A new report by the Council on Competitiveness outlines why Nebraska is uniquely positioned to lead in the rapidly developing industrial bioeconomy, which relies on biological resources, such as crops, microorganisms and organic waste, to create food, materials, energy and other products. The industrial bioeconomy is a major arena of global competitiveness and projected to grow from a $4 trillion annual sector today to more than 10 times that by 2050.
The report, “Nebraska: Leading the New Frontier in the Bioeconomy,” was released by the organization on Thursday. It follows a Nebraska edition of the council’s Competitiveness Conversations Across America series, a national initiative that brings regional, national and global leaders together to identify emerging practices, policies and opportunities to strengthen U.S. competitiveness. The 12th installment in the series was held April 29-30 at the Durham Museum in Omaha and was co-hosted by the University of Nebraska System.
On the agenda
Topics discussed during the two-day event included the intersection of the industrial bioeconomy and national security, economic growth, workforce development, and artificial intelligence and innovation, among others. The report identified several crosscutting themes that emerged from the meeting:
- Global competition in biotechnology has grown into an industrial strategy race.
- The United States must lead in both industrial bioeconomy discovery and domestic production at scale of those products.
- The convergence of AI, biology and advanced manufacturing is reshaping both the speed and scale of innovation.
- Demand certainty is a critical missing accelerator for scaling the industrial bioeconomy.
- Cutting-edge biotechnologies introduce dual-use risks that require modern governance frameworks.
- Workforce capacity remains a binding constraint across the bioeconomy system.
These priorities are already taking shape in regional initiatives. One example is RuralSTAMINA, an Iowa State University-led National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engine involving the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and other partners. The initiative received an initial $15 million award from the National Science Foundation to help Iowa and Nebraska turn agricultural resources into higher-value biomanufactured products, strengthen rural economies, and create new opportunities for regional industry and workers.
The two-day convening — captured in-depth in the report — brought together more than 200 leaders from across industry, academia, government, agriculture, research and other sectors, reflecting the breadth of expertise needed to translate Nebraska’s existing strengths into expanded economic opportunities.
Participating companies and organizations included Procter & Gamble, HDR, Sustainea, Primient, Corteva Agriscience, Roebling, Cargill, Novonesis, Deloitte, Bluestem Biosciences, RAND, Gallup, and many others. Government participation spanned local, state, and federal levels, including Omaha Mayor John Ewing Jr., Nebraska Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly, and U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics Scott Hutchins.
The discussion also brought together leaders from across the University of Nebraska System and the state’s broader innovation ecosystem, including community colleges, farmers and ranchers, industry associations and civic organizations. The shared focus of attendees was how to strengthen Nebraska’s and the broader region’s competitiveness by connecting agricultural resources, research, talent and industrial capabilities to grow the industrial bioeconomy.
The report cites Nebraska’s many assets within this space, including 24 ethanol plants, livestock and grain production, growing biomanufacturing base, statewide public university system and an advanced logistics network as key indicators that Nebraska is well positioned to grow in the bioeconomy.
“Nebraska has an incredible opportunity to help shape the future of the bioeconomy — not just for our state, not just for our nation, but for the entire world,” said NU President Jeffrey P. Gold, MD. “Our resources, our transportation infrastructure, our agricultural and manufacturing industries and, most importantly, our people, both at the University of Nebraska and across the state, make us perfectly suited for this task. I know we are up to it.”
The spirit of collaboration and close connections that Nebraskans share is another tremendous asset, said Deborah Wince-Smith, president and CEO of the Council on Competitiveness.
“Innovation prowess and leadership span our great nation. And in this rich tapestry of imagination, insight, ingenuity, invention, and impact, Nebraska is distinctly demonstrating how a state can leverage its assets — from agricultural strength and research capabilities to manufacturing and infrastructure — to power an incredible engine for productivity and prosperity,” she said. “By connecting these assets and moving from collaboration to commercial scale, Nebraska has the potential and opportunity to shape the future of the region’s and country’s industrial bioeconomy and national security.”