Federal Agencies Release Framework for Advancing the Bioeconomy

On Tuesday, the federal government unveiled a multi-agency strategy called the Bioeconomy Initiative: Implementation Framework.  The strategy seeks to accelerate innovative technologies that harness the nation’s biomass resources for affordable biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower.  The Biomass Research and Development Board announced the plan that is co-chaired by the USDA and the Department of Energy.

USDA Deputy Under Secretary Scott Hutchins says the bioeconomy “presents an opportunity to expand and enable new agriculture and forest markets while also improving sustainability.”

The framework outlines an approach for implementing the Initiative and lays out activities to address technology uncertainty, leverage government, academic, and industrial resources and capabilities, stimulate public-private partnerships, and generate technical information that can inform decision-makers and policymakers.

The board includes officials from USDA, the Transportation, Energy, Interior and Defense departments, along with the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Science Foundation, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy within the Executive Office of the President.

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