PBPC Board Chair Testifies Before House Agriculture Committee on Growing Markets for American Agriculture

Dr. Alex Buck highlights ag bioeconomy’s potential to create new demand for U.S. crops, strengthen rural manufacturing, and improve American competitiveness 

Plant Based Products Council (PBPC) Board Chair Dr. Alex Buck testified today before the U.S. House Agriculture Committee about the opportunity to create new markets for American farmers by expanding the nation’s agricultural bioeconomy.  

Buck appeared before the full committee at a hearing titled “Increasing Demand and Opportunities for Homegrown Products Here and Abroad.” In his testimony, Buck highlighted how agricultural biomanufacturing can transform American-grown crops and other renewable feedstocks into higher-value materials, chemicals, consumer products, and industrial products, creating new sources of demand for farmers while strengthening domestic manufacturing. 

“Every new biobased product represents a new customer for America’s farmers,” Buck told the committee. “By supporting the bioeconomy, Congress can help ensure that agricultural production remains connected to a diverse and growing range of markets in the U.S.” 

Buck, who also serves as Director of Industrial Innovation at the Iowa Corn Growers Association, emphasized that federal policies are needed to help promising U.S. biomanufacturing technologies move from the lab to commercial-scale production. 

“Dr. Buck’s testimony underscored that America has the agricultural resources and innovation to lead the world in biomanufacturing, but we need policies that help turn that potential into manufacturing capacity, new markets, and jobs here at home,” said PBPC Executive Director James Glueck. “Congress has an important opportunity to build on the momentum already underway and strengthen the U.S. bioeconomy.” 

Buck’s testimony highlighted several PBPC priorities, including modernizing USDA’s BioPreferred Program, improving federal data on the bioeconomy, expanding access to financing for biomanufacturing facilities, and creating incentives to build and operate production capacity in the U.S. 

About the Plant Based Products Council 

The Plant Based Products Council is an association of like-minded organizations that are advocating for a shift toward a more circular bioeconomy through greater adoption of renewable, plant-based materials supported by appropriate end-of-life infrastructure. We educate stakeholders and advocate for programs and policies that will support the growth of the plant-based products industry, helping to harness its economic potential to deliver a more sustainable future. Learn more at www.pbpc.com.

For More Information:

Sydney Garrett, Public Relations Manager, sgarrett@iowacorn.org, 515-225-9242