March 07, 2008

Biotechnology: A New Wave of Economic Opportunity

Biotechnology, it’s the latest buzz word for our economic opportunities in agriculture.  What does biotechnology really mean to the average citizen?  The answer to that question was first and foremost in people’s mind at our Southeastern North Carolina Biotechnology Forum held at Robeson Community College in Lumberton on Monday, February 25th. 

Biotechnology means $30 an hour jobs in places like Robeson, Bladen, and Columbus counties where unemployment is high and job opportunities are low, according to Norris Tolson, the CEO of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center.  Biotechnology is truly the future of many facets of our lives with possible impacts ranging from alternative fuels, natural medicines, pest and drought resistant crops, and new production practices for live organisms.  Mr. Tolson, joined by Dr. Robert McMahan who serves as Senior Advisor on Science and Technology to Governor Mike Easley, focused on the biotechnology industry as a whole and the amazing strides that North Carolina has made over the years. 

Over twenty years ago, North Carolina realized that advanced science and technology would be the wave of the future for job creation and commissioned the North Carolina Biotechnology Center.  Since that time, the state has invested over $187 million in biotechnology infrastructure through the Center by administering grants and loans to young companies and worker education programs.  And the investment paid off:  North Carolina ranks third in the nation in the number of biotechnology firms with more than 450 bioscience firms headquartered in the state, employing over 55,000 people. The future of investment promises to be even brighter for North Carolina as companies continue to locate in the state and hire locally-trained workers. 

Biotechnology not only brings new products and technologies to the forefront, but also influences well-established industries such as commercial fishing, animal agriculture, and vehicle fuel. 

According to Dr. Daniel Baden, Director of the Center for Marine Science at UNCW, the black sea bass that diners order in local North Carolina restaurants may have come from a “fish farmer” 50 miles inland who is working with UNCW researchers to raise genetically superior male fish without ever stepping foot in a boat on the open ocean.  This kind of science lets farmers diversify their operations and could take pressure off endangered fish species while still providing consumers with the products they desire.  Dr. Terry Coffey from Murphy-Brown Farms looks forward to genetic research that will enable livestock farmers to breed superior quality animals with more success and efficiency than traditional processes.  

Mr. Steven Burke, Director of the North Carolina Biofuels Center, challenged participants to think of a time not far into the future when the majority of Americans would be driving vehicles powered not by fuel from the Middle East, but from our farms and forests right here in the United States.  Non-feedstock biomass is the wave of the future for vehicle fuels and North Carolina is uniquely positioned to take advantage of the massive demand for such fuels with its long-time focus on biotechnology and its rich agricultural landscape.

Now is the time to make this biotechnology future a reality.  Investments in research, training, and deployment of biotechnology must be made at the local, state, and federal level.  The federal government is poised to make historic investments in renewable energies through vehicles like the Farm Bill and the annual appropriations process.  North Carolina has already stepped up to the plate by making those investments continually through the years.  The future of biotechnology is ever brighter and will help our local economy grow!