriculture and agricultural bioscience ("agbioscience") are providing opportunities for economic growth and job creation in the United States by addressing "crucial national and global needs, including agricultural productivity and food security, improved human health, renewable resource development (such as bio-energy and bio-based materials) and environmental sustainability." These findings were released in a study Power and Promise: Agbioscience in the North Central United States released by Batelle, an Ohio-based independent research and development organization.

 "In our science and technology-based economic development practice at Battelle, we have observed the consistent rise of agbioscience as a core driver of economic growth and business expansion opportunities for the U.S.," said Simon Tripp, lead author of the study. "This is an extremely dynamic sector, leveraging sustainable biobased resources to produce goods that meet large-scale market needs."

The report notes that solutions to many problems affecting humankind can be found in modern agriculture and agbioscience. Investments in institutions that are involved in agbioscience such as land grant universities should therefore be a priority, Tripp added.

See Batelle's media release at http://www.battelle.org/SPOTLIGHT/8-01-2011_study.aspx. The full report is available online at http://nccea.org/documents/powerandpromiseweb.pdf.